Eugene S. Takle
© 2003
In 1990, scientists at the University of Alabama-Huntsville (Spencer et al, 1990) reported that satellite-derived measurements of tropospheric temperature did not show a warming over the period since 1978 (beginning of the period over which satellite data are available) and therefore seemed to be in contradiction with warming trends observed at the earth's surface. Various corrections to satellite data since the first report have gradually narrowed this discrepancy. Vinnikov and Grody (2003) report analysis of satellite temperatures from 1978-2002 and show "a trend of +0.22ºC to 0.26ºC per 10 years, consistent with the global warming trend derived from surface meteorological stations." This trend of warming is consistent with global climate models that ascribe this warming to increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases.
References
Spencer, R.W., J.R. Christy, and N.C. Grody, J. Climate., 3, 1111.
Vinnikov, K.Y., and N.C. Grody, 2003: Global warming trend of mean tropospheric temperature
observed by satellites. Science, 302, 269-272.