ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Gavin Schmidt - Climate scientist
What goes into a climate model? Gavin Schmidt looks at how we use past and present data to model potential futures.

Why you should listen
Gavin Schmidt is a climate scientist at Columbia University's Earth Institute and is Deputy Chief at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He works on understanding past, present and future climate change, using ever-more refined models and data sets to explore how the planet's climate behaves over time.
 
Schmidt is also deeply committed to communicating science to the general public. As a contributing editor at RealClimate.org, he helps make sure general readers have access to the basics of climate science, and works to bring the newest data and models into the public discussion around one of the most pressing issues of our time. He has worked with the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Academy of Sciences on education and public outreach, and he is the author of Climate Change: Picturing the Science, with Josh Wolfe.
More profile about the speaker
Gavin Schmidt | Speaker | TED.com
TED2014

Gavin Schmidt: The emergent patterns of climate change

加文·施密特: 气候变化的新形势

Filmed:
1,270,244 views

你不能把气候变迁拆开来理解,气象学家加文•施密特如是说。这是全有或全无。在这个富有启发性的演说中,他解释了如何用奇妙的模型描绘出小规模环境事件无止尽的复杂交互作用,并以此来研究气候变迁。
- Climate scientist
What goes into a climate model? Gavin Schmidt looks at how we use past and present data to model potential futures. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

(掌声)
我们生活在一个非常复杂的环境里,
00:12
We live生活 in a very complex复杂 environment环境:
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00:15
complexity复杂 and dynamism力度
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我们有来自卫星照片和影像的
复杂性、动态性和模式数据。
00:17
and patterns模式 of evidence证据
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00:19
from satellite卫星 photographs照片, from videos视频.
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你甚至能从你的窗外看到。
00:22
You can even see it outside your window窗口.
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00:25
It's endlessly不休 complex复杂, but somehow不知何故 familiar,
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无止尽的复杂但又具某种程度的熟悉,
00:28
but the patterns模式 kind of repeat重复,
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模式有一定的重复性,
00:30
but they never repeat重复 exactly究竟.
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但从来不会重复。
00:33
It's a huge巨大 challenge挑战 to understand理解.
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要了解它是一个很大的挑战。
00:37
The patterns模式 that you see
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你所看到的气候模式
00:39
are there at all of the different不同 scales,
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都以不同的尺度存在着,
00:43
but you can't chop it into one little bit and say,
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但你不能切下一小块然后说:
00:46
"Oh, well let me just make a smaller climate气候."
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“喔,那我做个小一点的气候。”
00:48
I can't use the normal正常 products制品 of reductionism简化论
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我不能以一般的简化方法
00:53
to get a smaller and smaller thing that I can study研究
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得到愈来愈小的东西
00:55
in a laboratory实验室 and say, "Oh,
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使我能在实验室里研究并且说
00:58
now that's something I now understand理解."
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“喔,现在我懂了。”
01:00
It's the whole整个 or it's nothing.
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这是全有或全无。
01:03
The different不同 scales that give you
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这些气候模式以不同的尺度呈现,
01:06
these kinds of patterns模式
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01:08
range范围 over an enormous巨大 range范围 of magnitude大小,
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其范围幅度非常大,
01:12
roughly大致 14 orders命令 of magnitude大小,
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大约是 14 数量级的差距,
01:14
from the small microscopic显微 particles粒子
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从最小的造雨的显微粒子
01:16
that seed种子 clouds
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01:19
to the size尺寸 of the planet行星 itself本身,
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到这个星球本身,
01:21
from 10 to the minus减去 six
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从 10 的负六次方到
01:23
to 10 to the eight,
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10 的八次方,
01:24
14 orders命令 of spatial空间的 magnitude大小.
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空间数量级的差距为 14。
01:26
In time, from milliseconds毫秒 to millennia千年,
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在时间上,从毫秒到千年,
01:29
again around 14 orders命令 of magnitude大小.
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同样也是 14 数量级。
01:32
What does that mean?
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这意味着什么?
01:34
Okay, well if you think about how
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好,如果你想一想
你要如何计算这些东西,
01:36
you can calculate计算 these things,
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01:38
you can take what you can see,
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你会拿你眼前的东西,
01:40
okay, I'm going to chop it up
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好,我要把它切碎成这些小方块,
01:41
into lots of little boxes盒子,
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01:43
and that's the result结果 of physics物理, right?
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这就是物理学的结果,对吧?
01:45
And if I think about a weather天气 model模型,
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以一个天气模型为例,
01:47
that spans跨度 about five orders命令 of magnitude大小,
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尺度横跨五数量级,
01:49
from the planet行星 to a few少数 kilometers公里,
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也就是从地球的大小到几公里
01:53
and the time scale规模
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时间尺度则是
01:54
from a few少数 minutes分钟 to 10 days, maybe a month.
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从几分钟到十天或者一个月。
01:59
We're interested有兴趣 in more than that.
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我们感兴趣的不只这些。
02:00
We're interested有兴趣 in the climate气候.
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我们感兴趣的是气候,
02:01
That's years年份, that's millennia千年,
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那是以年计的,是千年,
02:03
and we need to go to even smaller scales.
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我们还需要看更小尺度的。
02:06
The stuff东东 that we can't resolve解决,
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那些我们无法解决的东西,
02:08
the sub-scale分度 processes流程,
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次网格尺度过程,
02:09
we need to approximate近似 in some way.
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我们必须想办法模拟。
02:11
That is a huge巨大 challenge挑战.
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那是很大的挑战。
02:13
Climate气候 models楷模 in the 1990s
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1990 年代的气候模型
02:15
took an even smaller chunk of that,
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是拿更小块的尺度来看,
02:17
only about three orders命令 of magnitude大小.
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大约只有三数量级。
02:19
Climate气候 models楷模 in the 2010s,
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2010 年代的气候模型
02:21
kind of what we're working加工 with now,
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就像我们现在正在使用的
02:23
four orders命令 of magnitude大小.
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是四数量级。
02:26
We have 14 to go,
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而我们要扩展到 14 数量级。
02:29
and we're increasing增加 our capability能力
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而我们的模拟能力
02:31
of simulating模拟 those at about
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每十年大约增加一数量级
02:33
one extra额外 order订购 of magnitude大小 every一切 decade.
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空间一数量级等同于1万次的计算。
02:36
One extra额外 order订购 of magnitude大小 in space空间
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02:38
is 10,000 times more calculations计算.
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02:41
And we keep adding加入 more things,
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而我们还继续加东西上去,
02:44
more questions问题 to these different不同 models楷模.
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加更多问题到这些不同的模型上。
02:46
So what does a climate气候 model模型 look like?
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气候模型是什么样的?
02:49
This is an old climate气候 model模型, admittedly固然,
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无可否认这是旧的气候模型,
02:51
a punch冲床 card, a single line线 of FortranFortran语言 code.
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打孔卡,单行福传语言。
02:55
We no longer use punch冲床 cards.
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我们不再使用打孔卡了,
02:57
We do still use FortranFortran语言.
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我们还是用福传语言。
02:59
New-fangled新发明 ideas思路 like C
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新的想法像 C 语言
03:01
really haven't没有 had a big impact碰撞
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在气候模型研究上
还没有什么大的影响力。
03:05
on the climate气候 modeling造型 community社区.
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But how do we go about doing it?
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但这是怎么做出来的?
03:08
How do we go from that complexity复杂 that you saw
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我们如何把你所看到的复杂现象
03:13
to a line线 of code?
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变成一行行的代码?
03:16
We do it one piece at a time.
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我们一次做一块。
03:17
This is a picture图片 of sea ice
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这是一张海冰图,
03:19
taken采取 flying飞行 over the Arctic北极.
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是飞越北极上空时照的。
03:21
We can look at all of the different不同 equations方程
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我们可以看所有不同的方程式
03:23
that go into making制造 the ice grow增长
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或使结冰量增加
03:26
or melt熔化 or change更改 shape形状.
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或融化或改变形状。
03:28
We can look at the fluxes通量.
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我们可以看各种通量,
03:29
We can look at the rate at which哪一个
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我们可以看雪变成冰的速率,
03:31
snow turns to ice, and we can code that.
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我们可以为之编写代码。
03:34
We can encapsulate封装 that in code.
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我们可以用代码封装。
03:37
These models楷模 are around
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这些模型目前大约要以
03:38
a million百万 lines线 of code at this point,
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一百万行代码才做的出来,
03:40
and growing生长 by tens of thousands数千 of lines线 of code
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每年还在以上万行代码的速度增长。
03:43
every一切 year.
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03:45
So you can look at that piece,
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所以你可以看这块,
03:46
but you can look at the other pieces too.
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你也可以看那块。
03:48
What happens发生 when you have clouds?
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有云的时候怎么办?
03:50
What happens发生 when clouds form形成,
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云形成的时候怎么办?
03:52
when they dissipate消散, when they rain out?
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云散了呢?下雨了呢?
03:54
That's another另一个 piece.
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这是另一块。
03:56
What happens发生 when we have radiation辐射
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有太阳辐射怎么办?
03:58
coming未来 from the sun太阳, going through通过 the atmosphere大气层,
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辐射穿过大气层
04:00
being存在 absorbed吸收 and reflected反射的?
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被吸收及反射又怎么办?
04:02
We can code each of those
very small pieces as well.
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我们也能为这些非常小的东西写代码。
04:06
There are other pieces:
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还有其他的,
04:08
the winds changing改变 the ocean海洋 currents电流.
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风改变洋流,
04:11
We can talk about the role角色 of vegetation植被
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我们也能谈植被的角色,
04:15
in transporting传输 water from the soils土壤
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它从土壤中输送水分
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back into the atmosphere大气层.
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回到大气层。
04:19
And each of these different不同 elements分子
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每一种不同的要素
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we can encapsulate封装 and put into a system系统.
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我们都可以封装写进系统内。
04:26
Each of those pieces ends结束 up adding加入 to the whole整个.
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每一块最后都会加在整体上,
你就会得到一个像这样的东西。
04:31
And you get something like this.
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04:33
You get a beautiful美丽 representation表示
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你会得到漂亮的图表,
04:36
of what's going on in the climate气候 system系统,
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告诉你气候系统的状况,
04:39
where each and every一切 one of those
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每一个像这样的
04:42
emergent应急 patterns模式 that you can see,
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你看到的新气候形势,
04:45
the swirls漩涡 in the Southern南部的 Ocean海洋,
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南冰洋的漩涡,
04:47
the tropical热带 cyclone气旋 in the Gulf海湾 of Mexico墨西哥,
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墨西哥湾的热带飓风,
04:49
and there's two more that are going to pop流行的 up
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还有两个在太平洋随时可能爆发的,
04:51
in the Pacific和平的 at any point now,
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04:53
those rivers河流 of atmospheric大气的 water,
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那些大气水气形成的河流,
04:56
all of those are emergent应急 properties性能
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这些都是来自我刚刚谈到的
次网格尺度过程交互作用的新特性。
04:59
that come from the interactions互动
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of all of those small-scale小型 processes流程 I mentioned提到.
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没有什么代码会说
05:05
There's no code that says,
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05:07
"Do a wiggle摆动 in the Southern南部的 Ocean海洋."
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“在南冰洋晃一下。”
05:08
There's no code that says, "Have two
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也没有代码会说:“让两个
05:11
tropical热带 cyclones旋风 that spin around each other."
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热带飓风互相绕着旋转。 ”
05:14
All of those things are emergent应急 properties性能.
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这些都是新特性,
05:18
This is all very good. This is all great.
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这很好,这很棒。
05:20
But what we really want to know
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但我们真的想知道的是
05:21
is what happens发生 to these emergent应急 properties性能
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这些新特性在我们系统改变的时候会怎样?
05:23
when we kick the system系统?
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05:25
When something changes变化, what
happens发生 to those properties性能?
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当情况改变的时候,那些特性会怎样?
05:28
And there's lots of different不同 ways方法 to kick the system系统.
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有很多方法可以让系统改变,
05:31
There are wobbles摆动 in the Earth's地球 orbit轨道
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地球的轨道在过去数万年的摆动中
05:33
over hundreds数以百计 of thousands数千 of years年份
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05:35
that change更改 the climate气候.
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改变着气候。
05:37
There are changes变化 in the solar太阳能 cycles周期,
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太阳周期的改变,
05:39
every一切 11 years年份 and longer, that change更改 the climate气候.
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每 11 年或更长的时间也会改变气候。
05:43
Big volcanoes火山 go off and change更改 the climate气候.
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大的火山爆发会改变气候,
05:46
Changes变化 in biomass生物质 burning燃烧, in smoke抽烟,
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生物质燃烧、烟雾、气胶粒子,
所有这些东西的改变
05:49
in aerosol气雾剂 particles粒子, all of those things
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05:51
change更改 the climate气候.
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都会改变气候。
05:53
The ozone臭氧 hole changed the climate气候.
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臭氧洞会改变气候,
05:57
Deforestation森林砍伐 changes变化 the climate气候
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森林除伐会改变气候,
05:59
by changing改变 the surface表面 properties性能
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因为这改变了地表性质,
06:01
and how water is evaporated蒸发
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也改变了水分如何蒸发
06:03
and moved移动 around in the system系统.
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并在系统内移动。
06:06
Contrails凝结 change更改 the climate气候
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凝结尾气会改变气候,
06:08
by creating创建 clouds where there were none没有 before,
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因为它会在以前无云的地方产生云。
06:11
and of course课程 greenhouse温室 gases气体 change更改 the system系统.
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当然温室气体也会改变系统。
06:15
Each of these different不同 kicks
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这些不同的影响因素
06:18
provides提供 us with a target目标
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给我们提供了一个目标,
06:21
to evaluate评估 whether是否 we understand理解
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就是评估我们是否理解这个系统。
06:23
something about this system系统.
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那么让我们来看看
06:26
So we can go to look at
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06:28
what model模型 skill技能 is.
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模型预测技巧是什么。
06:31
Now I use the word "skill技能" advisedly故意地:
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那我非常审慎地用“技巧”这个字,
06:33
Models楷模 are not right or wrong错误; they're always wrong错误.
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模型没有对错,它们永远是错的。
06:35
They're always approximations近似值.
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它们永远是模拟情况。
06:37
The question you have to ask
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你该问的问题是
06:39
is whether是否 a model模型 tells告诉 you more information信息
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一个模型能否给到
你反之不会得到的信息。
06:42
than you would have had otherwise除此以外.
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06:44
If it does, it's skillful熟练.
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如果是,那就是“有技巧”的。
06:47
This is the impact碰撞 of the ozone臭氧 hole
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这是臭氧洞对海平面气压的影响,
06:50
on sea level水平 pressure压力, so
low pressure压力, high pressures压力,
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围绕南冰洋南极洲的低气压高气压。
06:52
around the southern南部的 oceans海洋, around Antarctica南极洲.
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06:55
This is observed观察到的 data数据.
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这是观测数据,
06:57
This is modeled仿照 data数据.
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这是模型推测出的数据。
06:59
There's a good match比赛
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这两者匹配度很高,
07:01
because we understand理解 the physics物理
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因为我们理解控制平流层温度的物理
07:03
that controls控制 the temperatures温度 in the stratosphere平流层
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07:06
and what that does to the winds
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及其对南冰洋四周的风的影响。
07:07
around the southern南部的 oceans海洋.
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07:10
We can look at other examples例子.
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我们还可以看看其他例子。
07:11
The eruption喷发 of Mount安装 Pinatubo皮纳图博火山 in 1991
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1991 年皮纳土波火山爆发
07:14
put an enormous巨大 amount of aerosols气溶胶, small particles粒子,
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将大量的气胶,微粒
07:17
into the stratosphere平流层.
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喷入平流层中。
07:18
That changed the radiation辐射
balance平衡 of the whole整个 planet行星.
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那件事改变了整个地球的辐射平衡。
07:22
There was less energy能源 coming未来
in than there was before,
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与之前相比,较少的能量进入地球,
07:24
so that cooled冷却 the planet行星,
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导致地球变冷,
07:26
and those red lines线 and those green绿色 lines线,
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而那些红线及那些绿线
07:28
those are the differences分歧 between之间 what we expected预期
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那些是我们所预期的与实际状况的差别。
07:31
and what actually其实 happened发生.
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07:32
The models楷模 are skillful熟练,
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这些模型很有技巧,
07:34
not just in the global全球 mean,
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因为它们不仅在全球平均上预测很准确,
07:36
but also in the regional区域性 patterns模式.
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在区域形态上也如此。
07:39
I could go through通过 a dozen more examples例子:
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我还可以举上一打的例子:
07:42
the skill技能 associated相关 with solar太阳能 cycles周期,
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与太阳周期、
平流层臭氧变化相关的预测技巧,
07:45
changing改变 the ozone臭氧 in the stratosphere平流层;
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07:47
the skill技能 associated相关 with orbital轨道的 changes变化
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与六千年来地球轨道变化相关的预测技巧。
07:49
over 6,000 years年份.
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07:51
We can look at that too, and the models楷模 are skillful熟练.
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我们也可以看那个,模型的技巧也很好。
07:53
The models楷模 are skillful熟练 in response响应 to the ice sheets床单
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对二万年前的冰层,这些模型的技巧也很好。
07:56
20,000 years年份 ago.
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07:58
The models楷模 are skillful熟练
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这些模型对预测二十世纪的气候趋势,技巧也很好。
08:00
when it comes to the 20th-centuryTH-世纪 trends趋势
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08:03
over the decades几十年.
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模型很成功地模拟了八千年前北极冰湖溃决。
08:04
Models楷模 are successful成功 at modeling造型
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08:06
lake outbursts爆发 into the North Atlantic大西洋
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08:09
8,000 years年份 ago.
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我们在数据上的匹配度很高。
08:11
And we can get a good match比赛 to the data数据.
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08:15
Each of these different不同 targets目标,
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每一个不同的目标,
08:17
each of these different不同 evaluations评估,
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每一个不同的评估,
08:19
leads引线 us to add more scope范围
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都使我们能够扩展这些模型,
08:22
to these models楷模,
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08:23
and leads引线 us to more and more
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使我们能够看日渐复杂的情况,
08:26
complex复杂 situations情况 that we can ask
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使我们能够问更多有意思的问题,
08:30
more and more interesting有趣 questions问题,
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比如,撒哈拉尘,
08:32
like, how does dust灰尘 from the Sahara撒哈拉,
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08:35
that you can see in the orange橙子,
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也就是这些橘色的东西,
08:37
interact相互作用 with tropical热带 cyclones旋风 in the Atlantic大西洋?
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与大西洋的热带飓风如何交互作用?
08:40
How do organic有机 aerosols气溶胶 from biomass生物质 burning燃烧,
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生物质燃烧所产生的有机气胶,
08:44
which哪一个 you can see in the red dots,
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也就是这些红点,
与云和雨如何交互作用?
08:46
intersect相交 with clouds and rainfall雨量 patterns模式?
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这些污染,就是你看到的
08:49
How does pollution污染, which哪一个 you can see
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08:51
in the white白色 wisps缕缕 of sulfate硫酸 pollution污染 in Europe欧洲,
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欧洲上方一缕缕的白色硫酸,
08:55
how does that affect影响 the
temperatures温度 at the surface表面
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这些如何影响地面温度
08:58
and the sunlight阳光 that you get at the surface表面?
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以及你在地表上得到的太阳光量?
09:02
We can look at this across横过 the world世界.
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我们可以看世界各地的状况,
09:05
We can look at the pollution污染 from China中国.
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我们可以看来自中国的污染,
09:09
We can look at the impacts影响 of storms风暴
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我们可以看暴风
09:13
on sea salt particles粒子 in the atmosphere大气层.
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对大气层内海盐粒子的影响。
09:16
We can see the combination组合
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我们可以看
这些不同东西同时发生的整体情况,
09:19
of all of these different不同 things
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09:21
happening事件 all at once一旦,
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09:22
and we can ask much more interesting有趣 questions问题.
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我们可以问更有意思的问题。
09:25
How do air空气 pollution污染 and climate气候 coexist共存?
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空气污染与气候如何共存?
09:29
Can we change更改 things
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我们是否能同时改变
09:31
that affect影响 air空气 pollution污染 and
climate气候 at the same相同 time?
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影响空气污染及气候的事物?
09:33
The answer回答 is yes.
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答案是肯定的。
09:36
So this is a history历史 of the 20th century世纪.
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这是二十世纪的历史。
09:39
The first one is the model模型.
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第一个是模型,
09:41
The weather天气 is a little bit different不同
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天气与实际状况有一点不同。
09:42
to what actually其实 happened发生.
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第二个是观察结果。
09:44
The second第二 one are the observations意见.
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09:46
And we're going through通过 the 1930s.
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我们来看 1930 年代的情况。
09:48
There's variability变化性, there are things going on,
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总是有差异,总是有状况发生,
09:51
but it's all kind of in the noise噪声.
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但都不是很清楚。
09:53
As you get towards the 1970s,
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接近 1970 年代,
09:56
things are going to start开始 to change更改.
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事情开始有了变化。
09:58
They're going to start开始 to look more similar类似,
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它们开始变得愈来愈接近。
10:00
and by the time you get to the 2000s,
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而到了 21 世纪,
10:03
you're already已经 seeing眼看 the
patterns模式 of global全球 warming变暖,
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你已经可以看到全球变暖的形势,
10:05
both in the observations意见 and in the model模型.
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可以观察到,也可以在模型中看到。
10:08
We know what happened发生 over the 20th century世纪.
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我们知道二十世纪发生了什么,
10:10
Right? We know that it's gotten得到 warmer回暖.
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对吧?我们知道气候变暖了。
10:12
We know where it's gotten得到 warmer回暖.
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我们还知道哪里变暖了。
10:13
And if you ask the models楷模 why did that happen发生,
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如果你问模型为什么会发生这种情形,
10:16
and you say, okay, well, yes,
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然后你说,对,嗯,没错,
10:18
basically基本上 it's because of the carbon dioxide二氧化碳
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基本上就是因为
我们排放到大气层中的二氧化碳。
10:20
we put into the atmosphere大气层.
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10:22
We have a very good match比赛
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我们的模型匹配度
10:24
up until直到 the present当下 day.
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到今天为止都很高。
10:26
But there's one key reason原因 why we look at models楷模,
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但我们看模型的一个关键理由
10:30
and that's because of this phrase短语 here.
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就是这句话。
10:32
Because if we had observations意见 of the future未来,
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因为“如果我们能直接观察未来,
10:35
we obviously明显 would trust相信 them more than models楷模,
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与其相信模型,
我们显然会更相信观察数据。
10:38
But unfortunately不幸,
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但不幸的是…
10:40
observations意见 of the future未来
are not available可得到 at this time.
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…目前我们无法观察未来。 ”
10:45
So when we go out into the
future未来, there's a difference区别.
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所以当未来真正到来的时候,会有所不同。
10:48
The future未来 is unknown未知, the future未来 is uncertain不确定,
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未来是未知的,未来是不确定的,
10:51
and there are choices选择.
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但我们有选择。
10:53
Here are the choices选择 that we have.
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以下是我们的选择。
10:55
We can do some work to mitigate减轻
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我们能做点什么以减少
10:57
the emissions排放 of carbon dioxide二氧化碳 into the atmosphere大气层.
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二氧化碳排放入大气层。
11:00
That's the top最佳 one.
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这是最重要的。
11:02
We can do more work
264
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我们还能做更多来减少排放量,
11:04
to really bring带来 it down
265
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11:06
so that by the end结束 of the century世纪,
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使我们到本世纪末的时候,
11:08
it's not much more than there is now.
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排放量不比现在多。
11:11
Or we can just leave离开 it to fate命运
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或者我们就听天命
11:14
and continue继续 on
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并以一切如常的态度继续着。
11:16
with a business-as-usual照常营业 type类型 of attitude态度.
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11:20
The differences分歧 between之间 these choices选择
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这两种选择的差异
11:23
can't be answered回答 by looking at models楷模.
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看模型是回答不了的。
11:28
There's a great phrase短语
273
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有句名言,
11:29
that Sherwood舍伍德 Rowland罗兰,
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是舍伍德•罗兰说的,
11:31
who won韩元 the Nobel诺贝尔 Prize for the chemistry化学
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他是诺贝尔化学奖得主,
11:35
that led to ozone臭氧 depletion消耗,
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他的研究发现了臭氧耗竭。
11:37
when he was accepting验收 his Nobel诺贝尔 Prize,
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他在领取他的诺贝尔奖时,
11:40
he asked this question:
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他问了这个问题:
11:41
"What is the use of having developed发达 a science科学
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“科学发展得再好再能预测有什么用,
11:43
well enough足够 to make predictions预测 if, in the end结束,
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如果到头来我们愿意做的只是袖手旁观,
11:47
all we're willing愿意 to do is stand around
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11:50
and wait for them to come true真正?"
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冷眼看着它们成真?”
11:52
The models楷模 are skillful熟练,
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模型的预测技巧很好,
11:55
but what we do with the
information信息 from those models楷模
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但我们要怎么使用模型预测出来的数据
11:58
is totally完全 up to you.
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则完全取决于你。
12:00
Thank you.
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谢谢。
(掌声)
12:02
(Applause掌声)
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Translated by Peipei Xiang
Reviewed by Lee Li

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Gavin Schmidt - Climate scientist
What goes into a climate model? Gavin Schmidt looks at how we use past and present data to model potential futures.

Why you should listen
Gavin Schmidt is a climate scientist at Columbia University's Earth Institute and is Deputy Chief at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He works on understanding past, present and future climate change, using ever-more refined models and data sets to explore how the planet's climate behaves over time.
 
Schmidt is also deeply committed to communicating science to the general public. As a contributing editor at RealClimate.org, he helps make sure general readers have access to the basics of climate science, and works to bring the newest data and models into the public discussion around one of the most pressing issues of our time. He has worked with the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Academy of Sciences on education and public outreach, and he is the author of Climate Change: Picturing the Science, with Josh Wolfe.
More profile about the speaker
Gavin Schmidt | Speaker | TED.com

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