Global Temperature Rising: Troposphere & Water Vapor

[Soaring Crane]

If global temperature(s) continues to rise, does that mean that the troposphere will contain more water vapor?

 

[Andre]

The big debate about water vapor is this versus http://www.climate2003.com/blog/arking.htm

You can also see it in this quick and dirty way:
If the Earth heats up more due to the enhanced greenhouse forcing then this heating will be strongest in the lower atmosphere, where most greenhouse gas is and it's closest to the source, the infrared radiating heat.

Too bad for the global warmers that this heat is not showing in the radio sondes temperature registration that measure exactly that area of the atmosphere, but anyway.

So if more infra red radiation is captured directly in the lower atrmosphere, the higher part of the atmosphere receives less IR radiation that the greenhouse gasses can capture and heat the air with. The cooling is actually occurring but no-one knows exactly why. Cooler upper air means less water vapor in the air and more condensation - hence clouds. Furthermore a higher vertical temperature gradient in the atmosphere means unstable conditions, convection and even more clouds forming. More clouds is probably having a negative feedback effect, more incoming solar radiation is reflected and there is less solar energy to capture with the greenhouse gas effect. So water vapor may have a negative feedback although it is the strongest greenhouse gas.

Are there examples of that negative feedback?

Perhaps. Try the paleao glacial confusion thread. We see two very wet era's (the Bolling Allerod and the Preboreal) with simulatenous massive glacier growing. Hence not that much warming despite the very moist conditions.

 

[Soaring Crane]

Oh, another question. From global warming, climate belts could shift northward by about 100 km in altitude for each increase in degree of temp. Does this mean tropical areas will become cooler than they are now?

 

[Soaring Crane]

Anyone?

Thanks.

 

[Andre]

Interesting question. The heating of the Earth causes Hadley cells and those govern the climate zones.
http://www.newmediastudio.org/DataDiscovery/Hurr_ED_Center/Easterly_Waves/Trade_Winds/Trade_Winds.html

In the hypothetical case that increased greenhouse gas concentrations would greatly increase the warming due to absorption of reradiated IR energy, it could be argued that the downdraft areas, the arid climates would heat more than the updraft areas (the moist climates). That unbalance could destroy the circulation of the hadley cells and have very unpredictable impact on the global climate. It would be more complicated than a simple shift of climate belts.