Yes, this is a very good analogy. What is the trend of T = sin(t) at t=2019? We can compute that by averaging over some period of time (e.g. between 2019 and 2019.001) and find the "trend". But it will have little predictive power if we do that over such a small interval. If we compute the trend of sin(x) over a very long interval, we will get approximately zero trend.
Now, of course, sin(t) is a highly repetitive function, so if M(t) = sin(t) is the correct model of temperature, we would have a lot of predictive power. But this is not the case with temperature: we can't even predict ordinary weather for more than a week in advance, let alone for 100 years. We don't have M(t).
I am asking a very limited question: given the observed T(t), can we see a growth trend, and can we say with certainty that the temperature is growing, and that it is growing faster after 1950 than it was growing before 1950?
If somebody says that today we have "global warming" and that it has accelerated in recent years, can we verify this with observational data? What exactly do these words mean, "the temperature is growing" and "it is growing faster than before", in terms of observational data? That's all I'm asking. And we can answer that question simply by doing statistical analysis on the observed data for T(t), with no need for complicated physics.
Now, of course, that analysis will tell us nothing about predicting T(t) for the next 1000 years. It will have no predictive power for the next 1000 years. But predicting for the next 1000 years is a very hard question - and not the question I'm asking.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2020-01-08 09:14 pm (UTC)Now, of course, sin(t) is a highly repetitive function, so if M(t) = sin(t) is the correct model of temperature, we would have a lot of predictive power. But this is not the case with temperature: we can't even predict ordinary weather for more than a week in advance, let alone for 100 years. We don't have M(t).
I am asking a very limited question: given the observed T(t), can we see a growth trend, and can we say with certainty that the temperature is growing, and that it is growing faster after 1950 than it was growing before 1950?
If somebody says that today we have "global warming" and that it has accelerated in recent years, can we verify this with observational data? What exactly do these words mean, "the temperature is growing" and "it is growing faster than before", in terms of observational data? That's all I'm asking. And we can answer that question simply by doing statistical analysis on the observed data for T(t), with no need for complicated physics.
Now, of course, that analysis will tell us nothing about predicting T(t) for the next 1000 years. It will have no predictive power for the next 1000 years. But predicting for the next 1000 years is a very hard question - and not the question I'm asking.