Water vapor is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases. As the
oceans warm, thanks to rising levels of CO2, they evaporate water
vapor more freely into the atmosphere. Similarly, as the land surface
warms, it too evaporates more water vapor into the warming atmosphere.
As the atmosphere warms, thanks to rising levels of CO2, it can hold
more water vapor.
Lance
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“We now think the water vapor feedback is extraordinarily strong,
capable of doubling the warming due to carbon dioxide alone.”
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NEWS RELEASE
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Public release date: 17-Nov-2008
Contact: Sarah DeWitt
sarah.l.dewitt@nasa.gov
301-286-0535
Water vapor confirmed as major player in climate change
Water vapor is known to be Earth’s most abundant greenhouse gas, but
the extent of its contribution to global warming has been debated.
Using recent NASA satellite data, researchers have estimated more
precisely than ever the heat-trapping effect of water in the air,
validating the role of the gas as a critical component of climate
change.