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climate variability — English
The average long term weather patterns are never unchanging constants. They are continually changing over time, and since they vary from place to place (see “climate”), the global climatic patterns are perpetually changing. Therefore, climate is a highly variable component of the earth-atmosphere system. Spatio-temporal variability is probably climate’s most important characteristic (see “space-and-time perspective”). Climate change is a perfectly natural process (see “climate change”). Every single spot on the Earth’s surface has experienced many climate changes over a period of about three or four million years. These long-term variations took place over many thousands of years – that is, in geological time – consequently a record of these changes is captured in the rock formations on Earth. The rocks reflect the climate that prevailed at the time of their formation. Consequently rocks contain the complete history of global environmental spatio-temporal variation or change over space and time. By studying rocks we can prove that environmental change is a fact, but we have not yet been able to explain all the reasons responsible for this perpetual change. We can explain spatial climatic variability fairly satisfactorily, but we know very little about its temporal variability. To describe all the details of the Earth’s long history will be scientists’ task for many years to come. Currently climate variability in the form of global warming is studied by scientists, discussed by everybody, written about in scientific and popular lay publications, the topic of numerous international conferences, and the driving force of a multi-million dollar industry. The theory of global warming postulates that human activities are causing, or at the very least accelerating, global climatic change. Time will tell whether it is true or not. (See “global warming”, “space-in-time perspective”, “spatial data”, “spatial distribution” and “temporal change”.)
