The observed regularities of climate

Consideration of greenhouse-induced climate changes requires an analysis of observational data for a number of greenhouse gases such as N₂O, CH₄, chloro-fluorocarbons (CFCs) and tropospheric ozone, in addition to the main contributors, namely water vapour and CO₂. Analysis of observational data gives evidence for an increase of CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere, caused by human industrial activity, and manifested mainly through fossil fuel combustion and through impact on the biosphere. The analysis of daily observations of atmospheric CO₂ concentration at the Mauna Loa observatory between 1952 and 1982 revealed an increase of the amplitude of the annual change of concentration, reaching nearly 1 parts per million (ppm), i.e. a considerable part of the average amplitude of the annual change. The problem of detecting the greenhouse signal in global climate changes is quite urgent. The problem of recognition of the greenhouse effect from surface air temperature data alone is extremely difficult.