Climate of the Past Discussions
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2008
10.5194/cpd-4-495-2008
http://www.clim-past-discuss.net/4/495/2008/
http://www.clim-past-discuss.net/4/495/2008/cpd-4-495-2008.html
http://www.clim-past-discuss.net/4/495/2008/cpd-4-495-2008.pdf
495
513
2008-04-21
Recent climate change in Japan – spatial and temporal characteristics of trends of temperature
D. Schaefer
Dirk.Schaefer@rub.de
M. Domroes
Geography Department, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
Department of Geography, Mainz University, 55099 Mainz, Germany
In this paper temperature series of Japan were statistically analysed in
order to answer the question whether recent climate change can be proved for Japan;
the results were compared and discussed with the global trends. The
observations in Japan started for some stations in the 1870s, 59
stations are available since 1901, 136 stations since 1959. Modern
statistical methods were applied, such as: Gaussian binominal low-pass
filter (30 yr), trend analysis (linear regression model) including the
trend-to-noise-ratio as measure of significance and the non-parametric,
non-linear trend test according to MANN (MANN's <i>Q</i>).
<br><br>
According to the results of the analyses, climate change in Japan is clearly
shown for temperature over the 100 yr (1901–2000): Annual mean
temperatures increased at all stations from 0.35 (Hakodate) to 2.95°C
(Tokyo). The magnitude of climate change is illustrated to increase over the
recent period 1976–2000. Seasonally, the strongest warming trends were
observed for winter temperatures and also increasing temperature trends
prevailed in summer, with the exception of slightly decreasing trends at
only four stations. As far as temperatures are concerned, a distinct
increase could be shown over the period 1901–2000 with a strong trend of
warming over the more recent period 1976–2000.
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