Knowra Instrumental temperature record Instrumental temperature record The instrumental temperature record is the collection of air and sea-surface temperatures measured by thermometers and other instruments over time. Its coverage, methods, and precision vary across places and periods.
Surface air temperature : The temperature of air near Earth's surface, measured under standardized conditions. Land-based station observations provide a major component of the record.
Temperature homogenization : The adjustment of climate observations to reduce artificial shifts caused by changes in instruments, sites, or procedures. It addresses non-climatic discontinuities in station records.
Thermometer : An instrument that measures temperature through a calibrated physical response. Thermometers made systematic temperature observations possible.
Global warming : The long-term rise in Earth's average surface temperature, primarily driven by human greenhouse-gas emissions. The record documents the observed rise in global temperature.
Urban heat island : The tendency for built-up areas to be warmer than nearby rural areas, especially at night. Urban growth can affect station trends, requiring careful assessment of exposure changes.
Sea-surface temperature : The temperature of the ocean's uppermost layer, measured directly or estimated remotely. Ocean observations supply the record's marine component.
Climate data analysis : Methods for organizing, comparing, and interpreting observations of Earth's climate system. The record is assembled and interpreted using climate-data methods.
Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit : A German-born physicist and instrument maker who developed the Fahrenheit temperature scale. His thermometers and scale belong to the history of early temperature measurement.
Climate change detection : The statistical identification of changes in climate that cannot be explained by natural variability alone. Long observational records help distinguish persistent change from fluctuations.
Climate data homogenization debate : Discussion about methods for correcting non-climatic shifts in historical climate observations. Correction choices affect records, though independent analyses often find similar large-scale warming.
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