Summary of Yong Zhong: A Graphical Explanation for Climate Stability (Version 2) | Tom Nelson Pod #113

00:00:00 - 00:20:00

Yong Zhong explains the concept of climate stability and argues that it is crucial to understand why the Earth's surface temperature has been so stable. He talks about the "equilibriumization" process, which is the Earth's continuous efforts to restore local and global thermal equilibrium and adapt to perturbations. Zhong also criticizes the idea that humans must save the planet, stating that it has been functioning for over 4 billion years before us and is impossible to save compared to humans' age. He presents his graphical representation of global energy balance and the use of logarithmic scales, which he argues can be misleading. Zhong also discusses the spectral density of the sideband and the Planck function, explaining the atmospheric absorption and emission and how the diagram used by two volumes is incorrect due to containing three different colors. Finally, he investigates why the CO2 emission peak is always upside down and argues that the way the atmosphere is treated as a separate layer is incorrect, leading to long-term global mean climate stability.

• 00:00:00 In this section, Yong Zhong explains the importance of understanding climate stability, which has been miraculously stable, almost as stable as the human body temperature. He mentions that despite popular talks about changes in weather and climate, it is necessary to comprehend why the surface temperature has been so stable. Yong Zhong believes that it is due to the Earth's capability and dynamic adaptation to the continuous perturbations through its never-ending efforts in restoring local and global thermal equilibrium, a process known as 'equilibriumization.' He also criticizes the notion that humans must save the Earth, stating that it has been functioning for over 4 billion years before humans, and that the age of Earth compared to humans makes it impossible for humans to save the planet.
• 00:05:00 In this section, Yong Zhong discusses the greenhouse effect and its key number of 33 Kelvin, which is often quoted as the amount the Earth's temperature would be colder without CO2 and other infrared absorbers. However, the actual number is not as clear-cut as it is based on the assumption of a constant CO2 concentration before the Industrial Revolution, and the IPCC's climate model ignores the essential condition that the surface can only radiate upwards without gaseous atmosphere. This has been obscured by modeling the atmosphere as a separate layer above the ground since Arenas in 1896. Once the vacuum gap between the fake atmosphere and the real convective metal surface is eliminated, upward terrestrial radiation should be zero.
• 00:10:00 In this section, Yong Zhong explains a new graphical representation for global energy balance, which differs from the IPCC diagram. Zhong's diagram shows that all surface radiation is from the Sun, which goes into the atmosphere via conduction and convection, and the atmospheric absorption will be radiated into space as thermal radiation. He also discusses the use of logarithmic scales and how they may be misleading if not used correctly. Zhong mentions a research paper that argues CO2 will continue to warm up the surface forever, and he counters this argument with his graphical representation.
• 00:15:00 In this section, the speaker explains how the spectral density of the sideband is over 10,000 times weaker than the central peak, making it almost impossible for an ftir spectrometer to detect such a weak signal from remote space. He outlines that the Planck function, made up of two colored areas on a skewed spectral profile, illustrates the atmospheric absorption and emission. The upward atmospherical radiation spectra in 1850 and today emphasis that the CO2 emission peak is slightly higher, but emission peaks are always upward. By using a criterion that only allows for two different colors to fill the profile, the speaker states that the diagram used by the two volumes is incorrect because it contains three different colors (CO2 absorption, the origin Orr, and the green radioactive forcing) and explains how this mistake became present.
• 00:20:00 In this section, the speaker presents his investigation regarding why the CO2 emission peak is always upside down in all spectral data except for the look-down satellite observation where the local surface temperature is lower than the atmosphere. He then explains a color recognition game that shows why CO2 cannot block IR radiation and concludes that the way the atmosphere is treated as a separate layer is incorrect, as introduced by Arrhenius in 1896, and this same defect is present in the IPCC's climate model. By eliminating the vacuum gap, he argues that terrestrial infrared radiation becomes zero, ultimately leading to long-term global mean climate stability.