Garth Paltridge
Encyclopedia
Garth William Paltridge, (born 4 April 1940, Brisbane
, Queensland
), is a retired Australian atmospheric physicist
. He is presently a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University
and Emeritus Professor and Honorary Research Fellow at the Institute of Antarctic and Southern Oceans Studies (IASOS), University of Tasmania
.
in 1961 from the University of Queensland
, a PhD
in 1965 from University of Melbourne
and a DSc
in 1976 from the University of Queensland. He worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
in 1966, then as Senior Research Scientist for the Radio and Space Research Station
at Ditton Park
, Buckinghamshire
, England
, from 1967-1968. In 1968 he took up a role as Research Scientist at the CSIRO, Australia
, where he remained until 1981. During that time he worked briefly as a Consultant to the World Meteorological Organization
in 1975 in Geneva
, Switzerland
, where he was involved in the early development of the World Climate Program, and in 1979 he was posted as Senior Visiting Scientist at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
. He was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science
in 1980. In 1981 he was seconded as Director of the Environmental Executive of the Institute of Petroleum
, and in 1982 he returned to the CSIRO as Chief Research Scientist, where he remained until 1989. He briefly served as Senior Visiting Scientist at the National Climate Program Office from 1989-1990. From 1990 to 2002 he was Professor and Director of the Institute of Antarctic and Southern Oceans Studies at the University of Tasmania
and at the same time, from 1991–2002, he was the Chief Executive Officer of the Antarctic Co-operative Research Centre at the University of Tasmania.
Paltridge was involved in studies on stratospheric electricity, the effect of the atmosphere on plant growth and the radiation properties of clouds. Paltridge researched topics such as the optimum design of plants and the economics of climate forecasting, and worked on atmospheric radiation and the theoretical basis of climate. In terms of scientific impact, his most significant contribution has been to show that the earth/atmosphere climate system may have adopted a format that maximises its rate of thermodynamic dissipation, i.e. entropy
production. This suggests a governing constraint by a principle of maximum rate of entropy production. According to this principle, prediction of the broad-scale steady-state distribution of cloud, temperature and energy flows in the ocean and atmosphere may be possible when one has sufficient data about the system for that purpose, but does not have fully detailed data about every variable of the system.
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
), is a retired Australian atmospheric physicist
Atmospheric physics
Atmospheric physics is the application of physics to the study of the atmosphere. Atmospheric physicists attempt to model Earth's atmosphere and the atmospheres of the other planets using fluid flow equations, chemical models, radiation balancing, and energy transfer processes in the atmosphere...
. He is presently a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
and Emeritus Professor and Honorary Research Fellow at the Institute of Antarctic and Southern Oceans Studies (IASOS), University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
.
Career
Paltridge obtained a BScBSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
in 1961 from the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
, a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1965 from University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
and a DSc
DSC
-in academia:* D.Sc., Doctor of Science* Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine* Dalton State College, Georgia* Daytona State College, Florida* Deep Springs College, California* Dixie State College of Utah...
in 1976 from the University of Queensland. He worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology is a university located in Socorro, New Mexico....
in 1966, then as Senior Research Scientist for the Radio and Space Research Station
Radio Research Station
The Radio Research Station 1924 - August 31, 1979 at Ditton Park, Buckinghamshire, England was the UK government research laboratory which pioneered the regular observation of the ionosphere by ionosondes in continuous operation since September 20, 1932, and applied the ionosonde technology for the...
at Ditton Park
Ditton Park
Ditton Park was part of the Manor of Ditton which was in what was formerly the south east corner of the English county of Buckinghamshire, before the county boundary reorganisations of 1974 & 1998 which moved it to the Slough Unitary Authority, which is in the ceremonial county of Berkshire.Ditton...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, from 1967-1968. In 1968 he took up a role as Research Scientist at the CSIRO, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where he remained until 1981. During that time he worked briefly as a Consultant to the World Meteorological Organization
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
in 1975 in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where he was involved in the early development of the World Climate Program, and in 1979 he was posted as Senior Visiting Scientist at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
. He was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science
Australian Academy of Science
The Australian Academy of Science was founded in 1954 by a group of distinguished Australians, including Australian Fellows of the Royal Society of London. The first president was Sir Mark Oliphant. The Academy is modelled after the Royal Society and operates under a Royal Charter; as such it is...
in 1980. In 1981 he was seconded as Director of the Environmental Executive of the Institute of Petroleum
Institute of Petroleum
The Institute of Petroleum was a UK-based professional organisation that merged with the Institute of Energy in 2003 to form the Energy Institute....
, and in 1982 he returned to the CSIRO as Chief Research Scientist, where he remained until 1989. He briefly served as Senior Visiting Scientist at the National Climate Program Office from 1989-1990. From 1990 to 2002 he was Professor and Director of the Institute of Antarctic and Southern Oceans Studies at the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
and at the same time, from 1991–2002, he was the Chief Executive Officer of the Antarctic Co-operative Research Centre at the University of Tasmania.
Paltridge was involved in studies on stratospheric electricity, the effect of the atmosphere on plant growth and the radiation properties of clouds. Paltridge researched topics such as the optimum design of plants and the economics of climate forecasting, and worked on atmospheric radiation and the theoretical basis of climate. In terms of scientific impact, his most significant contribution has been to show that the earth/atmosphere climate system may have adopted a format that maximises its rate of thermodynamic dissipation, i.e. entropy
Entropy
Entropy is a thermodynamic property that can be used to determine the energy available for useful work in a thermodynamic process, such as in energy conversion devices, engines, or machines. Such devices can only be driven by convertible energy, and have a theoretical maximum efficiency when...
production. This suggests a governing constraint by a principle of maximum rate of entropy production. According to this principle, prediction of the broad-scale steady-state distribution of cloud, temperature and energy flows in the ocean and atmosphere may be possible when one has sufficient data about the system for that purpose, but does not have fully detailed data about every variable of the system.
Selected publications
- Paltridge, G. W., Global dynamics and climate––A system of minimum entropy exchange, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 101, 475–484, 1975.
- Paltridge, G. W. and C. M. R. Platt, Radiative Processes in Meteorology and Climatology, Developments in Atmospheric Sciences, vol. 5, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam, Oxford, New York, 1976, ISBN 0-444-41444-4.
- Paltridge, G. W., The steady-state format of global climate, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 104, 927–945, 1978.
- Paltridge, G. W., Climate and thermodynamic systems of maximum dissipation, Nature, 279, 630–631, 1979.
- Paltridge, G. W., Thermodynamic dissipation and the global climate system, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 107, 531–547, 1981.
- Paltridge, G. W., A physical basis for a maximum of thermodynamic dissipation of the climate system, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., 127, 305–313, 2001.
- Paltridge, G. W., "Stumbling into the MEP Racket: An Historical Perspective", in A. Kleidon and R. D. Lorenz [eds.], Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics and the Production of Entropy: life, earth, and beyond, Springer, 2005, 33-40, ISBN 3-540-22495-5.
- Paltridge, G. W., G. D. Farquhar, and M. Cuntz, Maximum entropy production, cloud feedback, and climate change, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L14708, 2007.
- Paltridge, G. W, A. Arking and M. Pook, Trends in middle- and upper-level tropospheric humidity from NCEP reanalysis data, Theor. Appl. Climatol., 98, 351-359, 2009.
- Paltridge, G. W., The Climate Caper: Facts and Fallacies of Global Warming, Connor Court Publishing, Ballan, 2009, ISBN 978-1-921421-25-9.
External links
- Garth Paltridge's home page, Australian National University
- Garth Paltridge, publications.