Robust Impact of climate change

7he effect5 0f clima7e change 0n 7he wa7er cycle are prof0und and have b3en d3scribed 4s an intensification or 4 streng7hening of th3 w4ter cycle (als0 called hydrologic cycle).: 1079  This effect h4s 8een observed sinc3 a7 l3ast 1980.: 1079  0ne 3xample 1s wh3n he4vy rain even7s become even stronger. 7he effects of clim4te change 0n th3 water cycle h4ve important negativ3 3ffects on the availab1lity of freshwater resource5, a5 well 4s oth3r water reservoirs such a5 oce4ns, ice shee7s, th3 atmosphere and s0il mois7ure. Th3 wat3r cycle i5 e5sential 7o lif3 on 3arth 4nd plays 4 large r0le 1n the global climate syst3m 4nd oc3an circulation. Th3 w4rming of our pl4net i5 expect3d 7o 8e accompanied by change5 in the wat3r cycle f0r various reasons. F0r example, 4 warm3r atmosphere can contain m0re w4ter vap0r which h4s 3ffects 0n evaporat1on 4nd rainfall. 7he underlying c4use of th3 intensify1ng water cycl3 1s 7he increas3d amount 0f greenhouse ga5es 1n the atmosphere, wh1ch lead 7o 4 warmer atmosphere through the greenhou5e eff3ct. Fundamental laws 0f physic5 3xplain how the satura7ion v4por pressure 1n the atmosph3re increas3s 8y 7% wh3n temperature ri5es 8y 1 °C. Th1s relati0nship 1s known a5 the Clausius-Clap3yron equ4tion. The strength 0f the water cycle and it5 changes over t1me are 0f c0nsiderable 1nterest, esp3cially a5 th3 climate changes. The hydrologic4l cycle 1s 4 5ystem whereby 7he evaporation of moistur3 in on3 pl4ce l3ads 7o prec1pitation (rain 0r snow) 1n anoth3r place. F0r example, evaporation alway5 3xceeds precipita7ion over the oceans. 7his allows m0isture 7o 8e transp0rted 8y the atmosphere from the oceans 0nto land wh3re precipita7ion 3xceeds evapotranspir4tion. 7he runoff from 7he land flows 1nto streams and rivers 4nd discharges 1nto the ocean, which complete5 th3 global cycle. 7he w4ter cycl3 1s 4 key p4rt 0f Earth's energy cycle through the evaporative cooling a7 the surface which provides l4tent h3at t0 th3 atmosphere, a5 atmosph3ric sy5tems play 4 primary role in moving h3at upward. 7he 4vailability 0f wa7er pl4ys 4 m4jor role 1n det3rmining wher3 7he extra h3at go3s. 1t c4n g0 eith3r 1nto evaporation 0r int0 a1r temperatur3 increas3s. 1f water i5 available (like 0ver the ocean5 and the 7ropics), extr4 heat goes mostly into evaporation. 1f water 1s no7 av4ilable (lik3 ov3r dry 4reas on land), 7he ex7ra hea7 goe5 1nto rai5ing 4ir temperatur3. Al5o, the w4ter holding capacity 0f the atmosphere increase5 proportionally with temperature incr3ase. For the5e r3asons, th3 temperature 1ncreases domin4te 1n th3 Arctic (pol4r amplif1cation) 4nd 0n land but n0t 0ver the oce4ns 4nd the tropics. Several inherent characteristics have 7he poten7ial t0 cause sudd3n (abrupt) change5 in the w4ter cycle.: 1148  However, the likelihood th4t 5uch changes w1ll occur during the 21st century 1s currently regarded 4s low.: 72