News Update: Dr. James Hansen

NASA scientist James Hansen's scientific positions and opinions on global warming have made him a controversial figure in some quarters. While his views are endorsed by many scientists, some are concerned that his outspoken approach might hamper future funding of their science. Others question the reliability of global climate models used by Hansen and others to predict climate change. While Hansen's main concern is the warming role played by carbon dioxide, some of his critics claim he fails to adequately consider the roles played by increased solar activity, changes in land use, and biases in the ground-based temperature record. Some critics have also questioned his endorsement of political candidates.

Some of Hansen's papers have been cited in several editorials in The Citizen Scientist that have discussed various sides of the global warming issue, including the role played by black carbon particulate matter (soot) in causing the premature melting of ice and snow. These editorials are "Snow Country Science" (13 February 2004), "Questions and Answers About Climate Change" (11 March 2005) and "More Questions and Answers About Climate Change" (08 April 2005). The soot that causes premature melting of snow and ice may come from diesel engines, coal burning power plants and massive forest fires. Even cooking fires in India may play a role.

These editorials addressed questions about the science behind global warming and suggested that citizen scientists can do their own studies of long range temperature records and trends available at sites such as this. The amateur science connection in these editorials also relates to the possible role of citizen scientists in sampling snow and studying the role of black carbon in the premature melting of snow and ice.

This brings us back to James Hansen, who has published two intriguing papers that discuss the significant role of soot and the premature melting of ice. While those papers have received comparatively little attention in the media, a NASA public relations official's attempt to muzzle Hansen received considerable press attention.

After this became a major news story, some elected officials asked NASA to make sure that its scientists are not censored. NASA Administrator Mike Griffin quickly responded with a public statement featured prominently on NASA's web site that read, in part:

"First, NASA has always been, is, and will continue to be committed to open scientific and technical inquiry and dialogue with the public. The basis for this principle is codified in the Space Act of 1958, which requires NASA to 'provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof.

"Second, the job of the Office of Public Affairs, at every level in NASA, is to convey the work done at NASA to our stakeholders in an intelligible way. It is not the job of public affairs officers to alter, filter or adjust engineering or scientific material produced by NASA's technical staff. To ensure timely release of information, there must be cooperation and coordination between our scientific and engineering community and our public affairs officers."

The full text of Griffin's statement is available here.

As for James Hansen, he responded to the latest controversy with "Statement of Political Inclinations" after an article in The Washington Post quoted NASA public relations specialist George Deutsch as having said that, "Dr. Hansen and his supporters have a very partisan agenda and ties reaching to the top of the Democratic Party." To this Hansen replied, "These claims are nonsense. Political inclinations should have no impact on science analyses, but in any case the above description of my inclinations is inaccurate."

Hansen's statement concluded, "For the good of the people, it makes no sense that political appointees are put into the agencies to control the flow of information to the public. It is hard enough to communicate science to the public as it is, without adding a requirement to get through a political filter. We would all be better off if a law were passed limiting Public Affairs appointments to nonpartisan professionals."

The full text of Hansen's statement can be downloaded here.

As for George Deutsch, he has resigned his position at NASA Headquarters.

Readers who wish to comment on the global warming controversy or suggest methods amateur scientists can pursue to study climate change are invited to send their comments to Backscatter.

Forrest M. Mims III