During his lecture Thursday entitled ""Is Global Warming Affecting Hurricanes?,"" Kerry Emanuel focused on the correlation between rising tropical sea surface temperatures and the frequency of hurricanes.
Emanuel, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and one of Time Magazine's Most Influential People of 2006, spoke to UW-Madison students and community members in Engineering Hall.
After giving an overview of current hurricane risks, Emanuel linked changes in tropical sea surface temperatures with the frequency of hurricanes.
He cited increases in greenhouse gases, sulphate aerosols and volcanic activity as influencing sea surface temperatures.
He also conveyed the need to improve the accuracy of hurricane prediction, stating that hurricanes account for the bulk of natural catastrophe insurance losses and cost the United States 18 tens of billions of dollars in 2005.
Emanuel concluded the lecture by emphasizing that it is imperative that long-term risk assessments account for climate changes.
UW-Madison graduate student Natalie Hunt said she enjoyed the talk, as it included ""specific"" and well-researched facts.
Hunt, a second year student of the Water Resources Management program, said she attended the talk to gain additional information about hurricanes for a wetland reforestation feasibility study that is being conducted to help improve conditions in New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina.
The lecture was part of the""Roy F. Weston Global Sustainability Lectures"" series. The next lecture, ""Food, Security and the Environment"" will be held March 8, with Stanford University's Dr. Rosamond Naylor as the guest speaker.
