Fiji has again been put on flood alert as another low depression hit yesterday, bringing more torrential rains. Read more here.
Archives for January 15, 2009
Claims of Data ‘Massaging’ at NASA
DATA on global temperatures is compiled by several organisation including NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) headed by James Hansen. This data set tends to show more warming than, for example, data compiled by the UK Meteorology Bureau’s Hadley Centre. Both rely on measurements from thermometers.
All sorts of statistical tests can be performed on data – on numbers. There is even a test to determine whether data is likely to have been ‘massaged’ by people.
Ecologist and computer modeller David Stockwell has used this technique to analyse the frequency of the final digits in the temperature data compiled by James Hansen’s team, and he claims that the unequal distribution of the individual digits strongly suggests manipulation. Read more here.
Physicist Lubos Motl agrees. Statitician Steve McIntyre disagrees.
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD has worked in industry and government. She is currently researching a novel technique for long-range weather forecasting funded by the B. Macfie Family Foundation.