Climate Response and Fluctuation Dissipation

Abstract

The fluctuation-dissipation theorem of statistical mechanics, proved in this note for a system with two quadratic integrals of motion such as that of two-dimensional or geostrophic turbulence, relates, the mean response to impulsive external forcing of a dynamical system to its natural unforced variability. The utility of this theorem in providing an estimate of the response of climatic means to changing external influences is discussed.