Core Papers on Catastrophic Climate Change

Core Papers on Catastrophic Climate Change
Data provided by Thomson Reuters from its Essential Science Indicators, Research Fronts 2004-09
Rank	Paper Author(s), journal	Citations
1	Climate-carbon cycle feedback analysis: results from the (CMIP)-M-4 model intercomparison%3Cbr /%3EFriedlingstein P., Cox P., Betts R. et al %3Cbr /%3EJournal of Climate, 19(4):3,337-3,353, July 2006	235
2	Evolution of carbon sinks in a changing climate%3Cbr /%3EFung I.Y., Doney S.C., Lindsay K. et al, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, %3Cbr /%3E102(32):11,201-11,206, August 2005	75
3	A review of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change%3Cbr /%3EWeitzman M.L. %3Cbr /%3EJournal of Economic Literature, 45(3):703-724, September 2007	46
4	A review of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change%3Cbr /%3ENordhaus W.D%3Cbr /%3EJournal of Economic Literature, 45(3):686-702, September 2007	36
5	Dangerous human-made interference with climate: a GISS modelE study%3Cbr /%3EHansen J., Sato M., Ruedy R. et al%3Cbr /%3EAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 7(9):2,287-2,312, 2007	32
6	Expanding oxygen-minimum zones in the tropical oceans%3Cbr /%3EStramma L., Johnson G.C., Sprintall J. et al%3Cbr /%3EScience, 230(5,876):655-658, May 2008	23
7	Long-term climate commitments projected with climate carbon-cycle models%3Cbr /%3EPlattner G.K., Knutti R., Joos F. et al%3Cbr /%3EJournal of Climate, 21(12):2,721-2,751, June 2008	19
8	Future changes in climate, ocean circulation, ecosystems, and biogeochemical cycling simulated for a business-as-usual CO2 emission scenario until year 4000 AD%3Cbr /%3ESchmittner A., Oschlies A., Matthews D. et al%3Cbr /%3EGlobal Biogeochemical Cycles, 22(1): article number GB1013, February 2008	19
9	Irreversible climate change due to carbon dioxide emissions%3Cbr /%3ESolomon S., Plattner G.K., Knutti R. et al%3Cbr /%3EProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106(6):1,704-1,709, February 2009	14
10	Stabilising climate requires near-zero emissions%3Cbr /%3EMatthews H.D. and Caldeira K%3Cbr /%3EGeophysical Research Letters, 35(4): article number L04705, February 2008.	12
11	The Economics of Climate Change %3Cbr /%3EStern N%3Cbr /%3EAmerican Economic Review, 98(2):1-37, May 2008	11
12	On modelling and interpreting the economics of catastrophic climate change%3Cbr /%3EWeitzman M.L%3Cbr /%3EReview of Economics and Statistics, 91(1):1-19, February 2009	8
13	Equity weighting and the marginal damage costs of climate change%3Cbr /%3EAnthoff D., Hepburn C. and Tol R.S.J.%3Cbr /%3EEcological Economics, 68(3):836-849, January 2009	4

A research front is a group of highly cited papers, referred to as “core” or “foundation” papers, in a specialised area of research defined by co-citation cluster analysis. This determines the number of times pairs of highly cited papers are co-cited. The clusters are named using a semi-automatic process based on frequently occurring words and phrases. Statistical characteristics of each cluster are also determined, including the number of highly cited (core) papers. The number of highly cited papers gives an indication of the size of the foundation literature. The sum of citation frequencies reflects the size of the research front. The citations-per-paper score shows the degree of concentration. Finally, the mean year of papers indicates the currency, or “hotness”, of the cluster.

The table above lists the 13 core papers in a recent research front on catastrophic climate change. Considering the forthcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, to be held next month,

it seemed a timely topic. The core papers and where they were published reveal their scientific and economic provenance. This in turn demonstrates the strength of co-citation analysis to combine related papers through citations. For more information, see http://scientific.thomsonreuters.com/products/esi