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Abstract

Three statistically optimal approaches, which have been proposed for detecting anthropogenic climate change, are intercompared. It is shown that the core of all three methods is identical. However, the different approaches help to better understand the properties of the optimal detection. Also, the analysis allows us to examine the problems in implementing these optimal techniques in a common framework. An overview of practical considerations necessary for applying such an optimal method for detection is given. Recent applications show that optimal methods present some basis for optimism toward progressively more significant detection of forced climate change. However, it is essential that good hypothesized signals and good information on climate variability be obtained since erroneous variability, especially on the timescale of decades to centuries, can lead to erroneous conclusions.