Term
| Types of solar energy reaching the Earth |
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Definition
| radio, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| the amount of solar radiation that reaches the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere |
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Term
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Definition
| a measure of solar radiation energy received on a given surface area in a given time |
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Term
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Definition
| the fraction of incoming solar radiation that is reflected back to space |
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Term
| Percentage of solar energy absorbed and reflected by clouds |
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Definition
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Term
| Percentage of solar energy absorbed and reflected by atmosphere |
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Definition
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Term
| Percentage of solar energy absorbed and reflected by Earth's surface |
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Definition
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Term
| Where are sunlight and energy received and lost? |
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Definition
18% water cycle
.4% recharge ocean waves
50% converted to heat
1.4% atmospheric circulation
.4% plants
30% reflected |
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Term
| What moves heat energy from the equator to the poles? |
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Definition
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Term
Hadly Cell:
Where does air sink and rise? |
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Definition
hot, moist air rises from equator
shrinking air is dry, creates deserts |
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Term
Hadly Cell:
Where do high and low pressure occur? |
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Definition
rising air = low pressure
shrinking air = high pressure |
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Term
Hadly Cell:
What are the climatic effects? |
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Definition
before mountain, warm moist air.
cool dry air on tom of mountain.
warm,dry air (deserts) after mountain. |
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Term
Hadly Cell:
Where do the Trade winds(Easterlies) and Westerlies occur? |
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Definition
| Hadley cells generate trade winds, move toward the equator. From the poles toward polar front are easterlies, subtropical toward polar fronts are westerlies |
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Term
Hadly Cell:
Why do the Westerlies blow west-to-east instead of north-to-south? |
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Definition
| Coriolis effect - earth's rotation |
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Term
| Specific heat of water and land: |
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Definition
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Term
| What creates surface ocean currents (in the top 100 meters)? |
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Definition
| wind and fast circulation |
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Term
| What causes thermohaline circulation and how is it different from surface ocean currents? |
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Definition
| the direction and strength of deep ocean currents are driven by differences in temperature and salinity |
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Term
| Natural causes of climate change |
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Definition
changes in earth's orbit
changes in the sun's intensity
aerosol emissions
greenhouse gases
feedbacks |
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Term
| Antropogenic causes of climate change |
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Definition
aerosol emissions
greenhouse gases
feedbacks |
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Term
| timescales at which these changes occur (millennia, decardes, etc.) |
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Definition
eccentricity - 100,000 years
tilt - 41,000 years
precession - 23,000 years |
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Term
| Why is the solar constant not so constant? |
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Definition
changes in sun intensity
-solar flares
-sunspots |
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Term
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Definition
| particles or droplets in atmosphere |
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Term
| Natural sources of aerosols |
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Definition
| volcanoes, desert dust, sea spray (salt) |
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Term
| anthropogenic sources of aerosols |
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Definition
| sulfates, soot and smoke, dust, greenhouse gases |
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Term
| how do aerosols affect climate? |
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Definition
reflect short wave radiation = cooling
absorb short wave radation = warming |
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Term
| global pattern of radiative forcing due to aerosols |
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Definition
| warming temperature change |
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Term
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Definition
| the atmosphere's ability to absorb reradiated energy with longer wavelengths and convert it to heat |
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Term
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Definition
water vapor
carbon dioxide
methane
nitrous oxide
ozone
CFC's |
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Term
| radiative forcing and residence times |
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Definition
CFC-12 7,100 116 years
CFC-11 3,400 55 years
nitrous oxide 270 114 years
methane 11 10.5 years
carbon dioxide 1 >10,000
ozone .25 weeks |
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Term
| natural sources of greenhouse gases |
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Definition
water vapor
volcanoes - carbon dioxide
oceans - carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide
vegetation change - carbon dioxide
anaerobic decomp. - methane
animals - methane
soil bacteria - nitrous oxide |
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Term
| anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases |
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Definition
fossil fuels - carbon, methane, nitrous oxide
land clearing & burning - carbon
industrial activities - nitrous oxide
agriculture - nitrous oxide, methane
refrigerants, foam - CFC's |
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Term
| direction vs. magnitude??? |
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Definition
direction - hotter or colder, wetter or drier?
mag - how much more? |
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Term
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Definition
changes are generally known
raise earth's avg. temp.
influence precipitation
change storm patterns
raise sea levels |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
a major geographical community of plants and animals with similar life forms and similar environmental conditions
defined by plant structures, leaf types, and climate |
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Term
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Definition
temperature, light, and water
amazon (rainforest) - light
sahara (desert) - water
northern north america & eastern russia (near pole) - temperature
austrialian outback - water |
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Term
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Definition
Tropical Rainforest
Tropical Dry Forest
Tropical Savanna
Temperate Grassland
Temperate Forest
Temperate Savanna
Mediterranean Scrub
Temperate Rainforest
Boreal Forest
Tundra
Desert |
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Term
STUDY:
BIOME CHARACTERISTICS
GREENHOUSE GASES
GREENHOUSE GASES RADIATIVE FORCING AND RESIDENCE TIMES
AEROSOLS |
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Definition
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Term
| How do different storages in the earth system respond to increased carbon emissions? |
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Definition
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Term
| What role do forests (biota) play in carbon sequestration? |
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Definition
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Term
| How fast are we using our fossil fuel reserves? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the likelihood of the atmosphere ever returning to pre-industrial carbon dioxide levels? |
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Definition
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Term
| Know the major impacts of climate change discussed in the movie |
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Definition
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Term
| Climate attribution (also discussed in lecture) |
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Definition
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Term
Particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10)
Where does it come from?
Why is it harmful?
What are safe levels?
Locations that have better/worse levels |
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Definition
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Term
CFC’s and Ozone hole
The distribution of Ozone
The formation of Ozone hole
Why was detection difficult?
Role of chlorine
Effects of Ozone hole |
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Definition
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