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Global Environmental change pt 2
global warming
102
Environmental Studies
Undergraduate 1
10/25/2009

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Cards

Term
paleo-proxy
Definition
sources of climate information from natural or human archives used to estimate climate conditions prior to modern period.
Term
When was the little ice age?
Definition
1600
Term
How long is it between interglacial periods?
Definition
100,000 years. (125, 225, 325...)
Term
ice age
Definition
extended period of cold climate including glacials and interglacials
Term
glacials
Definition
times of ice accumulations, cold spells, 90,000 years
Term
interglacials
Definition
times of ice retreat, brief warm spells, 10,000 yrs
Term
hot house periods
Definition
times with no permanent ice on earth
Term
when did the last glacial maximum ed?
Definition
10,000 years ago
Term
4 climate change drivers
Definition
tectonics and ocean circulation, orbital ariations, solar variability, atmospheric factors (volcanoes, greenhouse gas fluctuations)
Term
how do plate tectonics affect climate change?
Definition
land masses move, change ocean flow and landmass concentration.
Term
how do ocean currents affect climate change?
Definition
sinking, cold, salty water from artic and antarctic goes south in atlantic, warm water goes north. change in directions changes climate.
Term
eccentricity
Definition
100,000 years. earths orbit around sun varies from nearly circular to an elipse. circle = warmer
Term
obliquity
Definition
41,000 yr cycle. earth's axial tilt varies from 22 to 24 deg. if it's tilted more, the poles get more sun.
Term
precession
Definition
26,000 yr cycle. axis wobbles and changes the orientation of hemispheres toward the sun. eventually, aphelion is dec 4th instead of july 4th.
Term
solar cycle variations
Definition
solar flares, sun spots, irradiance go up every 11 yrs. high 1991, 2001. low 1996.
Term
atmospheric perturbations
Definition
natural and anthropogenic short term climate change. pinatubo, el nino, la nina.
Term
greenhouse gases
Definition
water, NOx, CO2, Methane, CFCs
Term
Greenhouse effect
Definition
gases transparent to shortwave, but absorb and reemit longwave radiation
Term
What causes increase in CO2?
Definition
fossil fuel burning, fires, deforestation, cement making
Term
What causes increase in Methane?
Definition
as ocean warms, thaws frozen Deep Sea Methane Hydrate. also, Rice, livestock, coal mining
Term
What causes increase in N2O?
Definition
Internal combustion, fertilizer, manure
Term
effects of greenhouse gases on energy budget
Definition
less heat escapes to space, more LW radiation emission of atmo to earth, increased LW absorbtion by atmo
Term
Why is NOx worse than CO2?
Definition
Higher GWP, absorbs more LW, longer atmo lifetime.
Term
What is the GWP of CO2?
Definition
25
Term
What is the GWP of N2O?
Definition
298
Term
What is the GWP of CFCs?
Definition
10900
Term
Historical Data record length
Definition
since 221 BC in China, whole world since 1000.
Term
What does Historical Data measure?
Definition
observations of weather phenomena, data through measurement and indirect observations (planting season length)
Term
Pros of Historical Data
Definition
firsthand accounts, usually dated, from most inhabited places
Term
cons of historical data
Definition
calendars might be off, language/handwriting, exaggeration, etc
Term
What do tree rings measure?
Definition
temperature and moisture of growing seasons
Term
How long is tree ring record?
Definition
9,000 years ago
Term
Pros of tree rings
Definition
doesnt damage living tree, dead trees preserve well and can be compared to living, high resolution
Term
con s of tree rings
Definition
they only record growing seasons (in temperate zones) so can't see winter. tropical trees have no rings. only available where trees are.
Term
what do ice cores measure?
Definition
atmo composition, wind speed, volcanoes, temperature
Term
length of ice core record
Definition
400,000 years
Term
pros of ice cores
Definition
found on 6 continents, can be cross-references, traps actual bubbles of atmo, accurate
Term
cons of ice cores
Definition
expensive, melting can ruin layering, can be altered by wind or ice flow
Term
What do ocean/lake sediments measure?
Definition
microorganisms, pollen, plankton for climate history
Term
how long is ocean/lake sediment record?
Definition
65 million years
Term
pros of ocean/lake sediments
Definition
show what plants grew, temp of earth, conditions in climate for these fossils to be abundant
Term
cons of ocean/lake sediments
Definition
water currents can mix record, really hard to do
Term
what do corals measure?
Definition
calcium carbonate skeletons' growth rings. reflect conditions of oceans - nutrients, temperature, sea level, storms
Term
how long is coral record?
Definition
200 years
Term
pros of coral
Definition
fine resolution, easy to see year bands, record composiiton of ocean and temp
Term
cons of coral
Definition
areas with little seasonability - no banding. no way to tell monthly from yearly in high seasonability
Term
what is measured in caves?
Definition
precipitation record, seasonal length,
Term
length of cave record
Definition
10,000-100,000 years
Term
pros of caves
Definition
caves everywhere
Term
cons of caves
Definition
influenced by geography, ground water chemistry
Term
What does IPCC say causes global warming?
Definition
increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gases
Term
what do climate models do?
Definition
day to day weather forecasts, analysing local severe weather, predicting future climates, modeling the atmos of different planets
Term
what are global circulation models?
Definition
simulation of atmospheric circulations and interannual oscillations. used to forecast climate trends
Term
Worst case Scenario
Definition
A2 (a divided world, independent nations, uncontrolled pop growth, slow tech changes, regionally oriented)
Term
best case Scenario
Definition
B1 (integrated, ecofriendly. rapid econ growth, slow pop growth, clean, efficient tech)
Term
what is the high forecast for temp change?
Definition
11.5F
Term
what is the low forceast for temp change?
Definition
2F
Term
what is the middle forecast for temp change?
Definition
3-7F
Term
consequences of global warming
Definition
more frequent heat waves, more intense and longer droughts, shifting crop patterns, extended wildfire season, more intense storms, melting glaciers, changing sea level, increase in water vapor, expansion of malaria
Term
what and when is kyoto protocol?
Definition
1997. 159 country signatories, 38 mandated to reduce emissions, voluntary limits on developing countries (China!) aims for reduction of 5.2% below 1990 levels by 2012
Term
What is COP15?
Definition
in Copenhagen, 2009, global agreement on climate change
Term
What to do ourselves?
Definition
CFLs, (90bil lbs of CO2) Moving thermostat 2F (2,000lbs/fam) recycling (2400lbs/fam), inflate tires, eat less meat, farmers markets
Term
what is the control for diurnal energy cycles?
Definition
insolation, earth's rotation
Term
equation for net radiation
Definition
SWin-SWout + LWin-LWout
Term
what determines daily cycle of temperature?
Definition
daily cycle of net radiation
Term
what happens to increase temperature?
Definition
positive net radiation
Term
what happens to decrease temp?
Definition
net radiation goes negative
Term
what happens to radiation at night?
Definition
terrestrial radiation emitted surpasses terrestrial radiation emitted to surface by atmo
Term
what does net radiation graph look like?
Definition
like temp graph, but shifted down and to left
Term
what happens at sunrise to net rad and temp?
Definition
some solar radiation appears, but it is still negative for awhile, so temp still decreases, coldest about 2 hrs after sunrise
Term
What happens when net radiation = 0 in morning?
Definition
minimum temp, then increase
Term
what makes the net radiation go positive in morning?
Definition
as sun moves higher in sky, more solar radiation reaches surface, net rad = positive
Term
when does solar radiation peak? what's going on with temp?
Definition
peaks at noon, when sun is highest in sky. maximum net radiation of the day. temp still increasing
Term
what happens in late afternoon?
Definition
the sun moves lower in the sky, net radiation decreases to 0, at 0, maximum temperature (3pm)
Term
what happens in evening to net radiation?
Definition
net radiation goes negative again, temp starts to decrease.
Term
what do clouds do to net radiation?
Definition
decrease daytime temp by lowering insolation and increase night time temp by rereflecting LW
Term
what month is net rad highest?
Definition
june
Term
what month is temp highest?
Definition
july
Term
what month is the min of net radiation?
Definition
december
Term
which month is coldest?
Definition
january
Term
what are controls of latitudinal variations in energy?
Definition
daylength and solar altitude angle
Term
what happens to net radiation at poles during winter?
Definition
net radiation goes negative for whole time
Term
what is specific heat?
Definition
the heat required to raise 1g of water by 1C
Term
What has a low Specific heat?
Definition
water
Term
what has a high specific heat?
Definition
land
Term
what does water do to temp variability
Definition
it dampens it (HAHA)
Term
why doesnt land retain temperature?
Definition
no mixing of surface and inner soil, the surface is opaque and there is no evaporation
Term
why does water retain temperature?
Definition
surface transparent, greater mixing, greater evaporation
Term
system
Definition
an ordered, interrelated set of things and their attributes. distinct from surrounding environment, linked by energy flow.
Term
open system
Definition
energy and matter flow freely in and out of system
Term
closed system
Definition
shut off from the environment, self contained
Term
positive feedback
Definition
amplifies or encourages response (snowball)
Term
negative feedback
Definition
dampens the resonpse
Term
arctic feedback if warming continues
Definition
+, warming melts ice which reduces aledo which reduces refelction
-, more evap=more snow=increased albedo
Term
Carbon feedbacks if warming continues
Definition
+, CO2 dissolves in cold water = water sinks = resurfaces and escapes in warmer water

-, phytoplankton take up CO2, more phyto when warm
Term
Ocean feedbacks to warming
Definition
+, warming releases CO2bubbles
-, more evaporation/clouds, more albedo, more phyto to eat CO2
Term
CO2 on land feedback
Definition
+, warmer = more rain = rocks weathered into atmo and ocean
-, warmer = more plants = less CO2,
Term
steady state equilibrium
Definition
balanced
Term
dynamic equilibrium
Definition
changing trend over time
Term
threshold (tipping point)
Definition
when a system can no longer resist changeee
Term
climate forcing
Definition
any ongoing process or discrete event that alters the energy of the system
Term
why is arctic sea ice at tipping point?
Definition
permanent blue ice melting, cant be recovered in annual cycle, still reaching an ice minimum even with cold 08 winter. feedback leads to more ocean warming, methane burps from melting ice, more warming.
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