EOS 103 Exam 3

During the satellite observational era, TSI has varied by ____________________ A. 0.1% B. 1% C. 10% D. 100%

0.1%

Today's carbon dioxide levels are nearly ___________ higher than they have been at anytime in the last 800,000 years. A. 11% B. 25% C. 38% D. 137%

38%

Global climate models are now able to run on a resolution of horizontal grids that are around ~______km square. A. 600 B. 400 C. 200 D. 100 E. 50 F. 30

100

Mean TSI since 1978 has been..... A. 390.5 W/m2 B. 1060.5 W/m2 C. 1760.5 W/m2 D. 1360.5 W/m2

1360.5 W/m2

The axial tilt of the Earth varies by as much as ________________ through the millennia. A. 2.4% B. 3.9% C. 5.6% D. 24%

2.4%

Between 1000A.D. and the beginning of the Industrial revolution, annual average carbon dioxide concentrations of the atmosphere varied around ____________ +/- ~5ppm. A. 269ppm B. 280ppm C. 670 ppb D. 670 ppm

280ppm

Between 1000A.D. and the beginning of the Industrial revolution, annual average methane concentrations of the atmosphere varied around ____________ +/- ~30ppb. A. 269ppm B. 280ppm C. 670ppb D. 670ppm

670ppb

The cyclicity of the shape of the Earth's orbit is around___________ A. 26,000 years B. 32,200 years C. 41,000 years D. 96,000 years

96,000 years

In terms of radiation released and geographic areas affected, the meltdown of the ______________________ reactor in 1986 was the worst nuclear accident in history. A. Fukushima Daichii B. Chernobyl 4 C. Three Mile Island D. Rocky Flats

Chernobyl 4

True or False. We have sufficient amounts of data now that demonstrates that other planets (for example, Mars) are also warming.

False

True or False? If we cut all GHG emissions to zero tomorrow, the planet would sigh a breath of relief and its atmosphere would stop warming.

False

True or False? On today's Earth, winter solstice occurs at perihelion.

False

True or False? People who perceive humanity as being in a constant struggle to tame and subdue the "force and will" of nature are more likely to accept anthropogenic climate change, because they see nature as an entity insensitive to human needs.

False

True or False? The difference between aphelion and perihelion distances of today's Earth orbit drives the seasons.

False

Whose early climate model in 1988, predicted warming by 2020 to be between 15-25% too warm. A. Jim Henson B. Charles Keeling C. Michael Mann D. James Hansen

James Hansen

The shape of the Earth's orbit around the sun is primarily perturbed by the gravitational pull of these two planets in the solar system. A. Mars and Venus B. Venus and Mercury C. Jupiter and Saturn D. Saturn and Mars

Jupiter and Saturn

The instrumental record of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations was begun in 1958 and is known as the _______________________ A. Keeling Curve B. Keebler Curve C. Keystone Curve D. Kneeling Curve

Keeling Curve

The tilt of the Earth's axis is perturbed primarily by _____________________ A. Jupiter and Saturn B. Mars and Venus C. Moon and Sun D. Asteroid belt and Mars

Moon and Sun

The eruption of which volcano in 1991 was used to test short-term predictions of climate models? A. Mount St. Helens B. Mount Pinatubo C. Mauna Loa D. Eyjafjallajökull

Mount Pinatubo

Also known as "Forever Chemicals", these artificial human chemical substances do not readily break down in nature and accumulate over time. Some of these substances have been found to be carcinogenic but for most of them, the affects on biological systems has never been thoroughly tested. A. CFCs B. PPEs C. PFAS D. POAFS

PFAS

The simplest original climate models included these THREE components. A. Aerosols B. Clouds C. Precipitation D. Volcanic Activity E. Vegetation F. Deep Ocean G. Carbon Cycle H. Greenhouse Gas Emissions I. Solar Input

Precipitation, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Solar Input

Rather than predicting future economic development and society's willingness to adopt non-fossil fuel alternatives, these model scenarios simply present different predictions of future GHG concentrations and ways to reach them. A. Special Report on Emissions Scenarios B. Representative Concentration Pathways C. Shared Socioeconomic Pathways D. Representative Socioeconomic Scenarios

Representative Concentration Pathways

Shared Socioeconomic Pathway scenarios are today used in conjunction with _________________________ in climate model projections. A. Special Report on Emissions Scenarios B. Representative Concentration Pathways C. Representative Emissions Pathways D. Representative Social Pathways

Representative Concentration Pathways

mission scenarios that inform climate model predictions such as A1Fl, B1, and A2 are called...... A. Special Report on Emissions Scenarios B. Representative Concentration Pathways C. Shared Socioeconomic Pathways D. none of the above

Special Report on Emissions Scenarios

Thousands of sites around the United States have been designated as ___________________________, which means they have been deemed polluted badly enough to warrant federal assistance and oversight in their cleanup. A. Area 51s B. HPS (for Highly Polluted Sites) C. Mordors D. Superfund Sites

Superfund Sites

True or False? Prior to modern observations of total solar irradiance, its value was believed to be constant, and therefore known as the the solar constant.

True

The region occupied by the Earth, at a particular distance from the sun, allows life to thrive due to its comparatively mild seasonal variations. This region or zone is dubbed ________________________ A. The Blowing Wolf Zone B. The Crystal Slipper Zone C. The Spun Gold Zone D. The Goldilocks Zone

The Goldilocks Zone

What important era in solar observations began in 1978? A. The era of solar exploration via radio telescopes B. The era of solar exploration via ground-based helioscopes C. The era of solar exploration via satellites D. The era of solar exploration via solar surface rovers

The era of solar exploration via satellites

True or False? Regional Climate models can have even higher horizontal resolution than global models.

True

True or False? Homo sapiens have never before lived in an atmosphere as high in greenhouse gas concentrations as today.

True

True or False? Human garbage now litters even the space between Earth and the Moon.

True

True or False? Natural drinking water supplies (lakes, rivers, and in some cases groundwater) in densely populated areas contain significant levels of anthropogenic medicines.

True

True or False? Soot particles emitted by heavy industry in East Asia can impact overall air quality in North America.

True

True or False? The rate at which the atmospheric concentration of oxygen is decreasing, is synchronized with the rate of emissions of carbon dioxide.

True

True or False? The suns magnetic field regularly reverses polarity (flips).

True

True or False? Today's nitrous oxide atmospheric concentrations are more than 10% higher than they have been in the last 800,000 years.

True

True or False? Without a tilted axis the Earth would not have well-developed seasons.

True

The last glacial period is known as the "______________ Ice Age" in North America. A. Wisconsinan B. Wuerm C. Epperzeller D. Illinoian

Wisconsinan

Current state-of-the-art climate models include precipitation, greenhouse gas emissions, solar input, volcanic activity, ice cover and dynamics, rivers, vegetation, sulfates, shallow and deep ocean, land surface, atmospheric chemistry, clouds, carbon cycle, and ___________

aerosols

The farthest point away from the sun that the Earth can reach in its orbit is known as__________________ A. helion B. prohelion C. perihelion D. aphelion

aphelion

The sun sits _________________ of the Earth's orbit A. in the center B. at one of the foci C. at either foci depending on the shape D. at the barycenter

at one of the foci

The carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere is increasingly becoming enriched in ________ because of the burning of photosynthetically-derived fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, methane) A. carbon-14 B. carbon-13 C. carbon-12 D. oxygen

carbon-12

Nuclear bomb testing, especially in the 1960s, contaminated the global atmosphere with large amounts of artificially produced____________ A. nitrogen B. carbon-13 C. oxygen D. carbon-14

carbon-14

In addition to increases in vertical and horizontal resolution, the number of included components, our understanding of each component, and our overall scientific understanding of the connections between climate elements, climate models have also dramatically improved due to a massive increase in ________________ A. their costs B. global warming C. computing power D. aerosol venting

computing power

Typical volcanic eruptions cause global temperatures to___________ A. warm B. cool

cool

Since satellite measurements of TSI began the total TSI has ____________________ slightly. A. increased B. decreased

decreased

With an increase in eccentricity, perihelion _______________ A. decreases B. increases C. stays the same

decreases

As part of the fusion reaction inside the sun, a hydrogen atom with a neutron and proton is made. What is this isotope of hydrogen called? A. tritium B. dilithium C. phase 4 D. deuterium

deuterium

Since the 1990s, the vertical spatial resolution of both atmospheric and ocean grids used in global climate models has essentially ___________ A. doubled B. tripled C. quadrupled D. quintupled

doubled

The measure of "ovalness" of the Earth's orbit is known as its _______________________ A. obliquity B. perility C. precession D. eccentricity

eccentricity

If the Earth were to fully tilt towards the sun sooner in its orbit around the sun, solstice insolation on that day would be _________________ than it is today. A. higher B. lower

higher

The sun fuses _________________ into _________________ and creates energy as a result. A. carbon; iron B. carbon; diamonds C. lithium; nickel D. hydrogen; helium

hydrogen; helium

Proxy-based paleo reconstructions of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels suggest that the last time we had concentrations equivalent to today's was..... A. in the Miocene, ~15 million years ago B. in the Pleistocene/Pliocene, ~2 million years ago C. in the Holocene, 12,000 years ago D. in the Pleistocene/Pliocene 2.2-2.8 million years ago

in the Pleistocene/Pliocene 2.2-2.8 million years ago

With an increase in eccentricity, solar insolation on Earth generally ___________________________ A. increases B. decreases

increases

Most of solar irradiance is found in the long wavelength range known as..... A. infrared B. visible light C. gamma rays D. UV radiation

infrared

Alongside with habitat destruction, pollution, and anthropogenic climate change, this human activity greatly contributes to biodiversity loss across the planet. A. introduction of invasive species B. smoking C. seafloor mining D. artificial fusion reactions

introduction of invasive species

The "excessive and unnecessary use of artificial lighting" used during nighttime hours globally, is now known as.............. A. a UV hazard B. the photochemical effect C. the bright light syndrome D. light pollution

light pollution

_______________, emitted primarily through the burning of fossil fuels and mining activities, is now showing up in global fish populations, consumption of which can lead to serious detrimental health effects on humans. A. asbestos B. mercury C. cyanide D. absinthe

mercury

The atmospheric concentrations of which greenhouse gas is now nearly 3x as high as it was at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution? A. carbon dioxide B. methane C. nitrous oxide D. tropospheric ozone

methane

Today's concentrations of this greenhouse gas are nearly 140% higher than they have been in the last 800,000 years A. carbon dioxide B. methane C. nitrous oxide D. tropospheric ozone

methane

The atmospheric concentrations of this potent greenhouse gas have risen nearly 25% since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution A. carbon dioxide B. methane C. nitrous oxide D. tropospheric ozone

nitrous oxide

So called "sunspots" are dark blotches visible on the Sun's _____________________ A. corona B. photosphere C. chromosphere D. core

photosphere

Found in terrestrial and marine sediments around the world, this unnatural material, first invented in the early 20th century, will remain as part of the stratigraphic record of humanity's existence for millions of years A. asphalt B. concrete C. gold D. plastics

plastics

The wobble of the Earth's axis is known as_____________ A. eccentricity B. obliquity C. proclivity D. precession

precession

Good models are accurate representations of natural systems. How accurate a model is depends on how well it ____________ and/or ____________ a system's behavior under different conditions; Choose two A. challenges B. predicts C. draws D. reproduces E. reveals F. selects

predicts, reproduces

Achieving a "Constant Concentration Commitment" would require us to __________________ our greenhouse gas emissions over the next century. A. stabilize B. increase C. reduce

reduce

The process by which climate models are asked to "predict the past" is called..... A. predilection B. retrodiction C. intradiction D. pastdiction

retrodiction

The annual ups and downs in atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide are largely driven by ____________________ A. seasonal uptake and release by seawater B. seasonal uptake and release by reef builders C. seasonal uptake and release by photsynthesizers D. seasonal uptake and release by soils

seasonal uptake and release by photsynthesizers

The 11.5-cycle of solar activity is driven by variations in the activity of the _______________________ A. solar magnetic field B. solar troposphere C. solar corona D. solar shadow

solar magnetic field

The first "nuclear accident" in a nuclear power plant occurred in..... A. the former Soviet Union B. Japan C. Afghanistan D. the United States

the United States

Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are now in__________________________ A. the upper 200s ppm B. the lower 300s ppm C. the lower 400s ppm D. the lower 500s ppm

the lower 400s ppm

Changes to the ovalness of the Earth orbit are limited to _____________________________ A. both the minor and major axes B. the minor axis C. the major axis D. the radius

the minor axis

Humanity became painfully aware that its actions could change the Earth's global atmospheric chemistry when ________________ was discovered in the early 1980s. A. the C14 bomb spike B. smog C. the ozone hole D. aerosol

the ozone hole

"The total energy input to the top of the Earth's atmosphere at a base mean distance from the Sun (i.e., one Astronomical Unit) in Watts/m^2" is known as the____________ A. total solar insolation (TSI) B. total solar irradiance (TSI) C. total solar energy (TSE) D. total sunspot number (TSN)

total solar irradiance (TSI)

The tilt of the earth causes NH hemisphere summers to be _______________ than they would be without a tilted axis. A. warmer B. cooler

warmer

What is the largest difference in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations between the peak of interglacial and glacial maxima over the last 800,000 years? A. ~60ppm B. ~80ppm C. ~100ppm D. ~120ppm

~100ppm