EXAM IV

a. the climate is restricted to elevations below 1000 meters b. c.

A. temperature decreases as altitude increases

Where in the middle latitudes does location near a coast line result in enhanced precipitation?

Along east coasts

Where does a coastal location result in decrease precipitation?

Along west coasts

Where in the middle latitudes is the moderating influence on temperature of the ocean most pronounced?

Along west coasts

Climates are dry for many different reasons. List 4 of them.

Areas dominated by subsiding airflows associated with Hadley cells Leeward sides of mountain ranges Adjacent to ocean currents Far away from an ocean (water source)

List the 5 parts of the climate system

Atmosphere Hydrospshere Geosphere Biosphere, Crysophere

How do ocean currents influence climate?

Cold currents cause aridity and fog. Warm currents cause warmer air temperatures and decrease atmospheric stability

What two uplift mechanisms are most active in tropical climates?

Convergence associated with the Hadley Cell circulation and convection due to extreme heating of the Earth's surface

What are proxy data, and why are they necessary in the study of climate change?

Data gathered from natural recorders of climate variability, such as tree rings, ice cores, and ocean-floor sediments. Necessary to understand the climate of the past in order to asses the current and potential future climate in the context of natural climate variability

Is global warming greater near the equator or near the poles?

Global warming is most prominent in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Thickness of sea ice has been declining.

Compare annual and diurnal temperature ranges in polar regions.

In polar regions, the annual temperature range is large and far exceeds the small diurnal temperature range.

Where is the annual temperature range greatest?

In the interior of continents

If a Tropical Climate has a dry season, during what season of the year does it occur?

In the low sun season

Why is the arctic basin one of the least stormy regions on Earth?

It is dominated by subsiding air that creates High pressure at the surface year round.

WHich control has the greatest influence on global temperature difference?

Latitude has the greatest influence on global temperature difference.

What are the two most important controls over tropical climates?

Latitude which governs temperature and the Hadley Cell circulation which controls where and when precipitation generally occurs.

List the major climate controls and briefly describe their influence.

Latitude: fluctuations of solar radiation at Earth's surface, which cause temperature difference Land & Water: comes second as a control of temperature Geographic Position & Prevailing Winds: position of that area on the continent and its relationship to the prevailing winds Mountains & Highlands: mountain chains can become barriers trending north-south; prevent maritime air masses from reaching far inland Ocean Currents: poleward moving currents cause air temperature to be warmer than what to be expected for their latitiudes. Pressure & Wind Systems: the seasonal shifting of the presssure and wind belts, which follow the vertical movements of the sun rays , significantly affect areas in intermediate positions.

What climate data is needed to classify a climate using the Koppen scheme?

Mean monthly and annual values of temperature and precipitation is needed to classify for the Koppen scheme.

Aside from CO2, what trace gases are contributing to global temperature change?

Methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons

What primary factor distinguises Aw climates from Af and Am climates?

Precipitation

What is another name for the tropical wet and dry (Aw) climate?

Savanna Climate

What are sunspots? Hoes does solar output change as sunspots numbers change? Is there a solid connection between sunspot numbers and climate change on Earth?

Sunspots are huge magnetic storms that extend from the sun's surface deep into the interior. The change in solar output is too small to have any appreciable effect on global temperatures. Yes there is a solid connection between sunspot numbers and climate change.

How do altitude and mountains influence climate?

Temperature generally decreases with increasing altitude. These topographic barriers trigger orographic precipitation

How does land (continental position) and water (coastal location) influence climate?

Temperatures in marine climates are considered mild. Temperatures in continental climates tend to be much more extreme.

Describe the influence of the ITCZ and the subtropical highs on the annual distribution of precipitation in the Aw climate.

The ITCZ advances and brings precipitation not a region and when it leaves it starts the dry season.

How does the plate tectonics theory help us understand the cause of ice ages?

The ancient glacial features were joined as a single "supercontinent" that was located toward the south pole. As the plates separated apart, portions of the landmass, slowly migrated toward their present locations.

What is the connection between pressure systems and the world distribution of precipitation?

The seasonal shifting of the pressure belt which follows the movement of the sun's vertical rays, significantly affects areas in immediate positions. The latitudinal shifting of pressure belts is largely responsible for the seasonality of precipitation in many regions.

In general, what is the primary difference between the climates of Tropical Deserts/Steppes and Midlatitude Deserts/Steppes?

Tropical Desert/Steppes are relatively warm with small annual temperature ranges while Midlatitude Desert/Steppes have large annual temperature ranges.

Why has the CO2 level of the atmosphere been increasing over the past 200 years?

from industrialization. Burning fossil fuels such as: coal, natural gas, petroleum, and deforestation

How does a tropical rain forest differ from a typical mid-latitude forest?

t's made up of broadleaf trees that remain green throughout the year. Also have a much larger amount of species. Temperature and precipitation differences.

List and briefly describe the three variations in Earth's orbit that may cause global temperatures to vary

1. Eccentricity- Variations in the shape of the Earth's orbit about the sun 2.Obliquity- changes in the angle that the axis makes with the plane of Earth's orbit 3.Precession- The wobbling of Earth's axis

Why is the coast of Antarctica one of the most stormy regions on Earth.

The cold air masses that form over the interior highlands flow toward the sea where they meet moist, cool mP airmasses. The cold air lifts the warmer moist air causing condensation and storms.

What are the primary factors that cause middle-latitude deserts and steppes?

The dry lands exist principally because of their position in the deep interiors of larger landmasses, far removed from the main moisture source- the oceans. In addition, they are separated from maritime air masses.

How do geographic position on a continent and prevailing winds influence climate?

The windward sides of continents are likely to have marine climates. Leeward sides are likely to have continental climates

Why is classification often a necessary task in science?

The worldwide distribution of temperature, precipatation, pressure, and wind is very complex. The amount of variety and diversity of information causes a problem which classifying eases the issues making it easier to manage and brings order to the large amounts of informtation..

Why are deserts and steppe areas uncommon in the middle latitude of the southern hemisphere?

There is a lack of extensive land areas in the middle latitudes. Only found in the tip of south america in the rain shadows of the Andes

Why do ground and air temps reach such high values in subtropical deserts?

There is low humidity and no cloud cover. There is little energy from isolation goes to power evaporation and all goes to heating the surface.

Describe the factors that are causing sea level to rise.

Thermal expansion- higher air temperatures warm the adjacent per layers of the ocean. and Melting Glaciers

How does latitude influence climate?

Variations in the receipt of solar energy and thus air temperature are largely a function of latitude.

Why is the latitudinal temperature gradient in the middle latitude larger in winter than during summer?

Winter: intensity of solar radiation and the length of the daylight period decrease with increasing latitude resulting in a large decrease in temperature with increasing latitude. Summer: increase of daylength of the daylight period with increasing latitude offsets the decrease in the intensity of solar radiation increasing latitude Temperature does not decrease as much with increasing latitude as in winter.

Contrast Continental and Marine Climates.

a relatively dry climate with very hot summers and very cold winters, characteristic of the central parts of Asia and North America. features warm summers and cool winters, with a relatively narrow annual temperature range.