GEO 100-50
The distinguishing characteristic of greenhouse gases is that they ______ infrared radiation.
absorb
Why can the proportion of calcium carbonate (CaC03) in marine sediments be used as a climate proxy? The proportion of calcium carbonate in marine systems is related to the ______.
water temperature
Earth is absorbing about ______ watts per square meter per year more from solar radiation than it is radiating back to space.
0.85
Which projection below matches the one made by the 2014 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change about the climate of 2100? Global temperatures will be ______οC warmer.
0.3 to 4.8
The 2014 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projected that average temperature at earth's surface would rise by 0.3 to 4.8οC (0.5 to 8.6οF) by ______.
2100
Sea level would rise approximately ______ if the West Antarctic ice sheet would completely melt.
5-6 meters
What is permafrost?
A layer of permanently (year-round) frozen ground
What set of conditions below represents an El Niño event?
A warm pool of water moves across the Pacific toward South America, limiting upwelling.
Identify the consequences if all of the existing ice melted on earth. (Select all that apply.) Approximately 20% of the currently exposed land would be submerged. Millions, if not billions, of people would be displaced. The albedo in polar regions would greatly increase. Denver, Colorado, would have ocean-front property.
Approximately 20% of the currently exposed land would be submerged. Millions, if not billions, of people would be displaced.
Which of the following are atmospheric/oceanograpic cycles that occur over a decades-long time period? Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) Pacific Decadel Oscillation (PDO) Worldwide Multidecadal Reversal (WMR) El Niño
Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) Pacific Decadel Oscillation (PDO)
What are the arrows in the image indicating in the ice core?
Boundaries of individual years
How do we make atmospheric temperature surveys of large areas?
By using satellites
Identify anomalies related to or caused by El Niño-Southern Oscillation events (Select all that apply.) Changes in the timing and intensity of monsoons Droughts in areas that normally receive rain Merging of the stratosphere and troposphere Heavy rains and landslides along the Pacific coast of North America
Changes in the timing and intensity of monsoons Droughts in areas that normally receive rain Heavy rains and landslides along the Pacific coast of North America
Which of the following statements accurately states the distribution of effects related to climate change?
Changing wind-flow patterns and amounts of precipitation will cause differential impacts in different areas.
Match the layer of the ocean to its description. Surface layer (top 100 to 200 meters) Middle layer Deep layer
Contains the most vigorous circulation, is well-mixed, and averages about 15οC A layer where temperature changes rapidly with depth A layer of cold (< 5οC), slow-moving, rather isolated water
Which of the following statements accurately compares modern levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels to the concentrations recorded in ice cores over the last few hundred thousand years?
Current CO2 levels are high, but not the highest of any recorded in ice cores.
PDO stand for Pacific _________ ___________, which is a 20-30 year long cycle that affects surface ocean temperatures. A similar cycle occurs in the Atlantic Ocean.
Decadal Oscillation
Which of the following are clear evidence of past climate change? (Choose all that apply.)
Dunes that formed in a desert are now covered in vegetation. North Africa switching from a wheat-growing region during the Roman Empire to being a desert at the empire's end. Coal deposits found under glacial deposits
A(n) ______ event occurs when upwelling is suppressed off the west coast of South America because a warm pool of surface water moves eastward across the central Pacific. Multiple choice question.
El Niño
El Niño events were once thought be isolated and sporadic. We now know they are part of a longer (4 to 7 years) cycle of events known as the ______.
El Niño-Southern Oscillation
What are the likely effects of climate change that will influence humans? (Select all that apply.) Weather events will be less extreme. Magnetic compasses will become less accurate as the upper parts of the troposphere warm. Farming could become impossible in areas where it is possible now. Water shortages may occur in areas that rely on glacial meltwater.
Farming could become impossible in areas where it is possible now. Water shortages may occur in areas that rely on glacial meltwater.
Order the steps involved in the greenhouse effect from the first step on top to the last. Instructions
Incoming solar light waves pass through the atmosphere and strike the ground The ground radiates heat energy in all directions including towards the atmosphere Greenhouse gases absorb long wave infrared radiation Atmospheric gases release newly absorbed heat energy as infrared radiation and warm the surrounding atmosphere
How does rising atmospheric CO2 levels affect photosynthetic organisms (e.g., plants)? (Select all that apply.) It causes some photosynthetic organisms to grow more quickly while having no effect on others. It causes all photosynthetic organisms to grow more quickly as long as sufficient nutrients are supplied. Photosynthetic organisms stop using water in photosynthetic processes with elevated levels of CO2. Some marine phytoplankton are negatively affected as the oceans warm as a result of the excess CO2.
It causes some photosynthetic organisms to grow more quickly while having no effect on others. Some marine phytoplankton are negatively affected as the oceans warm as a result of the excess CO2.
If a mass of water is traced over time and becomes isotopically lighter than it was and then isotopically heavier than it had just been, what likely happened to the water?
It evaporated and then condensed.
What is the main role of thermohaline circulation with respect to global climate?
It transports a lot of heat around the earth.
What would be the consequences of the complete melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet? (Select all that apply.) The duration of the eccentricity cycle of the earth would decrease. Volcanic eruptions, which would decrease global temperatures, would increase. It would be extremely expensive to deal with the results. Many coastal cites and ports would be flooded.
It would be extremely expensive to deal with the results. Many coastal cites and ports would be flooded.
Match the diagrams in the figure to the correct part of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. Top Diagram Bottom Diagram
La Niña El Niño
Identify characteristics of nations that are more likely to be strongly affected by climate change. (Select all that apply.)
Less developed Economically poorer Low elevation
Where would you expect to find the highest 18O/16O ratio?
Low latitudes
Which of the following statements accurately describes the regional effects of global climate change?
Not all regions will experience similar changes in climate as the global climate changes.
How do oceans moderate climate change?
Oceans are large thermal reservoirs; they release heat during cold phases and absorb heat during warm phases.
Identify the offshore areas where upwelling events are especially frequent. (Select all that apply.) Off the east coast of South America Off the west coast of North America Off the east coast of the Mid-Atlantic region of North America Off the west coast of South America Off the west coast of Africa
Off the west coast of North America Off the west coast of South America Off the west coast of Africa
What is the difference between direct temperature measurements and proxy data used as evidence for climate change?
Proxy climate data comes from the recorded responses of past climate change, whereas direct evidence indicates current climate.
What is the ultimate source of energy that drives earth's climate?
Radiation from the sun
How can the average surface temperature of earth best be determined?
Record the temperature at one spot for a year and determine the average, and then average it with other locations around earth.
Identify ways in which modern climate data is collected. (Select all that apply.) Satellites are used to remotely determine temperatures over large areas. Probes in space record the heat approaching the earth from the sun via conduction. Air temperatures are recorded at different altitudes within the atmosphere. Air temperatures are recorded on land and over the oceans.
Satellites are used to remotely determine temperatures over large areas. Air temperatures are recorded at different altitudes within the atmosphere. Air temperatures are recorded on land and over the oceans.
What would happen to sea level if all of the world's ice melted?
Sea level would rise by about 75 meters without even accounting for thermal expansion of the water.
Which of the following "geoengineering" solutions have been proposed to reduce global warming?
Sending millions of tons of soot into the stratosphere each year
How will farms or farming be affected as the climate changes? (Select all that apply.) Some farms will experience poorer growing conditions as the temperatures get too high and soil moisture is reduced. Tropical crops will be able to be farmed at high latitudes. Some farms will experience better growing conditions as they will have longer growing seasons. All crops will be able to grow faster as rates of soil formation increase.
Some farms will experience poorer growing conditions as the temperatures get too high and soil moisture is reduced. Some farms will experience better growing conditions as they will have longer growing seasons.
Why is determining the global surface temperature of earth difficult?
Temperature variations occur over time and distance.
What are some of the challenges associated with determining the global surface temperature of earth? (Select all that apply.)
Temperatures can fluctuate significantly over short distances. Temperature can be rather different from year to year on any given day. There are more direct temperature observations on land as compared to the ocean, and they exist over a longer period of time.
Which two of the factors listed below are the most important in determining climate? The amount of solar radiation that reaches earth's surface The amount of solar radiation released by the sun The relative amount of incoming solar energy that is absorbed versus scattered in the atmosphere The biodiversity of plant life that is present on earth at any one time
The amount of solar radiation that reaches earth's surface The amount of solar radiation released by the sun
Why have levels of greenhouse gases been increasing in earth's atmosphere?
The burning of fossil fuels to power our technology has added large amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
How are coral reefs and the marine ecosystems that depend on them negatively affected by rising concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere? (Select all that apply.)
The dissolved concentration of CO2 increases, which causes the formation of increased amounts of carbonic acid. The increased atmospheric temperature causes the ocean to warm.
Why can changes in oxygen isotope ratios be used as proxies for climate?
The fractionation process is temperature-dependent with greater fractionation at lower temperatures.
What is the major shift that happens during El Niño/La Niña events?
The frequency, intensity, and locations of storms change in various regions of the world.
What process keeps earth's surface much warmer than it would be otherwise, thus allowing life as we know it to exist?
The greenhouse effect
What evidence do we have that global warming is already having an effect on ice? (Select all that apply.) The majority of alpine glaciers are receding. Ice crystals formed today are 15% less dense than those that formed just 20 years ago. Expansion of the Greenland ice sheet indicates more water vapor is reaching it due to an increase in evaporation. The extent of sea ice is decreasing in the Arctic region.
The majority of alpine glaciers are receding. The extent of sea ice is decreasing in the Arctic region.
What is an La Niña event?
The opposite of an El Niño event in that unusually cold surface waters exist off of western South America
Which of the statements below accurately describes the distribution of warming that has occurred over the last few decades in earth's atmosphere? (Select all that apply.)
The troposphere has warmed at all levels. The Arctic has experienced more warming than lower latitude areas.
Which statement below accurately states the current balance between the amount of incoming solar radiation received by earth from the sun and the amount of energy radiated back to space?
There is a small net excess of energy being absorbed.
Which of the following are true about ice-core climate records recovered from Greenland and Antarctica? (Select all that apply.)
They both display a correlation between greenhouse gases and temperature. Both record a similar pattern of climate change indicating that ice cores do capture global climate trends. The Greenland ice-core record extends back about 160,000 years.
Why are natural greenhouse gases needed by life as we know it?
They help keep earth much warmer than it would be without them.
Which of the following statements accurately describe upwelling? (Select all that apply.) Strong onshore winds drive upwelling. Upwelling water tends to be cold and nutrient-rich. Upwelling is thought to be the result of human actions. It did not occur prior to the 1970s. Fishing tends to be good in upwelling zones.
Upwelling water tends to be cold and nutrient-rich. Fishing tends to be good in upwelling zones.
Which of these would be considered weather events, as opposed to climate? (Choose all that apply) Vancouver, British Columbia, experiences a very warm winter and doesn't receive enough snowfall for Winter Olympic events . A tropical rain forest in northwestern Australia is warm and humid year-round. A heat wave strikes Atlanta, Georgia, causing many people to experience heat exhaustion. A high amount of rainfall over the course of a weekend causes flooding in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Antarctica is considered a polar desert and receives less than 25 cm of precipitation annually.
Vancouver, British Columbia, experiences a very warm winter and doesn't receive enough snowfall for Winter Olympic events. A heat wave strikes Atlanta, Georgia, causing many people to experience heat exhaustion. A high amount of rainfall over the course of a weekend causes flooding in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.
What is the difference in equatorial Pacific waters between El Niño and La Niña?
Warm water stays in the west during La Niña whereas it moves to the east during El Niño.
Match the feedback mechanisms listed below to their effect on climate. A decrease in albedo (reflectivity) An increase in evaporation An increase in the cloud coverage An increase in cold freshwater runoff into the oceans
Warming due to an increase in thermal radiation from earth's surface Warming due to more water vapor absorbing outgoing longwave radiation Cooling due to more sunlight being reflected Cooling due to more carbon dioxide being absorbed from the atmosphere
What are the likely effects of climate change that will influence humans? (Select all that apply.)
Water shortages may occur in areas that rely on glacial meltwater. Farming could become impossible in areas where it is possible now.
Rank the following 18O/16O ratios of precipitation by the relative latitudes they will most likely be found at. (Place the highest latitude sample at the top.) Instructions
a low 18 o/ 16 o ratio a middle 18 o/ 16 o ratio a high 18 o/ 16 o ratio
Temperatures recorded all over the surface of the world are ______ in order to determine the surface temperature of earth.
averaged
A decline in the relative proportion of calcium carbonate in a core of marine sediment may indicate the climate was ______.
cooling since calcium carbonate dissolves more readily in colder waters
Surface waters can be described as warm and well mixed. The layer under the surface is a zone where temperatures ______ until the deep layer is reached, where temperatures ______.
decrease rapidly; are stable but near freezing
Natural processes fractionate oxygen isotopes because the isotopes ______.
differ in mass
cooling since calcium carbonate dissolves more readily in colder waters
differ in mass
Evidence such as thermometer records from measuring atmospheric temperatures is called ______ evidence for global warming, whereas evidence from other types of observations that allows us to infer past temperatures is called ______ evidence.
direct; proxy
True or false: All photosynthetic organisms will benefit from more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
false
True or false: Glacial ice and trapped air bubbles are the only two known sources of preserved oxygen isotopes that are useful as climate proxies.
false
Fertilizing the oceans to promote phytoplankton growth, spraying seawater over the oceans to encourage cloud formation, and putting soot in the atmosphere to block sunlight are all ideas to deal with climate change.
geoengineering
Alpine glaciers are receding and Arctic polar ice is thinning and shrinking in areal extent. This is evidence that ______.
global warming is already having an effect on ice
Climate change is likely to affect economically poorer nations to a ______.
greater degree since they have fewer resources and less access to medical care
The changing oxygen isotope ratios in the shells of marine organisms are a reflection of temperature changes of the water because ______.
greater fractionation occurs at lower temperatures
Some of the solar radiation that makes it through the atmosphere is absorbed at earth's surface and results in it warming. The warm surface radiates heat energy back upward, and some of that energy is absorbed by various atmospheric gases causing them to warm. We call this process the ________effect.
greenhouse
The burning of wood, coal, oil, and natural gas releases carbon dioxide. This release of carbon dioxide and other compounds is causing the rise of __________ gases in the atmosphere. Listen to the complete question
greenhouse
The gases that absorb infrared rays in the atmosphere are called ______ gases.
greenhouse
The geological rock record is full of climate change evidence, including coal deposits that indicate temperatures and glacial deposits that indicate temperatures.
hot cold
Because of the proxy data recovered from ______, we know that over the last few hundred thousand years, the temperature has changed substantially by spanning a range of 10οC, the climate has warmed rapidly at various times, and there is a correlation between greenhouse gases and temperature.
ice cores
Thermohaline circulation ______. (Choose all that apply.) involves water sinking at the equator due to high evaporation rates is a deep water current transports deep water nearly around the globe involves cold, sinking, saline water is driven by density differences does not allow water to resurface after it sinks
is a deep water current transports deep water nearly around the globe involves cold, sinking, saline water is driven by density differences
The mass difference between oxygen-16 and oxygen-18 is ______.
large enough to cause fractionation in natural processes
Water has a high heat capacity, meaning it can absorb or release a lot of energy without changing its temperature. This means the oceans are able to release or absorb a lot of energy, and in this way, they ______.
moderate climate change
The greenhouse effect ________
occurs when infrared energy radiating upward from earth's surface is trapped by the atmosphere
When looking at an ice core, a single year will be represented (optimally) by ______.
one light layer and one dark layer
If water evaporates, ______ will preferentially become water vapor. If water vapor then condenses and falls as precipitation, it will be enriched in ______ relative to the remaining water vapor.
oxygen-16; oxygen-18
In many alpine and high-latitude locations, the ground surface is often marshy during the summer; meltwater cannot drain into the earth because of the layer of frozen ground called that _________ exists in the soil.
permafrost
Since the start of the Industrial Age, global surface temperatures on earth have ______.
risen about 1.1οC
Surface temperatures on earth have been ______ since the start of the ______.
rising; Industrial Age
The cyclical changes that occur in the southern oceans every four to seven years are called ______.
the El Niño-Southern Oscillation
As atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) rise, more CO2 dissolves in the ocean. This has a negative effect on marine ecosystems because ______.
the oceans become more acidic, which makes it harder for corals to build their shells and form coral reefs
Oxygen isotope ratios preserved in ______ can be used to reconstruct the climate of the past. (Select all that apply.)
the shells of fossil marine organisms the ice crystals of glaciers
If surface winds result in the top layer of water moving offshore, deep water may ______ to replace the displaced water.
upwell
What frequently occurs along the west coasts of North and South American and Africa that results in good fishing grounds?
upwelling
The temperature, pressure, and precipitation conditions of the atmosphere for a specific place on a given day is called________ , whereas a longer term view of these same factors, typically taken over a period of many years, is called _________.
weather climate
Warm, wet air moves into the ______ Pacific during a La Niña event. This results in conditions in which unusually ______ surface waters exist off western South America.
western; cold
