Global Warming Final
What is the frequency of light with a wavelength of 540 nm? (c = 3.0*10^8 m/s) (v = f λ)
(velocity=wavelength*frequency) (frequency=velocity/wavelength) (3.0*10^8/540) 5.5*10^14
What is the lifetime of methane in the atmosphere? What does it eventually become when it's reacted away in the atmosphere?
10 years; Carbon dioxide
What is the global warming potential of methane on a 20-year time basis? On a 100-year time basis? Why is the 100 year GWP less than the 20-year potential? Why does the GWP never go below 1 at any timescale?
84-86 28-34 GWP measures how much energy is absorbed by the emission of 1 ton of gas over a time period
Explain why the wet adiabatic lapse rate and dry adiabatic lapse rate have different values
A saturated air parcel will cool less quickly.
Explain how clouds are involved in climate sensitivity
Aerosols
Briefly explain what will happen if we clean up particulate (aerosol) emissions while doing nothing about greenhouse gas emissions.
Aerosols have a cooling effect because they block radiation, while greenhouse gases absorb radiation and heat the earth. So, if we clean up aerosols and not greenhouse gases the earth will begin to warm more rapidly because the cooling effect would decrease because aerosols would decrease.
What are the main causes of uncertainty in our estimate of average global radiative forcing?
Aerosols, and aerosol effects on clouds
What is the range of climate sensitivities currently thought to be possible?
Aerosols, foresting
Describe a few plausible ways in which the positive feedback of CO2 in the paleoclimate record could have occurred.
As the ocean warms, greenhouse gases are released, warming the atmosphere
Describe what happens when CO2 dissolves and why this makes the oceans acidic. What is one of the main impacts of acidic oceans?
Atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves (CO2), combines with water (H2O), and then forms carbonic acid (H2CO3). Carbonic acid breaks down into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions. Bicarbonate ions break down into hydrogen and carbonate ions. The further into this process, the more acidic the ocean becomes. It decreases the stability of carbonate minerals (calcite and aragonite) used by organisms to build their skeletons/shells.
What are the fossil fuels responsible for most of the energy generated on Earth?
Biofuels, like coal
Explain how the coal to natural gas transition that is occurring in the U.S. has reduced CO2 emissions. Explain why this transition might not be as good for climate as it seems initially.
Burning natural gas produces almost half the CO2 as coal, but the production and storage of natural gas leaks methane, which is worse for the environment
What are two of the most important feedbacks?
Carbon Dioxide: carbon is emitted->earth warms->more CO2->continues to warm Water Vapor: warming->more evaporation->increase clouds->trap more radiation Aerosols: aerosols emitted->more radiation is blocked->earth cools
What anthropogenic gas traps the most energy globally?
Carbon dioxide
Explain how weathering removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Be sure to mention the critical element that is needed from the silicate rocks.
Carbon dioxide and the other atmospheric gases dissolve in surface waters. Dissolved gases are in equilibrium with the gas in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide reacts with water in solution to form carbonic acid. Carbonic acid disassociates into hydrogen ions and bicarbonate ions. The hydrogen ions and water react with most common minerals (silicates from weathering and carbonates) altering the minerals. The products of weathering are predominantly clays (a group of silicate minerals) and soluble ions such as calcium, iron, sodium, and potassium. Bicarbonate ions also remain in solution; a remnant of the carbonic acid that was used to weather the rocks.
What is the most important anthropogenic driver of a.) positive radiative forcing? b.) negative radiative forcing?
Carbon dioxide; aerosols
Describe how CO2 is "permanently" removed from the oceans.
Carbon sequestration-the process involved in carbon capture and the long term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Involves long-term storage of carbon dioxide or other forms of carbon to mitigate or defer global warming.
Explain what radiative forcing is.
Change in average net radiation at the top of the troposphere.
Describe how changes in the Earth's orbit, the ice albedo feedback, and the Carbon cycle feedback combine to enable glacial/interglacial swings. How often have ice ages been occurring "recently"?
Changes in the earth's orbit enable glacial/interglacial swings by changing the proximity of earth to the sun. The ice albedo feedback enables glacial/interglacial swings by increasing/decreasing the amount of ice on earth, increasing/decreasing albedo, which then increases/decreases the amount of ice. The carbon cycle enables glacial/interglacial swings by increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which warms the atmosphere, melting glaciers. Ice-ages have been occurring roughly every 100000 years
Which country is responsible for the most greenhouse gas emission when you add all historic emissions?
China
Which country is currently the largest emitter of greenhouse gases and what fuel is their biggest source of energy?
China; Carbon dioxide
Will winds over the pacific increase or decrease during an El Nino?
Decrease; the winds shift the opposite direction, the trade winds are typically easterly however El Nino causes the wind shift to be more westerly. Easterly winds are more dry and steady; Westerly winds bring bursts of warmer, moister air
Explain the difference between direct and indirect aerosol effects
Direct aerosol effects: scattering of solar radiation (cooling); absorption of solar radiation (warming) Indirect aerosol effects: Cloud Albedo Effect (More aerosol->more cloud drops->brighter cloud; Cloud Lifetime Effect (Smaller cloud drops are less effective at raining thereby causing the cloud to stay around longer)
Wien's law tells us that the wavelength at which the most energy will be emitted from an object is given by λmax=B/T where B=2900μm K at roughly what wavelength is energy emitted from the Earth (T=288K)? The sun (T=6000K)? Give the name for the type of radiation emitted by the Sun and Earth.
Earth=2900/288=10; Infrared Sun=2900/6000=.48; Visible
Describe El Nino/La Nina (ENSO) and the effect it has on global average temperature.
El Nino: along the west coast of South America, upwelling promotes cool ocean waters and large fish populations; at the end of the year, a warm current of nutrient poor water often moves southward, this is called El Nino; typically lasts for a few weeks to a month, at irregular intervals (2-7 years), the warming lasts for several months, which is called a major El Nino event (or just El Nino) La Nina: Following an ENSO event, the trade winds return to their original pattern. However, if they are exceptionally strong, the cold upwelled water is advected to the west, creating an extensive region of cold water. We call this La Nina.
Explain why adding more of a greenhouse gas that is very abundant (water vapor) does not trap as much energy as adding the same amount of greenhouse gas that is less abundant (carbon dioxide, methane, etc.)
Greenhouse gases trap different amounts of radiation, and they each have different lifetimes in the atmosphere
All of the winds and ocean currents exist to move ______ from one part of the earth to another.
Heat
Which renewable form of energy is most common globally?
Hydropower
Give an example of positive feedback.
Ice albedo. Ice->reflects sunlight->earth gets colder->more ice
Give two physical reasons for sea level rise in a warming climate
Ice melting, vertical land motion, ocean-atmosphere interaction, density changes, ocean circulation, terrestrial water storage
What are the two things that must be true for a cloud to form?
If the parcel cools to it's dew point and there are aerosols around
How do scientists determine temperature from ice-cores? Describe why the ratio of isotopes changes.
Isotopes are recorded in ice core bubbles 18O decreases as the temperature decreases
What property causes a gas to be called a greenhouse gas?
It absorbs infrared radiation
Give a very broad overview of temperature on Earth over the last 5 million years, describe if it was warmer or colder than today and how often the temperature fluctuated.
It is warmer and fluctuated 50000 years
Describe roughly how long it takes for CO2 to equilibrate with the surface ocean and the deep ocean.
It takes a couple years for CO2 to equilibrate with the surface ocean It takes a few hundred thousand years for CO2 to equilibrate with the deep ocean.
Give 3 main factors that determine the climate of a given place on Earth.
Latitude, air masses, elevation, altitude, proximity to water, landforms
Explain how high clouds have a net positive forcing but low clouds have a net negative forcing. Be sure to mention short and long wave radiation for both cloud types.
Low clouds: thick, block visible light, trap more infrared radiation High clouds: wispy and thin, scatter less visible light, trap less infrared radiation
Explain how low clouds can cause net cooling while high clouds can cause net warming to the climate
Low clouds: thick, block visible light, trap more infrared radiation High clouds: wispy and thin, scatter less visible light, trap less infrared radiation
Describe the water vapor feedback. Is it positive or negative?
Negative 18O has a lower saturation vapor pressure than 16O. Thus, light oxygen is preferentially evaporated from the ocean, and heavy ocean, and heavy oxygen is preferentially condensed in the atmosphere. As you move poleward (where the air is colder), air becomes depleted in 18O, becomes more negative, 18O decreases as the temperature decreases.
What are the two most abundant gases in the atmosphere and why are they not greenhouse gases?
Nitrogen and Oxygen; they are not greenhouse gases because they don't trap IR radiation
What are some other proxy (other than ice cores) that enable us to measure temperatures of past climates? Which ones allow us to go the farthest back?
Ocean sediments, speleothems, tree rings, old documentation Ice cores/tree rings
Describe 3 important ways in which the Earth's Orbit changes with time that affect climate. Which one of these changes the total amount of energy that the earth receives from the sun at a given time.
Orbital Eccentricity-orbit varies from being almost circular to a slightly elongated shape, with a period of 100000 years Precession-The earth precesses (wobbles) like a spinning top, so that the month when the NH is inclined towards the sun varies. Precession affects the contrast of the seasons Axial Tilt-The seasons result from the tilt of the axis relative to the orbital plane. The tilt angle effects the amount of radiant energy each latitude receives. Axial Tilt
Describe how particles in the stratosphere, ocean fertilization, stratocumulus seeding, and biochar can act as geoengineering techniques.
Particles in the atmosphere: Aerosols reflect solar radiation cooling the earth Ocean fertilization: iron flings stimulate CO2 eating plankton Stratocumulus seeding: atomizing seawater creates clouds to reflect the sun's rays Biochar: agricultural carbon waste is burned and buried.
How is carbon dioxide "permanently" removed from the atmosphere? Explain where it ends up.
Permanent' removal from the cycle occurs by sediment deposits in the ocean, plus silicate rock weathering.
Describe the ice-albedo feedback. Is it positive or negative?
Positive. As ice increases albedo increases, reflecting more energy, increasing the amount of ice.
Why does earth have seasons?
Precession-the earth wobbles like a spinning top, so that the month when the NH is inclined towards the sun varies.
Explain why, if I have a satellite that observes IR radiation at 2 different wavelengths , I might see emission from the stratosphere at one wavelength and emission from the surface of the earth at the other.
Radiation can change wavelengths
What is one significant potential negative effect of adding aerosol to the stratosphere to prevent climate change?
Risk of ozone depletion
Explain why it doesn't "disprove" anthropogenic climate change if temperature went up before greenhouse gases in the ice-core record
Scientists believe the sun was about 4% dimmer than it is now
Roughly what fraction of the carbon dioxide has been absorbed by the oceans?
Somewhere between 30-50%
Explain what causes the coriolis force
The CF only occurs on Earth because it is rotating The strength of the CF depends on the speed of the object on which it is acting The strength of the CF also depends on the latitude. It is equal to zero and is largest at the poles.
If we stabilize GHG levels, will the climate keep warming? Will the oceans keep rising? Why?
The climate will keep warming just at a slower rate unless a cooling factor is introduced The oceans will continue to rise unless the earth begins to cool; if the temp stays the same, ice (glaciers, ice caps, etc.) will continue to melt.
Does the earth's distance from the sun change during the year? Is this change important in terms of seasons?
The earth is the furthest from the sun in winter and in summer This change is not important in terms of seasons, earth's tilt is
Why does air cool as it rises?
The energy required to expand comes from the molecules in the parcel; hence, they slow down, which is interpreted as cooling
What part of the Earth receives the most solar radiation on average?
The equator
Explain what carbon sequestration is and how it might have an impact on future climate.
The long-term storage of carbon in plants, soils, geologic formations, and the ocean. Depending on the sinks carbon is deposited in CO2 could increase or decrease. For example, if trees are planted or destroyed more or less carbon would be pulled from the atmosphere.
What is happening to the amount of ice on earth? Is there anywhere where the amount of ice is increasing?
The mean sea level has risen 4"-10" in the last 100 years; Northern Hemisphere snow cover has recently decreased; glaciers are in retreat. Ice is not increasing anywhere
Why do places near a large body of water tend to have less temperature fluctuation?
The ocean currents keep the water cold/warm which then keeps the surface temperature cold/warm
Explain the process of moving from an ice age to an interglacial. Be sure to mention a) the forcing that starts it, b) at least two critical feedbacks and if they are positive or negative, c) the mechanism by which it stops.
The only way to get out of an ice age is if an orbital shift occurs. The ice-albedo feedback (positive) and the carbon cycle feedback (also positive) occur. The "thermostat" theory is how it stops. Orbital shift->ice decreases->albedo decreases-> ice continues decreasing->carbon is emitted to the atmosphere->earth warms->carbon continues to be emitted->weathering increases with warmer temperatures->temperature stabilizes
Will the pressure at 5km be larger in a cold air column or a warm air column? Explain why, a picture is a good explanation
The pressure will be larger in a cold area A picture is a good explanation because you can see that the pressure is much more condensed in a cold area than a warm area
What is the numerical value of the dry adiabatic lapse rate?
The rate of temp decrease is 9.8 deg celsius/km (5.38 farenheit per 1000 ft)
Describe why there are "squiggles" in the Mauna Loa CO2 record or "Keeling curve"
There are squiggles because of the change in the seasons (spring and summer has less CO2 because photosynthesis occurs at a higher rate; Fall and winter there is more because photosynthesis occurs at a slower rate.
Explain how climate models deal with potential differences in human behavior in the future.
They show the possibilities of humans reducing, not changing, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions
What types of electromagnetic radiation are called "shortwave"?
UV
What type of radiation is at just shorter wavelengths than visible light? Just longer wavelengths than visible light?
UV; Infrared
What types of electromagnetic radiation are called "long wave"?
Visible radiation
Give an example of a negative feedback.
Water Vapor Warming-> more evaporation->increase cloudiness->Clouds reflect solar radiation ->decrease warming.
What greenhouse gas traps the most energy globally?
Water vapor
Give a pro and con for wind, solar, hydro, tidal, wave, nuclear, oil, natural gas, biofuel and coal.
Wind: no pollution, low maintenance, inexpensive; no energy when the wind isn't blowing, requires a lot of land Solar: unlimited supply of sunlight, no pollution; doesn't generate electricity at night or when its overcast, more expensive Hydro: clean, abundant where there are bodies of water; dams create environmental concerns, restricted where there is water Tidal: effective at low speeds, long lifespan; have to be constructed close to land, expensive Nuclear: low pollution, low operating costs, reliable; radioactive waste disposal, nuclear accidents, expensive Oil: easily accessible, reliable, easy to produce; non-renewable, pollution Natural gas: abundant, emits half the CO2, cheap; methane leak, non-renewable Biofuel: renewable, carbon neutral, affordable, abundant; requires a lot of land Coal: abundant, affordable; release of CO2, dangerous to extract
Explain how producing ethanol, a biofuel, could have a net negative impact on greenhouse gas concentrations.
You still have to burn fossil fuels in the distilling process
The dry adiabatic lapse rate is approximately a) 10 deg c/km b) 6 deg c/km c) 0 deg c/km d) 12 deg c/km e) none of these
a) 10 deg c/km
How much energy per unit area is emitted by an object at 25 deg celsius? θt^4 a) 447 W/m^2 b) 0.02 W/m^2 c) 44 W d) 0.02 W e) 4E-8 W/m^2
a) 447 W/m^2
Which of the following is the greenhouse gas (can be anthropogenic or natural) with the largest globally-averaged positive radiative forcing? a) H2O b) CH4 c) CO2 d) N2 e) O3
a) H2O
Calculate the temperature of the surface of the Earth given S0=1361 W/m^2 and an albedo of 0.3 if a) there is no atmosphere b) there is one-layer atmosphere
a) T=[(1-a)Is/4ε σ]^(1/4) b) Tg=2^(1/4)Ta
The water vapor feedback is _______ a) a positive feedback b) a negative feedback c) a positive forcing d) a negative forcing e) a neutral feedback
a) a positive feedback
A greenhouse gas must be able to a) absorb IR b) absorb visible c) absorb UV d) a and b e) a and c
a) absorb IR
The transition between ice ages and interglacial periods it thought to have been caused a) by shifts in earth's orbit b) by the ice-albedo feedback c) by the water vapor feedback d) by aerosol forcing e) none of these
a) by shifts in earth's orbit
In the northern hemisphere, the surface winds of the Hadley cell (cell closest to the equator) are a) north-easterly b) westerly c) south-easterly d) southerly e) none of these
a) north-easterly
When liquid clouds form in polluted air with lots of aerosols, they are thought to _______ and _______ a) scatter more visible radiation/have a longer lifetime b) scatter more visible radiation/have a shorter lifetime c) rain more/have a longer lifetime d) trap more IR/have shorter lifetime
a) scatter more visible radiation/have a longer lifetime
If the environmental lapse rate is 0 deg c/km (temperature stable with height), the atmosphere is a) stable b) unstable c) conditionally unstable d) conditionally stable e) none of the above
a) stable
Why does the wind blow counterclockwise and toward the center of a region of low pressure? a) the combination of the pressure gradient force, the coriolis force, and friction b) the only pressure gradient force c) only the coriolis force d) the combination of the pressure gradient force and the coriolis force e) only friction
a) the combination of the pressure gradient force, the coriolis force, and friction
The average global temperature 5 million years ago was _______ than it is today a) warmer b) colder c) the same as d) it is impossible to say
a) warmer
Human contributions to water vapor have little effect on climate because a) water vapor is controlled by surface evaporation and precipitation, not human emissions b) water vapor is not a greenhouse gas c) combustion of fossil fuels does not make water vapor d) water vapor cannot exist in the atmosphere e) none of the above
a) water vapor is controlled by surface evaporation and precipitation, not human emissions
The 100-year and 20-year global warming potentials of methane are a) 86, 34 b) 34, 86 c) 1, 10 d) 10,1 e) none of these
b) 34, 86
When the _______ ratio decreases in ice cores it indicates that temperature was ________ a) O18:O16, warmer b) O18:O16, colder c) water vapor:oxygen, colder d) nitrogen:oxygen, colder e) none of these
b) O18:O16, colder
Which of the following is a feasible climate sensitivity? a) carbon dioxide b) aerosols c) 3 deg celsius d) water vapor feedback e) none of these
b) aerosols
Rock weathering is important in the sequestration of carbon dioxide into the ocean because it provides what critical element a) silicon b) calcium c) oxygen d) fluorine e) none of these
b) calcium
If you fly a plane at constant altitude of 20,000 feet from a warm air mass to a cold air mass, the pressure outside the plane will a) increase b) decrease c) stay the same d) it depends on the time of year e) cannot be determined from the information provided
b) decrease
Air cools as it rises because a) the air around it is cold b) expansion requires energy c) water vapor is condensing d) a and b e) b and c
b) expansion requires energy
The pressure at sea level is 1 atm. In Laramie (7,200 feet) it is roughly 0.75 atm. At 14, 400 it will be (hint: you can figure this out by thinking about how pressure varies with height. You don't need to have memorized any equation or numbers.) a) 0.5 atm b) greater than 0.5 atm c) less than 0.5 atm d) 0.875 atm e) none of these
b) greater than 0.5 atm
A _______ object will emit radiation at _______ wavelengths than a _______ object. a) cold, shorter, hot b) hot, shorter, cold c) large, shorter, small d) high albedo, longer, low albedo e) none of these
b) hot, shorter, cold
Which of the following might allow us to estimate temperature 5 million years ago? a) ice cores b) ocean sediments c) tree rings d) satellite measurements e) none of these
b) ocean sediments
When a large volcano erupts and emits aerosols into the stratosphere, the a) troposphere warms b) troposphere cools c) the carbon dioxide causes a warming effect larger than all manmade carbon dioxide emissions d) none of these
b) troposphere cools
The "thermostat" theory predicts that a) weathering will increase at lower temperatures causing temperature to stabilize b) weathering will decrease at lower temperatures causing temperature to stabilize c) weathering will decrease at lower temperatures causing temperature decrease to accelerate d) greenhouse gases are not a factor in stabilizing temperature e) none of these
b) weathering will decrease at lower temperatures causing temperature to stabilize
Describe relative magnitudes of the different carbon reservoirs on Earth
biggest->smallest; rocks, ocean, biosphere, atmosphere
What is the frequency of a radio wave with a wavelength of 3 m? f = c / λ a) 1 hz b) 100 hz c) 100 mhz d) 1 m/s e) none of the above
c) 100 mhz
The average albedo of Earth is approximately a) 1% b) 10% c) 30% d) 50% e) 100%
c) 30%
Which area of the Earth would have the lowest carbon dioxide concentrations with the least variation throughout the year? a) North America b) china c) Antarctica d) Northern Africa e) Everywhere has the same concentration of carbon dioxide
c) Antarctica
From a satellite observing infrared radiation in space, why would Greenland appear different than the adjacent ocean? a) Greenland is covered with ice and snow ; therefore, it reflects light back to space b) Greenland is colder; therefore, it emits infrared energy at a shorter wavelength c) Greenland is colder; therefore it emits infrared energy at a longer wavelength d) Greenland is warmer than the surrounding ocean; therefore, it emits infrared energy at a longer wavelength e) None of the above
c) Greenland is colder; therefore it emits infrared energy at a longer wavelength
What is the dew point temperature? a) The temperature at which the air must be cooled for evaporation to begin b) The temperature at which mountain dew freezes c) The temperature at which the air must be cooled to reach saturation d) The temperature at which the air must be cooled for frost to form e) The temperature at which the air must be cooled for sublimation to begin
c) The temperature at which the air must be cooled to reach saturation
Which of the following correctly lists, from left to right, the shortest wavelength radiation to the longest wavelength radiation? a) IR, UV, Visible b) Visible, UV, IR c) UV, Visible, IR d) IR, Visible, UV e) none of the above
c) UV, Visible, IR
The main reason current CO2 concentrations are not much higher than they are is a) a lot of the CO2 was taken up by the biosphere b) a lot of the CO2 was taken up by the soils c) a lot of the CO2 was taken up by the oceans d) a lot of the CO2 was reacted into methane e) none of these
c) a lot of the CO2 was taken up by the oceans
Which of the following has the largest uncertainty in its radiative forcing? a) carbon dioxide b) methane c) aerosol effects on clouds d) ozone hole e) changes in the solar intensity
c) aerosol effects on clouds
Which of the following is an indirect effect of aerosols a) in a warmer climate there are more clouds b) aerosols scatter light back to space, cooling the climate c) aerosol particles cause clouds to have more droplets, making them brighter d) aerosol particles cause health problems e) none of the above
c) aerosol particles cause clouds to have more droplets, making them brighter
In the northern hemisphere at the surface, the wind around an isolated low pressure system will spin _______ and _______ the center of the low pressure. a) clockwise, towards b) clockwise, away from c) counterclockwise, towards d) counterclockwise, away from e) none of these
c) counterclockwise, towards
Which of the following is a forcing a) a warming climate causes ice to melt b) a cooling climate causes less water vapor to be in the air c) human emissions of aerosol particles causes less sunlight to reach the ground d) rainforests grow more quickly because of increased carbon dioxide e) none of the above
c) human emissions of aerosol particles causes less sunlight to reach the ground
Laramie is typically colder than Fort Collins mainly because a) it is farther north b) it is more humid c) it is at a higher elevation d) it is in wyoming e) none of these
c) it is at a higher elevation
The oceans won't solve the problem of increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere because a) the oceans are turning more basic b) the oceans are in equilibrium with the atmosphere and can no longer absorb carbon dioxide c) it will take a long time (hundreds to thousands of years) to permanently sequester the carbon dioxide people have added d) none of the above
c) it will take a long time (hundreds to thousands of years) to permanently sequester the carbon dioxide people have added
Which gas is both toxic to humans and important for inhibiting harmful UV radiation from reaching Earth's surface? a) Nitrogen B) oxygen c) ozone d) neon e) water vapor
c) ozone
Calculate the height at which a cloud would form if the temperature at the ground is 25 deg celsius and the dew point at the ground is 15 deg celsius. (dew point decreases at 2 deg celsius/km)
cloudbase=(temperature-dewpoint/4.4)*1000
Which of the following is NOT a greenhouse gas? a) H2O b) CH4 c) CO2 d) N2 e) none of the above
d) N2
The anthropogenic emission with the largest negative radiative forcing is a) methane b) clouds c) black carbon d) aerosols e) CO2
d) aerosols
Which of the following refers to a positive climate feedback? a) ice-albedo b) CO2 solubility in the oceans c) water vapor in the atmosphere d) all of these e) none of these
d) all of these
Which of the following reservoirs has the most carbon in it a) surface ocean b) biosphere c) atmosphere d) deep ocean e) they are all the same
d) deep ocean
The reason the ocean hasn't absorbed all of the carbon dioxide people have emitted is a) the deep ocean is saturated b) coral is bleaching c) the ocean temperature is decreasing d) it requires a very long time for carbon dioxide to move from the atmosphere the deep ocean e) none of the above
d) it requires a very long time for carbon dioxide to move from the atmosphere the deep ocean
If low, thick clouds increase as climate warms, this would be a _______ feedback that would _______ climate sensitivity a) positive, increase b) negative, increase c) negative, increase d) negative, decrease e) none of these
d) negative, decrease
The ratio of the amount of water vapor in the air (in terms of the vapor pressure) compared to the amount required for saturation (at constant temperature and pressure) is called the a) minimum temperature b) dew point temperature c) wet-bulb temperature d) relative humidity e) freezing point
d) relative humidity
Which of the following has the highest albedo? a) oceans b) forests c) grass d) snow e) irrigated farmland
d) snow
The saw tooth nature of the "keeling: CO2 curve is caused by a) anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions b) anthropogenic methane emissions c) orbital shifts d) the seasonal cycle of plant growth in the northern hemisphere e) none of these
d) the seasonal cycle of plant growth in the northern hemisphere
One reason that sea level is rising is a) sea ice is melting b) tides are changing c) there are more storms d) water expands when it warms e) none of these
d) water expands when it warms
If the environmental lapse rate is 12 deg celsius/km, is the atmosphere stable or unstable? How about if the environmental lapse rate is 0 deg celsius/km?
density=pressure/(2.87*T)
Based on the three-cell general circulation model, the driest regions of the earth should be near a) the coast lines b) the equator and polar regions c) the equator and 30 deg latitude d) the equator and 60 deg latitude e) 30 deg latitude and the polar regions
e) 30 deg latitude and the polar regions
What is the water vapor feedback? a) as the temperature increases, evaporation decreases, the greenhouse effect is weakened, and the earth cools b) as the temperature increases, evaporation decreases, the greenhouse effect is weakened, and the Earth warms more c) as the temperature decreases, evaporation increases, the greenhouse effect is enhanced, and the earth warms more d) as the temperature increases, evaporation stops, clouds stop forming, precipitation stops, and the earth warms e) none of the above
e) none of the above
Explain what climate sensitivity is and how it relates to radiative forcing (hint:feedbacks)
forcing->feedback->change in temperature
Describe the "CO2 thermostat" and how it prevents runaway ice ages or warm periods by drawing down carbon dioxide faster or slower in different climates
ice age->orbital shift->feedbacks(warmer)->weathering(CO2 stabilizes->temp stabilizes)
What form of renewable energy is growing fastest in the U.S.?
wind
Explain how aerosols are involved in anthropogenic forcing
you need aerosols to form clouds, aerosols cool the earth because they block the radiation.
How much more energy does the sun emit (per square meter than the Earth? Tsun=6000k, Tearth=288k
σ(Tsun)^4/σ(Tearth)^4 188380
Calculate the intensity of energy emitted by an object with a temperature of 25 deg celsius assuming the emissivity of the object is 1. (σ = 5.67*10^-8 W/m^2K^4)
σT^4 (5.67*10^-8)(1)(298)^4 447W/m^2
Now assume the Earth has a 1-layer atmosphere that absorbs all IR radiation. Write the equation for the radiative equilibrium of the surface of the Earth.
σtTatm^4+(1361w/m^2)(1-a)/4=σtearth^4 to the earth=σtTatm^4+(1361w/m^2)(1-a)/4 from the earth=σtearth^4
Write an equation for the radiative equilibrium between the Earth and the sun. For this question you may assume the Earth has no atmosphere.
σtearth^4=(1361 w/m^2)(1-a)/4 energy from the earth=σt^4 energy from the sun=(1361 w/m^2)(1-a)/4