GY 101 Chapter 7

Order the steps of modeling for general circulation models (GCM's) from first at the top to last at the bottom.

1. Data are collected from many sources such as satellites 2. Data are reviewed for quality and obvious errors 3. Simulations are run for atmospheric variables at each point for a set time in the future. 4. Simulation iterations continue at each data point for times farther in the future. 5. Predictions are generated for the future, and results are plotted on a map

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) has concluded that the temperature of Earth's atmosphere has increased since approximately year ______.

1800

What is an ecotone?

A gradual transition between vegetation and climates types

A climate located near the equator with hot temperatures and abundant precipitation year-round is a(n) ____ climate.

Af - Tropical Rain Forest

Match the climate group to where it is common on Earth's surface.

Arid (B): Along 30 N and 30 S latitudes Temperate (C): Between 30 and 60 N and 30 and 60 S Tropical (A): Along and near the equator Harsh mid-latitude (D): Along 60 N and 60 S latitudes Polar (E): Highest latitudes in both hemispheres

Which climate is characterized as being the hottest and most arid, and covers large areas of Africa, Australia, and the American Southwest?

BWh - Hot desert

Which climate is characterized as being both cold and very arid, and includes locations such as southern Mongolia and areas adjacent to cold ocean currents?

BWk - Cold Desert climates

Which of the following accurately describe the correlation between inferred temperatures and CO2 concentrations over the past 400000 years?

Changes in temperature and CO2 concentrations are directly related; the most recent data seems a little off the historical trend

What surfaces are efficient reflectors of insolation, causing an decrease in temperature on Earth or in the atmosphere?

Clouds, ice, aerosois

What mid-latitude climate experiences warm, wet summers with long severe, dry winters and is mostly located in Asia?

Dwb (Continental dry winter/warm summer climates)

The area near the equator where trade winds converge to create tropical climates is called the

Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

In 1884, Vladmir ____ first published his climate classification system. A version of this same system is the most widely used system in the world today.

Koppen

What surfaces absorb enough insolation to cause an increase in temperature on Earth or in the atmosphere?

Land, oceans, aerosois, clouds

What is the most accurate interpretation of the Earth temperature data collected with satellite and summarized on this graph?

Local, natural events effect global temperature

Why are mid-continental regions likely places for arid climates?

Ocean moisture sources are too far away to reach mid-continent arid regions

Compare point and non-point sources of pollution by matching them to their descriptions

Point source: a localized source of pollution Non-point source: multiple sources of pollution

What influence do the mid-latitude westerlies, specifically polar air masses, have on Humid continental climates in eastern Europe?

Polar air masses penetrate deep into southern regions of eastern Europe, extending the range of Humid continental climates

What observations can be made about effects of climate change between these image of Arctic sea ice in 1979 and 2015?

Sea ice has melted, exposing the darker surfaces of sea and land

How do subtropical highs cause wetter climates on the east coasts of continents and drier climates on the west coasts of continents?

Subtropical highs are asymmetrical, sinking on western coasts and rising on eastern coasts

What impacts did the Clean Air Act of 1970 have on the way we monitor air pollution and air quality today and what criteria are monitored?

The act has led to improved air quality in the US; the act created the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the act monitors a family of six aerosois

How are the data used in general circulation models (GCMs) organized spatially?

The data are collected and then divided into a grid, giving each area an average value for all data collected by sensors in that grid square.

What happens to the shortwave radiation heat absorbed by aerosois in the atmosphere when the aerosois act as a condensation nuclei, attract water, and eventually form rain?

The heat is released back to the atmosphere

What conclusions can be made about the Atlantic storms shown on this graph corresponding to the most recent period of significant warming?

The number of tropical storms in the last 20 years appears to be higher than in any other 20-year period shown.

Which of the factors below influences Mediterranean climates, making them temperate?

Their location between polar and tropical climates

In a climate change situation in which surface temperatures and upper-level atmospheric temperatures both rise, what total effect is expected?

There is no net effect on the system, and it remains stable

What are some specific ways atmospheric data is used or applied in general circulation models (GCM's)?

Three-dimensional grids with several vertical levels are used to spatially organize the data. Spectral models are used to convert data into sine and cosine waves to measure inputs of energy, matter, and momentum

How are tree proportions in tropical A-type climates indicative of the precipitation patterns in the three tropical subclimates?

Tree size decreases and spacing increases as precipitation changes from all year in Tropical Rain Forests to half of the year in Tropical Savannas

When large amounts of concrete and glass replace open space vegetation, what is the resulting effect called?

Urban heat island effect

How do climates change across Eurasia from west to east?

Western climates are mild, central climates have variable temperatures, and eastern climates receive more precipitation than the other climates.

How does spatial location (near oceanic influences or being mid-continent) and day length affect mid-latitude climates?

Winters are cold and long due to short days; summers are warm due to long days; marine climates have less seasonally than continental climates

Does the biosphere, containing living creatures, have the ability to stabilize the environment during climate change?

Yes, the biosphere has self-regulating processes

When dynamic equilibrium is achieved in nature, a system such as the food chain or a plant community has come to a point where feedbacks and other processes ______.

balance each other

It is predicted that atmospheric moisture will increase in the atmosphere if the planet _____.

becomes warmer

Global trends in warming or cooling, precipitation patterns, wind directions, and other measures is known as climate ____.

change

Computer models used to analyze atmospheric conditions are called general ____ models.

circulation

The ____ of a place or region is characterized by several factors including the specifics of Koppen classification system, topography, wind directions, and pollution

climate

Polar climates have little precipitation because they are so cold. Which type of air masses limit precipitation in polar climates?

cold air masses with low water-vapor capacity

Climates classified in Group B of the Kopean classification system are arid and must have the ability to lose more moisture through potential ____ than they receive in precipitation.

evapotranspiration

Match each of the secondary classification from the Koppen climate classification system to the type of precipitation the climate experiences.

f: wet year-round s: dry summer w: dry winter m: experiences monsoon

Precipitation in Polar and Subarctic climates is limited by the low water-vapor capacity of cold air masses and because precipitation originates _____.

far away over warmer oceans

Higher global temperatures due to global warming would likely cause an increase in the melting of ____.

glaciers

Evaporation from warmer surface waters is predicted to increase during a global warming period, which would increase ____.

humidity

What changes could be expected if global warming affected the upper-level atmospheric circulation patterns?

increased precipitation or drought

Carefully examine the map. Which areas are contributing the most to sulfur dioxide air pollution?

locations of coal power plants

Carefully examine the map. Which areas are contributing the most to nitrogen oxide air pollution?

metropolitan areas

Mid-latitude climates across Eurasia, such as those on these climographs, change from west to east where Brussels is considered ____ for its latitude, Kiev experiences more temperature variation than Brussels, and Seoul receives more precipitation due to ____.

mild; monsoons

Moist air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean move across Europe, changing climates from Marine West Coast climates in the west to Humid Continental climates in the east. This is due to less available ____ as air masses move from west to east.

moisture

Earth's orbital variations and the associated climates are affected almost exclusively by the Sun and the ___, with one cycle completed over approximately 10,000 years.

moon

Some desert and steppe climate areas occur due to their proximity to cold ____ currents, which limit the amount of moisture in the air and promote atmospheric stability.

ocean

Ocean ____ are temperature cycles in oceans that vary in length from a few years to decades and show similar patterns to global temperatures.

oscillation

Temperature and precipitation changes accompanying climate change may affect the distribution of ____.

plant and animal communities

Warming of oceans due to climate change would evaporate more water, releasing more water vapor and beginning a ____ feedback cycle.

positive

Moist air masses coming from the Atlantic Ocean move across Europe, changing climates from Marine West Coast climates in the west to Humid Continental climates in the east. This is due to less available ___ as air masses move from west to east.

precipitation

Ice core analysis and tree ring records are ____ measurements used to monitor climate change.

proxy

What factor affects arid regions downwind of nonarid mountain ranges?

rain shadows

Mediterranean Csa and Csb climates owe their pleasant temperatures to ____.

receiving abundant insolation in the subtropics

Oceans are capable of retaining vast amounts of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. The feedback, or result of absorbing CO2, ___ the rate of global warming.

reduces

Not only are cities warmer than surrounding vegetated areas, but ____ that link cities that are paved with concrete also are warmer.

roads

Which of the following are direct measurements used to measure climate change?

sea-surface temperatures, thermometer records, glacier length

Climates with very cold temperatures all year that support trees and occur at high latitudes or very high elevations are _____ (Dfc and Dfd) climates.

subartic

Humid ___ climates are classified in Group C of the Koppen climate system and are characterized as being hot and wet all year with short or intermittent cold seasons.

subtropical

The quantity of sunspots is an indicator of solar activity and corresponds to Earth's recent ____ record.

temperature

Increases in land and sea _____ due to global warming may affect atmosphere's stability.

temperatures

The deadliest natural disaster in US history was:

the 1900 Galveston hurricane

Changes to precipitation patterns of rainfall or drought and ____ may results from changes to upper-level circulation patterns.

the ease with which cyclones form

Mediterranean climates are temperate due to their location between ____ climates near the equator and ___ climates in higher latitudes.

tropical and colders

True or false: temperate mediterranean climates are a product of many complex systems merging together to create a pleasant climate.

true

Which four of the gases below are known to significantly contribute to insolation absorbed in the atmosphere or are recognized as greenhouse gases?

water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide

Weather is a state of short-term atmospheric conditions lasting for a period of time ranging from an hour to a week, whereas climate is _____.

the long-term conditions of a place that last years or decades

Order the steps of modeling for general circulation models (GCM's) from first at the top and last at the bottom.

1. Data are collected from many sources such as satellites. 2. Data are reviewed for quality and obvious errors. 3. Simulations are run for atmospheric variables at each point for a set time in the feature. 4. Simulation iterations continue at each data point for times farther in the future. 5. Predictions are generated for the future, and results are plotted on a map

How are climate types distributed with increasing latitude? Imagine the Northern Hemisphere, and order the climate types with those closet to the equator at the bottom and those closet to the North Pole at the top

1. E-types 2. D-types 3. C-types 4. B-types 5. A-types

A climate zone located near the equator that supports grasslands, has warm to hot temperatures, and has precipitation some parts of the year is an:

Aw climate

Which of the following is characterized among the hottest but lesser arid climates and serves as a transition zone from hot deserts to more humid areas?

BSh climates (Hot steppe climates)

Temperate, mid-latitude climates that experience moderate temperatures and precipitation and support large amounts of human activity are designated as Group ____ in the Koppen climate classification system.

C

Which climates are characterized as being very pleasant to live in year-round with wet winters but dry, warm summers and are generally located along the western coasts of continents?

CSo and CSb (Mediterranean)

What climate impacts, besides heating, do urban heat islands create?

Changes to the spatial distribution and quantities of precipitation, changes to wind speeds and directions, reduction of humidity in non-arid environments

In this image of a city, what factors are contributing to, or increasing, the urban heat island effect?

Concrete buildings, paved surfaces, storm drains, industrial waste heat

What are the two primary subtypes of Group B climates using the Koppen classification system?

Desert and steppe

How does elevation affect temperature in Group B Desert and steppe climates?

Desert and steppe climates are colder at higher elevations

What climates experience temperatures below freezing throughout the year or during most of the year and are located at high latitudes?

EF and ET

How will an increase in sea-surface temperature (SST) due to global warming change storm intensity and duration?

Evaporated water and latent heat in the atmosphere will increase

How do clouds and atmospheric moisture affect temperatures in desert climates?

Low humidity allows insolation to travel through the atmosphere to the land surface without being absorbed, causing an increase in temperatures

How do topographic features such as coastlines and mountains affect air pollution?

Mountains trap pollution the wind has blown against them; Coastlines cause air pollution to move away from the source due to offshore winds and water-land transitions

Compare positive and negative feedbacks by the changes they make to climate systems

Positive: changes are amplified, causing more changes in the same direction Negative: changes are dampened, undoing some or all of the changes

What climate regions or trends can be described on this map of temperatures and precipitation?

Precipitation in the country is related to temperature; the northern region is a cold, wet climate whereas the southern region is a hot and dry climate

What happens to the shortwave portion of insolation when it interacts with air pollution by reflecting, scattering, or being absorbed?

Reflected insolation: shortwave energy is sent back to space, cooling the atmosphere Scattered insolation: shortwave energy is sent in many directions, heating the atmosphere and ground. Absorbed insolation: shortwave energy is contained, heating the atmosphere but not the ground and reducing chances of precipitation.

What are two positive feedbacks associated with warming of Earth's ice and permafrost?

Warming of permafrost releases methane, which traps longwave radiation; High albedo ice is replaced with low albedo water that will absorb more heat.

When oceans absorb an abundant amount of CO2, the gas begins to change the ocean's chemistry and lowers the pH. This is called ocean ____.

acidification

Sinking air, such as during a temperature inversion, causes air pollution to _____.

sink close to the ground and its source

What two processes lead to peak precipitation in mid-latitude marine climates in October and December?

warm oceans and distant subtropical highs

The transition boundary between vegetation and climate types is gradual and is referred to as an:

ecotone

What are some of the reasons to classify climates using a globally uniform scale?

Creating useful generalizations Communicating regional characteristics Observing broad patterns

How do Group E Ice Cap and Tundra and Group D Subarctic climates differ?

Ice cap: cold temperatures, with averages each month below freezing; not capable of supporting trees Tundra: cold temperatures, with averages each month being below 50; not capable of supporting trees Subarctic: cold temperatures over the year, with very short summers and very long winters ; capable of supporting trees

Which of the following are proxy evidence used to measure climate change?

Ice core analysis and tree ring records

Match the climate factors used to subdivide climates into their main groups with the climate type.

A-Tropical: Hot temperatures occur year-round; precipitation occurs either all year to half the year B-Arid: Temperatures vary above or below 54 degrees F; precipitation is limited C-Temperate: Temperates vary and winters are short; precipitation occurs either all year or seasonally D-Harsh Mid-latitude: Temperatures vary and winters are severe; precipitation occurs either all year or seasonally E-Polar: Temperatures are very cold; precipitation is mostly frozen

Match each of the 5 categories of climate to its classification in the Koppen climate classification system.

A: Tropical climates B: Arid climates C: Temperate Mid-Latitude D: Harsh Mid-Latitude E: Polar

____ is defined as the long-term weather pattern of a place including the variability and extremes of weather.

Climate

True or false: global warming results in an increase in temperatures in every region on Earth.

False

True or false: The ITCZ, located near the equator, moves very little and provides consistent precipitation to A-type climates throughout the year

False; the ITCZ does shift and causes Tropical Monsoon and Tropical Savanna climates to have dry months lasting one to six months of the year

Do feedbacks from changes in global climate systems amplify or dampen the response from processes such as climate change?

Feedbacks may amplify or dampen changes

What factors influence climate classification patterns and how they are distributed?

Location on a continent and proximity to oceanic bodies affect climate, latitudes above, below, or at the equator affects climate

Temperature climates in the C Group that receive most of their rainfall during hot or warm summers are the Cwa nad Cwb Temperate _____ climates.

Monsoon

Observing the map of average precipitation pH, what areas are most prone to acid rain?

Regions with high humidity, industrialized areas

What three factors are the primary influences on temperate Mediterranean climates?

Subtropical highs, ocean currents, and subtropical latitude

What effects does the ITCZ have on precipitation in A-type climates as it shifts north and south of the equator through the year?

The ITCZ stays close to Tropical Rain Forest climates, where it generates rain all year, and causes fluctuating precipitation for Tropical Monsoon and Tropical Savanna climates

Secondary pollutants form when ____. These compounds can be more harmful than the original compounds.

original pollutants react with sunlight, water, or other contaminants.

Air ____ is an assortment of gases, liquids, and solids introduced to the atmosphere by human activities and is considered harmful to living creatures and other aspects of ecosystems

pollution

The process of desertification caused by climate change would mean less ____ and possibly warmer temperatures in an affected region.

precipitation

True or false: Vast areas of the ocean covered by ice act like continents and force temperatures to remain bitterly cold.

true

A-type tropical climates have warm and consistent temperatures all year because the ____ remains high in the sky throughout the year, resulting in consistent day lengths and light intensity.

Sun

What three components within the atmosphere can act to form ozone at low altitudes where is can corrode living tissues?

Sunlight, volatile organic compounds, and nitrogen oxides

What kind of climates are designated as Group C climates using the Koppen climate classification system?

Temperate mid-latitude climates

What are the differences in A-type tropical climate precipitation patterns?

Tropical rain forest: receives precipitation year-round Tropical monsoon: receives precipitation seasonally Tropical savanna: receives precipitation for half the year

True or false: very small drops of liquids in steam, such as those derived from sulfur dioxide, contribute to air pollution.

True

What are tiny drops of liquids and solid particles in the atmosphere called, regardless of their source?

aerosois

Snow and ice have high ____, or ability to reflect solar energy, which prevents insolation from warming polar and subpolar regions.

albedo

Insolation is able to heat land surfaces in Group B Desert climates when _____ because very little of the insolation is absorbed in the atmosphere. Under the same conditions, longwave radiation is lost to space at night, cooling the atmosphere and land surfaces.

atmospheric moisture is low

Thermometer records, sea-surface temperatures, and glacier lengths are all forms of ____ measurements used to monitor climate change.

direct

When observed atmospheric and oceanic temperatures increase compared to a mean global temperature, we call the process ____ warming.

global

The ____ effect occurs when longwave radiation between Earth's surface and the atmosphere and keeps the planet warm.

greenhouse

Temperatures in deserts, such as those in the American Southwest with hot days and cool nights, are controlled in part by ____.

insolation from high Sun angles

The angle of the Sun in Polar and Subarctic climates is _____ during the summer, and the Sun is below the horizon during the winter. This results in little sunlight per unit area during the summer, keeping temperatures low and causing darkness all day during the winter.

low

Mid-latitudes climates in Group C that have an abundant supply of moisture and cool to warm summers with cold but not severe winters are Cfb and Cfc ____ West Coast climates.

marine

A cool, semiarid climate in the B-Group is the BSk Cold _____ climate that is found in the Great Plains of North America.

steppe

BSh Hot ____ climates are one of the hottest but not the most arid. They surround deserts and represent a transition from more humid regions.

steppe

Under the Koppen classification system, Group B climates differ with regard to the amount of precipitation they receive; ____ climates receive more than ____ climates.

steppe; desert

Comparing weather and climate, a tropical typhoon is a ____ event, whereas increasing ocean temperatures over decades is _____ change.

weather; climate

Mid-latitude Marine West Coast (Cfb and Cfc) and Humid Continental (Dfa and Dfb) climates receive their precipitation from the mid-latitude _____ (winds).

westerlies

Which processes contribute to precipitation in mid-latitude Humid Continental climates throughout the year?

Great Lakes moisture, convective thunderstorms, flow of Gulf of Mexico moisture

What groups in the Koppen climate classification system are mid-latitude climates with moderate temperature swings dominated by oceanic air masses? Most have mild winters and summers, whereas a few have more severe winters.

Groups C and D

What four elements make up the majority of air pollution gases (in compounds)?

Hydrogen Oxygen Carbon Nitrogen

Mid-latitude climates in Group D that are primarily located in the Northern Hemisphere and have year-round precipitation, warm to hot summers, and long cold to severe winters are Dfa and Dfb Humid _____ climates.

continental