GEOG Ch 8
What four greenhouse gases have a significant effect on Earth's atmosphere?
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) - Methane (CH4) - CFCs - Nitrous Oxides (N2O)
What is precipitation typically like in tropical wet (Af) climates?
no dry season; 150-250 cm (60-100 in.) annually; many thunderstorms
Milankovitch Cycles: obliquity
the inclination of Earth's axis; every 41,000 years, the tilt of Earth's axis changes from 24.5 degrees to 22 degrees
dendrochronology
the study of past climate through tree ring nalysis
Generalized meaning of Koppen letter code: What major climate group does the first letter B represent?
dry - deserts and steppes
Milankovitch Cycles: eccentricity
every 100,000 years, the shape of Earth's orbit changes
Where is the record for the greatest temperature range in one day?
I-n-Salah, Algeria - BWh climate - range of 100 degree Fahrenheit
Why are there dry climates in STH zones?
because high-pressure zones are anti-cyclonic, which means that he air is sinking and therefore dry
oxygen isotope analysis
- Lighter versus heavier isotopes - High 18O/ 16O ratio, glaciation - Low 18O/16O ration, interglacial (warmer)
Where are dry climates (group B) located in the world?
- Northern Hemisphere: Sonora-Colorado, Sahara, Arabian - Southern Hemisphere: Peru-Atacama, Kalahari-Namib, Australia
empirical classification
- approach to climatic classification - based on average monthly temperature and precipitation data - Koppen climate classification system
genetic classification
- approach to climatic classification - based on causative factors - Ex: interaction of air masses along the coast
tierra caliente
- bottom tier of vertical zonation in the tropics - "hot land," a zone of high temperatures, dense vegetation, and tropical agriculture - sea level to about 2000 ft elevation
What are characteristics of tropical savanna (Aw) climates?
- clear-cut seasonal alternation of wet and dry periods - lower precipitation than other A climates
what are characteristics fo highland climate (group h)?
- complex local variation in small areas - there is a vertical climate zonation
What are the principal causal elements of tropical (A) climate?
- consistent day length and insolation input produce consistently warm temperatures (winterless) - ITCZ brings rains as it shifts seasonally
what are characteristics of polar climates (group e)?
- extraordinarily dry - coldest temperature, evaporation is nil - extreme ranges of insolation (0 to 24 hrs) - high albedo, thus reducing net radiation
How does carbon dioxide contribute to global climate change?
- it blocks outgoing longwave radiation - CO2 and ice sheets - increasing trend (~380 ppm as of 2007)
What are some ways that changes in the ocean and landmasses can affect global climate change?
- land masses can shift (e. g. Continent over the poles) - new land blocking oceanic or atmospheric circulation
What are characteristics of mild mid-latitude climates (group c)?
- long summers, short winter - no year-round moisture deficiency - the California climate (mediterranean) belongs to this group
what are characteristics of tundra (plants adapted to polar climate, aka group e)?
- mixture of grasses, herbs, sedges, mosses, lichens, and small shrubs - very short growing season - dominated by subfreezing temp. and thin snow cover - top 36-60 cm of ground thaws during short summer period
Where are severe midlatitude climates (group d) located?
- only in the Northern Hemisphere! - within 35 to 70 degrees of latitude
tierra fria
- penultimate tier of vertical zonation in the tropics - "cold land," characterized by warm days and cold nights; its agriculture is limited to hardy crops - 5000 ft to about 12000 ft elevation
pollen analysis
- radiocarbon dating (14C/12C ratio)
coral reefs
- ratio of 18O/16O in coral reefs - height of old reefs help to determine past fluctuations in sea-level
tierra templada
- second tier of vertical zonation in the tropics - "temperate land," intermediate zone of slopes and plateaus and moderate temperatures - around 2000 ft to 5000 ft elevation
Koppen Classification System
- the most widely used climatic classification system - based on regional temperature and precipitation - advantages: easy to measure ; measured most often - disadvantages: ignored winds, clouds, intensity of precipitation
Milankovitch Cycles: precession
- the orientation of Earth's axis - the Earth's axis wobbles like a spinning top - every 21,000 years, affecting distance to the sun
What are some characteristics of severe midlatitude climates (group d)?
- they have a large annual temperature range, due to continentality - they have cold winters and relatively short summers
what are characteristics of xerophytes?
- they have long roots - lie dormant for ling periods - drought resistant - they are few and far between in very dry locations
tierra helada
- top tier of vertical zonation in the tropics - "frozen land," has cold weather throughout the year - about 12000 ft to 15000 ft elevation
What are characteristics of tropical monsoon (Am) climates?
- very high rainfall totals in summer - brief (1-4 months), dried period in winter
How much does the global temperature increase every decade?
0.13 degrees Celsius
what are the orbital variations (Milankovitch Cycles)?
1) eccentricity 2) obliquity 3) precession
what are 5 types of paleoclimatology?
1. dendrochronology 2. oxygen isotope analysis 3. coral reefs 4. pollen analysis 5. ice core analysis
What are four causes of climate change?
1. orbital variations 2. changes in Earth's atmosphere 3. changes in the ocean and landmasses 4. impact events
____ of the 12 warmest years on record occurred between 1995 and 2006
11
How much of the world is covered by dry climates (group B)?
30%
How deep does the warming of the ocean go?
9800 ft
What are two important phenomena that cause changes in Earth's atmosphere, contributing to global climate change??
A. volcanic activity 2. greenhouse gases
What is the Koppen Climate Classification System letter for tropical wet climates?
Af
Where are tropical savanna (Aw) climates mainly located?
Africa South America, South Asia, northern Southeast Asia, Northern Australia
What is the Koppen Climate Classification System letter for tropical monsoon climates?
Am
Where is the record for the least annual average precipitation?
Arica, Chile - BWh climate
Where is the record for the longest rainless spell?
Arica, Chile - BWh climate - 14 years, 4 months
What is the Koppen Climate Classification System letter for tropical savanna climates?
Aw
Where is the record for the highest recorded wind speed?
Barrow Island, Australia - BWh climate - 220 knots (253 mph)
Where are tropical (A) climates located?
between Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
Where is the record for the greatest one-year precipitation?
Cherrapunji, India - Am climate - 1042 in
Where is the record for the greatest one-month precipitation?
Cherrapunji, India - Am climate - 366
Where is the record for the highest average daily maximum temperature?
Dalol, Ehtiopia - BWh climate - 106 degrees Fahrenheit
Where is the record for the highest annual average temperature?
Dalol, Ethiopia - BWh climate - 94 degrees Fahrenheit
Where is the record for the highest temperature?
Death Valley, CA - BWh climate - 134 degrees Fahrenheit
what is EPICA
European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica
Where is the record for the highest one-day rainfall?
Foc-Foc, Reunion - Af climate - 72 inches
how much does sea ice in the arctic decrease every decade?
by 7.4%
What star does Earth's axis point toward?
Polaris
Where is the record for the largest 2-minute temperature change?
Spearfish, South Dakota - Dfa climate - 49 degrees Fahrenheit
Where is the record for the greatest 1-minute rainful?
Unionville, MD - Cfa climate - 1.23 in
What star will Earth's axis point to in the future, approx. 25,000 years?
Vega
Where is the record for the lowest temperature?
Vostok - EF climate - -129 degrees Fahrenheit
Where is the record for the highest annual average precipitation?
Wai'ale'ale, Kaua'i Hawai'i - Af climate - 460 in
Where is the record for the greatest average annual temperature range?
Yakutsk, Russia - Dfd climate - 112 degrees Fahrenheit
How long do dry conditions prevail in dry climates (group B)?
all year
ATR
annual temperature range
dtr
daily temperature range
What is precipitation typically like in tropical savanna (Aw) climates?
distinct summer wet and winter dry seasons; 90-180 cm (35-70 in.) annually
What do wider tree rings indicate?
favorable growing conditions
Where are tropical savanna (Aw) climates located?
fringing Af between 25 degrees N and S
What climate group does Austin belong to?
group c (mild mid-latitudes)
what do narrow tree rings indicate?
harsher growing conditions
Generalized meaning of Koppen letter code: What major climate group does the first letter H represent?
highland - altitude is dominant control
What is an impact event?
huge asteroids and comets striking Earth's surface
what are disadvantages of the Koppen classification system?
ignored winds, clouds, intensity of precipitation
How much has the amount of carbon dioxide increased since the industrial revolution, compared to the last 800,000 years?
in 800,000 years, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has fluctuated but never surpassed 300 ppm. then, in 1950, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere broke that record. Today, there are around 420 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
How does global climate change affect sea level?
it causes the sea to rise
What are advantages of the Koppen classification system?
it's easy to measure and measured most often
Generalized meaning of Koppen letter code: What major climate group does the first letter C represent?
mild midlatitude - mild winter
What does each ring on a tree represent?
one growing season
Milankovitch Cycles
orbital variations; a variation in Earth-Sun relations
xerophytes
plants adapted to dry climates (group B)
Generalized meaning of Koppen letter code: What major climate group does the first letter E represent?
polar - high-latitude cold climates
Where are polar climates (group e) located?
poleward of 70 degrees of latitude
Generalized meaning of Koppen letter code: What major climate group does the first letter D represent?
severe midlatitude - severe, cold winters
What are typical temperatures of tropical monsoon (Am) climates?
similar to Af wih slightly larger ATR; hottest weather just before summer monsoon
paleoclimatology
study of past climates
Compared to the rest of the world, how quickly are temperatures increasing in the Arctic?
temperatures in the Arctic are increasing at twice the global rate
According to ice core analysis done on a sample from Antarctica, what is the relationship between Antarctic temperature and ppm of carbon dioxide?
they are directly correlated, rising and falling together consistently for the last 800,000 years
Generalized meaning of Koppen letter code: What major climate group does the first letter A represent?
tropical humid - low latitudes; warm and wet
what are plants that adapted to polar climates (group e) called?
tundra
What are the subtypes of polar climates?
tundra and ice cap
What is precipitation typically like in tropical monsoon (Am) climates?
very heavy in summer; short winter dry season; 250-500 cm (100-200 in) annually
What are typical temperatures of tropical wet (Af) climates?
warm all year; very small ATR; small DTR; high sensible temperature
What are typical temperatures of tropical savanna (Aw) climates?
warm to hot all year; moderate ATR and DTR
Where are tropical monsoon (Am) climates mainly located?
west-facing coasts of India, southeastern Asia
Where are tropical monsoon (Am) climates located?
windward tropical coasts of Asia, Central and South American, and west Africa
How is temperature represented in a climograph?
with a red line
how is monthly precipitation represented in a climograph?
with blue bars
Where are tropical wet (Af) climates located?
within 5-10 degrees of the equator; farther poleward on eastern coasts
How much of Earth's surface is covered with tropical (A) climate?
~36%
