Geology 310 Final

atmospheric warming aka greenhouse effect accounts for how much warming?

+33 degrees C

what are the reasons for cold high latitudes and warm low latitude?

- earths shape -latitude and angle reflection dispersing energy -latitude and atmospheric thickness and scatter -latitude and albedo

Perturbation

- short-lived input of energy into system e.g., volcanic eruption system reverts to original state once the energy is removed or turned off

Natural changes causing global warming

- solar variability (energy coming for the sun) - volcanism -Natural climate cycles

Human changes causing to global warming

- trace gasses (green house gasses) -urbanization (heat island effect)

Earth's effective radiating temperature assuming blackbody radiation

-18 C

what is earths temperature?

-18 C

what causes a system's state to change? two things!

-Forcing= Co2 is a forcing change and is not going to stop - Stratosphere change

how is the Earth's energy redistributed or, to use a more scientific term, circulated??

-atmosphere -ocean

internal interactions "climate system"

-atmosphere -vegetation -land surface -ocean -ice

external forcing "causes" in climate change

-change in plate tectonics -changes in earth's orbit -changes in sun's strength

Why are the poles colder than the equator?

-radiation spread over a large area in the pole -direct radiation focused on equator

what is the Greenhouse Effect?

-short wave radiation -absorbtion -changed to long wave radiation -greenhouse gasses absorbs and bounces back heat

What determines the Earth's temperature?

-solar radiation (sun) -atmospheric warming -albedo

what drives atmospheric circulation?

-temperature differences which create pressure differences

To address these contentious issues of environmental crises, we will use a 3 prong attack! what are they?

1. Scientific discussion 2. Develop a Paleo Perspective 3. Use an earth systems approach

so what is the Earth's average temperature with the GHE?

15 degrees C

Wein's law earth temp ?

288 degrees K

trace gasses number for present

408 ppm

Wein's law sun temp ?

5780 degrees K

what are the parts of a system called?

C_o_m_po_n_en_e_ts!

The main influence of volcanoes on climate is to: a. Cool the planet for a few years by sending sunlight-reflecting particles into the stratosphere b. Warm the planet by ejecting hot lava into the atmosphere

Cool the planet for a few years by sending sunlight-reflecting particles into the stratosphere

What do we call the process that regulates Earth's temperature?

Earths energy budget

Less solar energy is available per unit area at the equator than at the poles.

False, they receive the same amount of energy, the angle of energy is more disperse over the poles

how do greenhouse gasses heat up the atmosphere

GHG absorb long wave radiation and heat up the atmosphere

Earth system Model:

GMAT (atmosphere) - Sea Ice (cryosphere - Albedo ()-reflectivity

Major constiuents of Earth's atmosphre

Nitroge N2 Oxygen O2 Argon, Ar Water Vapor H2O Carbon Dioxide, CO2

between Jan. 31 and March 7, 2002 3,275 km2 of the Larsen B ice shelf disintegrated! • about the size of________________

Rhode Island -first time in over 10,000 years

equilibrium states

States that are not in transition states

why do we experience seasons?

The earth is tilted -resulting in more energy at certain times than others

what state is our earth in?

Unstable equilibrium state

important green house gasses

Water Vapor, H2O Carbon Dioxide, CO2 Methane, CH4 Nitrous Oxide, N20 Ozone, O3 Freon-11, CCI3F Freon-12, CCI2F2

green house gas

a gas that effectively absorbs and emits Infared Light - the ability to absorb and emit depends on natural molecular frequency of the gas and its ability to interact with the natural frequency of electromagnetic radiation (specifically IR infared)

What factors were the long-term influences on Earth's climate before the industrial era? a. Changes in the Earth's orbit b. The gravitational effect of the moon c. Animal farts d. Changes in atmospheric gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and argon

a. Changes in the Earth's orbit

Increased water vapor in the atmosphere due to warming results in: a. Increased warming due to its properties as a greenhouse gas b. More frequent and more severe tornadoes c. Stronger El Niño patterns d. Less rain and snowfall in temperate regions

a. Increased warming due to its properties as a greenhouse gas

Climate models are used to: a. Simulate past climate changes b. Define which policies the U.S. should implement c. Estimate the amount of future cooling for various water vapor projections d. Determine which factors are responsible for 20th century cooling

a. Simulate past climate changes

Based on 2007 data, which country produced the most carbon dioxide emissions per capita? a. U.S. b. China c. Saudi Arabia d. Germany e. India

a. U.S.

All regions characterized by high albedo are a. cool b. warm c. it depends on a variety of other factors.

a. cool

7. Sea breezes in Southern California occur during the a. day b. night c. it depends on the season

a. day

The coasts support important, productive ecosystems that are sensitive to sea level and other change. Rising sea levels cause which of the following disturbances to natural systems? a. erosion of soft morphology b. improved drainage c. lower water tables d. wetland improvement e. freshwater intrusion

a. erosion of soft morphology

Because the Earth is a sphere, the same amount of solar energy is spread over a _____ area near the pole than near the equator. a. larger b. smaller c. it depends on the season

a. larger

Which of the following processes were responsible for the majority of 20th century sea level rise? a. thermal expansion b. glacial rebound c. modifications in terrestrial water storage d. subsidence of coastal land

a. thermal expansion

"Relative sea level" is the height of the ocean relative to the land elevation at a particular location. a. true b. false

a. true

About 90% of the warming the Earth has experienced has been absorbed by the oceans, causing thermal expansion. a. true b. false

a. true

Climate feedbacks can either amplify warming or reduce it. a. true b. false

a. true

Greenhouse gases contribute more to climate change when they have more sources of emissions and last longer in the atmosphere. a. true b. false

a. true

Ice cores can provide information about past volcanic eruptions and atmospheric carbon dioxide content. a. true b. false

a. true

New research suggests that the IPCC sea level predictions may be too low, and that sea level rise could be closer to 3 ft (1 m). a. true b. false

a. true

Ocean currents also influence a coast's sea level by pushing water toward the land or pulling it away a. true b. false

a. true

Solar activity has stayed about the same in the last 30 years. a. true b. false

a. true

True or False? Impacts of rising sea levels will be felt most acutely through changes in the intensity and frequency of extreme events from the combined effects of high spring tides, storm surges, surface waves, and flooding rivers. a. true b. false

a. true

n the 2007 IPCC Summary for Policymakers report, the statement that regional changes will include a "very likely increase in frequency of hot extremes, heat waves and heavy precipitation" means that these events have a 90% probability of occurring. a. true b. false

a. true

what is global warming?

adding more greenhouse gasses

pressure gradient force

air moves from high to low pressure due to this force

what determines earths temp?

albedo, solar radition, atmospheric warming

what is a system?

an entity composed of diverse but interrelated parts that function as a complex whole

what drives oceanic circulation?

atmospheric circulation but the ocean has constraints by basins

Carbon dioxide concentrations today are approximately how much higher than the concentrations in the early 1900's? a. 50 parts per million b. 100 parts per million c. 300 parts per million d. 1000 parts per million

b. 100 parts per million

During the winter, the semi-permanent Pacific High pressure system is replaced by the ________, thus allowing winter storms to reach Southern California. a. Bermuda High b. Aleutian Low c. China High d. Chilean Low

b. Aleutian Low

Future global warming is expected to cause: a. More deaths during the cold season b. Changes in locations where particular crops can grow c. Decreased air pollution episodes d. Improve water supplies in places that rely on snowpack e. Less frequent wildfires

b. Changes in locations where particular crops can grow

Melting snow and ice in the Northern Hemisphere has resulted in: a. Increases in the depth of permafrost layers b. Decreases in the size of many glaciers c. Increases in penguin populations d. A measurable drop in sea level

b. Decreases in the size of many glaciers

When greenhouse gas emissions are left out of climate models, leaving only natural factors (solar variability and volcanic emissions), how do the modeled temperature trends compare to observations in the last 30 years of the 20th century? a. Modeled temperatures with only natural variability are warmer than observed temperatures b. Modeled temperatures with only natural variability are cooler than observed temperatures c. Modeled temperatures with only natural variability are about the same as observed temperatures d. Modeled temperatures with only natural variability are warmer than observed temperatures from 1960-1980 and cooler than observations after that

b. Modeled temperatures with only natural variability are cooler than observed temperatures

In the 20th century a. Carbon dioxide emissions have begun to decline due to restrictions in the Kyoto Protocol b. The earth has warmed 10 times faster than it did coming out of the last Ice Age c. Temperatures in the top 1,000 feet of the ocean decreased by about a half degree (Fahrenheit) d. Temperatures have been higher than any time in the last 800,000 years

b. The earth has warmed 10 times faster than it did coming out of the last Ice Age

Eastern boundary ocean currents such as the California Current move ______ water to ______ latitudes. a. cold, high b. cold, low c. warm, high d. warm, cold

b. cold, low

Greenhouse gases raise the Earth's temperature by absorbing incoming solar radiation. a. true b. false

b. false

If we keep carbon dioxide emissions at 2008 levels for the next 50 years, carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere will stabilize at about 380 parts per million. a. true b. false

b. false

In the Arctic, the rate of warming is slower than elsewhere on Earth. a. true b. false

b. false

Identify the general approaches that are recommended by the IPCC for adapting to sea level rise. a. abandoment b. planned retreat c. pumping stations d. drink saltwater

b. planned retreat

El Nino is an example of a. mesoscale climate drivers b. synoptic scale climate drivers c. global scale climate drivers d. air mass climate drivers

b. synoptic scale climate drivers

The Mojave Desert is dry because of a. heat b. the orographic effect c. Chinook Winds d. ocean currents

b. the orographic effect

An air mass with the abbreviation mT is best described as a. warm and dry b. warm and humid c. cool and dry d. cool and humid

b. warm and humid

why are all these crises (especially GW) so contentious??

because they involve the global economy = money -impact our core beliefs/ world view

More than _____ million people around the globe are already vulnerable to coastal flooding. a. 100 million b. 150 million c. 200 million d. 300 million e. 500 million

c. 200 million

What climate zone characterizes South Carolina? a. Tropical wet/dry b. Dry winter c. Humid subtropical d. Humid continental e. Highland

c. Humid subtropical

What famous local downslope wind occurs in Southern California? a. Zonda Winds b. Chinook Winds c. Santa Ana Winds d. Carlos Santana Winds e. both a and d

c. Santa Ana Winds

In the United States, which gas comprises 80% of all greenhouse emissions (by weight)? a. chlorofluorocarnons (CFCs) b. methane c. carbon dioxide d. nitrous oxide e. sulfur hexafluoride

c. carbon dioxide

Los Angeles is very near 30 degrees north latitude. This means we sit under the _______________. a. sub polar low b. inter tropical convergence zone c. sub tropical high d. polar front jet stream

c. sub tropical high

________ is the state of the atmosphere at a given place or time. a. climate b. convection c. weather d. whether

c. weather

internal responses "climate variations"

changes in atmosphere changes in ice changes in vegetation changes in ocean changes in land surface

The climate system is

complex with complex interaction

The Great Dust Bowl caused _______ people to leave the impacted area. a. 100,000 b. 200,000 c. 300,000 d. 400,000

d. 400,000

According to Princeton researchers, carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced in the next 50 years to stabilize temperatures if we do the following: a. Double car fuel efficiency b. Implement carbon capture and storage at large coal plants c. Triple nuclear energy production d. Implement a, b, and c

d. Implement a, b, and c

The atmosphere and the ocean work to achieve thermal and density equilibrium initially created by differential heating by the ______. a. Earth magnetic field b. cosmic radiation c. Earth's core and mantle convection d. Sun

d. Sun

The boundary between air masses is referred to as a(n) a. air mass border b. transition c. monsoon d. front e. jet stream

d. front

The atmosphere is thinner at the equator than at the poles.

false; thicker and warmer

what is the atmosphere made of?

gasses dust and aerosols

So, What is the Greenhouse Effect? What is the result of adding or removing GHG's?

green house effect is natural but we are adding more gasses to the atmosphere that are not natural.

what are trace gasses

human's green house gas emission

is -18 degrees C a hospitable life?

no, it would be an ice block

re-distribution of energy prevents_____________

poles getting colder equator getting warmer

Earths energy budget

re-distribution of energy

The poles are cooler than at the equator because they are farther away from the sun.

relative distance does not matter relative to the sun

What drives Earth's climate?

solar energy (sun) global

What is blackbody radiation?

something that emits (or absorbs) electro magnetic radiation with 100% efficiency

what drives the Earths climate?

sun

Forcing-

sustained input of energy into system e.g.,CO2 -system pervasively charges

What is the Planck Function? and how does it relate to the EMR?

the distribution of wavelengths emitted by something is dependent on the body's absolute temperature

What is Wein's Law and how does it relate to the EMR?

the flux of radiation emitted by a blackbody reaches its peak value at wavelength max (inversely) related to body's absolute temperature...) • this relationship explains why sun peaks in visible light and Earth peaks in IR... max. wavelength = 2898/T

pressure differences create a force called...

the pressure gradient force

What drives the Earth's climate system?

the sun

what part of emr spectrum do humans see in?

visible light spectrum is 0.4 - 0.7