Geol 104 - HW11 Climate Change
What two trends are commonly seen in modern monthly CO2 concentration charts?
1) an up-and-down seasonal trend, and 2) overall increasing CO2 levels through time
Of the 50% of incoming solar radiation that is not absorbed by Earth's surface, how much is lost to space by reflection and scattering?
30%
The Vostok ice core curve shows CO2 concentrations over the last __________.
400,000 years
What has analysis of ice cores revealed about atmospheric greenhouse gas levels during the historic period?
A sudden rise in greenhouse gas levels coincides with the start of the Industrial Revolution.
What would happen to Earth's atmospheric temperature if the amount of incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun decreased and was less than the longwave radiation lost to space?
Atmospheric temperature would decrease.
What would happen to Earth's atmospheric temperature if the amount of shortwave radiation reflected at Earth's surface increased significantly?
Atmospheric temperature would decrease.
What is the primary cause of the nearly 20 percent increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels since the 1960s?
Burning of fossil fuels
How has climate change over the last 50 years been different than in the geologic past?
Climate change is now happening at a much faster rate than at any time in the recent geologic past.
What evidence is there that the O'Higgins Glacier is being affected by global warming?
It has retreated nine miles in the past 100 years because of melting.
What is the source of longwave infrared radiation?
Longwave infrared radiation is emitted from Earth's surface.
What happens to most of the incoming solar energy on Earth?
Most incoming solar energy is absorbed by Earth's land and water surfaces.
How do the oceans contribute to maintaining a climate that is habitable for humans?
Oceans absorb large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
How is current climate change different in the Arctic than in the lower latitudes?
Temperatures are rising faster in the Arctic.
Determine which line on the graph represents Urbana and which represents San Francisco and label each for the correct city. Indicate how you figured this out by answering the question below.
The ocean near San Francisco limits its temperature variations Graph : Urbana (top) San Francisco (bottom)
How will increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels affect oceans?
The oceans will become more acidic.
Which of the following is true when comparing the Amundsen-Scott South Pole station and Barrow, Alaska CO2 concentration curves?
They show opposite seasonal curves.
Why are scientists doing research in an underwater lab in the Great Barrier Reef?
To replicate future carbon dioxide levels and measure the changes in coral reef productivity, mortality and health
In the climate system diagram, modeling results show that observed changes in temperature closely align with __________.
a combination of both natural and human effects
What is the term for the total radiation that is reflected by a surface?
albedo
Which of the following absorbs most incoming solar radiation?
forest
Light-colored surfaces __________ than dark-colored surfaces.
have a higher albedo
What is one consequence of the increased melting of the permafrost?
increase in the release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere
Review the electromagnetic spectrum diagram included and label it accordingly.
mostly transparent mostly transparent mostly opaque left: visible light end of the spectrum with less energetic photons right:visible light end of spectrum with more energetic photons left:windows for radio waves right: window for visible and infrared waves
CO2 levels drop during spring and summer months because __________.
photosynthetic organisms are absorbing CO2
Order the following atmospheric layers from closest to the Earth's surface to furthest away.
space to Earth's surface: Thermosphere Mesosphere Stratosphere Troposphere
How is energy transferred from Earth's surface to Earth's atmosphere?
through the greenhouse effect through conduction through latent heat in water vapor through convection
How much of the Sun's incoming radiation is scattered or reflected back to space before any heating effect is felt on Earth?
31%
How much of the Sun's incoming radiation is absorbed by Earth's surface?
45%
What would happen to Earth's atmospheric temperature if the amount of outgoing longwave radiation decreased so that it was less than incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun?
Atmospheric temperature would increase.
What would happen to Earth's atmospheric temperature if the amount of shortwave radiation reflected by clouds decreased significantly?
Atmospheric temperature would increase.
What would happen to Earth's atmospheric temperature if the amount of incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun was the same as the longwave radiation lost to space?
Atmospheric temperature would remain the same.
How might global warming affect cities that rely on glacial runoff for their water supply?
Cities may face long-term water shortages as the amount of water generated by glacial melt will decline as glaciers shrink.
When the sea ice melts, less heat energy is reflected away by ice and the temperature increases, causing more ice to melt. This is an example of a/an ___________.
Feedback loop
The weather on four different summer days is described below. On which day would you expect the greatest temperature range? Which day would have the smallest range in temperature?
Greatest Temperature Range: -Clear skies during day and clear skies at night Intermediate Temperature Range: -Clear skies during day and cloudy skies at night -Cloudy skies during day and clear skies at night Small Temperature Range: -Cloudy during day and cloudy skies at night
Match the time intervals with the trends in CFC emission during that time and what happened to the overall size of the ozone layer as a result.
Humans released CFCs into the atmosphere and the hole in the ozone layer increased in size: (1985-1995) Humans reduced their CFC emissions and the hole in the ozone layer stayed the same in size: (1995-2005) & (2005-present)
Now consider how atmospheric absorption would be different if the electromagnetic spectrum absorption capability were flipped in such a way that the areas of the chart that are now transparent were made opaque and the areas of the chart that are now opaque were made transparent. Indicate which of the following statements would be true for this scenario.
Humans would be subject to more x-ray radiation from space because our atmosphere would not block it. Increased exposure to UV radiation.
The image below shows that about 30 percent of the Sun's energy is reflected and scattered back into space. How would a 50 percent increase in Earth's albedo impact average surface temperatures?
Ice sheets would advance, thereby increasing Earth's overall albedo and further cooling Earth's surface. Higher albedo would result in cooler temperatures on Earth.
What is causing a decline in Antarctica's Chinstrap penguins?
Populations of the penguin's major food source are declining because of melting sea ice.
What impact will increased carbon dioxide absorption by the oceans have on coral reefs?
Reefs will degrade over time, ultimately resulting in large-scale mortality.
What impact would rising sea levels have on human migration?
Rising sea levels would cause enormous migration as people move inland away from affected areas.
On the following diagram, identify the correct locations of the following words and phrases:
SOLAR RADIATION passed through the atmosphere Most radiation is ABSORBED by Earth's surface resulting in WARMING of the lower atmosphere. Some solar radiation is REFLECTED by Earth and its atmosphere. Long wave infrared radiation is RERADIATED from Earth's surface. Some infrared radiation passes directly through the atmosphere and out to space while other infrared radiation is absorbed by GREENHOUSE GASES. The effect of this is to warm the Earth's surface and the lower atmosphere. INFRARED RADIATION
Which of the following is a major result of climate change in Alaska?
Shrinking of the summer icepack
In which atmospheric layer is maximum concentration of ozone located?
Stratosphere
Based on your careful review of the diagram below showing the relationship between solar energy and the greenhouse effect, which three of the following statements are probably true?
The greenhouse effect is at least partly a natural process. Solar energy fuels the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect makes Earth warm enough to support life as we know it.
In which of the following layers of the atmosphere does temperature increase with increasing height?
Thermosphere Stratosphere
Only some shortwave radiation from the Sun reaches Earth's surface. What is the leading cause of this radiation loss?
reflection by clouds
More solar radiation is absorbed by Earth's surface than by __________.
the atmosphere