Physical Climate Science - SLR and Australian Climate

Question 1

At the ocean surface, temperature has on average increased by _ from 1850-1900

Answer 1

0.88 C and 0.60 C of this warming having occured since 1980

Question 2

The SST is projected to increase from 1995-2014 to 2081-2100 on average by

Answer 2

0.86 C in SSP1-2.6 and 2.89 C in SSP 5-8.5

Question 3

Associated warming for low-emission scenarios will likely continue until 2030 because

Answer 3

Slow circulation of the deep ocean

Question 4

What since the 1980s has doubled in frequency and become more intense and longer?

Answer 4

Marine Heatwaves

Question 5

GMSL rose faster in the ____ with a ____ rise over the period ____ to ____

Answer 5

20th Century
0.20m
1901-2018

Accelerated since the late 60s - 2.3mm - 3.7mm

Question 6

Where has sea level rose the fastest and where has it rose the slowest?

Basin Scale

Answer 6

Fastest in the Western Pacific
Slowest in the Eastern Pacific

1993-2018

Question 7

How much will GMSL rise by 2050 for SSP1-1.9 and SSP5-85

How much will GMSL rise by 2100 for SSP1-1.9 and SSP5-85

Answer 7

0.18m and 0.23m
0.38m and 0.77m

For 0.77m, there is a range of 0.63-1.02

Question 8

List 5 causes of sea level rise

Answer 8

Ice sheet and shelves
Glaciers
Thermal Expansion
Land Water Storage
Hydrological cycle

Question 9

What is the Vertical Land Motion relative to sea level rise?

Answer 9

Change in elevation of the Earth’s surface at a place relative to sea level over time

AKA vertical land displacement or subsidence/uplift

Question 10

The two big ice sheets contributing to sea level rise are located where?

Answer 10

Greenland
Antartica

Greenland has had the greatest change in surface mass balance and sea level contribution

Question 11

Higher amounts of GMSL rise before 2100 can be caused by 3 things

Answer 11

Earlier-than-projected disintegration of marine ice shelves

Faster-than-projected changes in surface mass balance and dishcarge from Greenland

Abrupt onset of Marine Ice sheet and cliff instability around Antarctica

Question 12

Beyond 2100, GMSL will continue to rise for centuries due to

Answer 12

Continuing deep ocean heat uptake
Mass loss of Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets

Question 13

List 3 impacts of Sea Level Rise

Answer 13

Coastal Erosion
Mangrove and Saltmarsh Dieback
Human displacement

11426 km of coastline threatened and 40% of beaches may be lost in Australia

Question 14

What datasets are required to observe climatic trends?

Answer 14

Long-term datasets
Homogenous datsets
Curated datasets

CSIRO BOM employ sensors ACOR-SAT and rainfall, cloud amount and pan evaporation to track climate change

Question 15

Australia’s climate and ocean has warmed since

Answer 15

National records began in 1910

Climate warning on average 0.24 C since (1.47 anomaly)

Question 16

What year was Australia’s warmest year to date
What 8 year range was ranked among the 10 warmest years on record

Answer 16

2019

2013-2020

Question 17

How much of a decline in NSW winter rainfall since 1990s?

How much of a decline in WA winter rainfall since 1970s?

Answer 17

10%

15%

Question 18

Where in Australia has there been a shift to drier conditions?

(Below average for these regions 2000-2021)

Answer 18

South East Australia
South West Australia

Question 19

Where in Australia has it been wetter in the last 2 decades?

Answer 19

Northern Australia
Across all seasons, with high variability

Question 20

60% of ________ show a declining trend in streamflow

Answer 20

hydrologic reference stations

Increase trend in annual median flows at 50% of gauges across Northern Australia since 1975

Question 21

T/F: There has been an increase in the number of tropical cyclones since 1982

Answer 21

False
There has been a decrease

Question 22

Explain the current trend of snowfall since 1950s

Answer 22

Declining in the alpine regions is
snow depth, snow cover and number of snow days

15% by 2030 and 60% by 2070 cover lost

Question 23

SST risen by _ since 1900
What is extending further south

Answer 23

> 1C
Eastern Australian Current

Question 24

How much % has global oceans taken up of extra energy stored by the planet and what has this contributed?

Answer 24

91%
Slowing of global warming

Question 25

GMSL has risen _ since 1880 and _ since 1970

Answer 25

0.25m
1/2

Largest increases in north and southeast of Australia

Question 26

Between 1880-89 and 2010-19 the average pH of surface water

Answer 26

Decreased by 0.12
30% increase in acidity

5x faster than 1900-1960
10x faster than last 300M year
Enhanced warming in the East Australian Current of Tasman Sea

Question 27

What are some of the regional projections for Northern Australia?

Answer 27

Increase in heavy rainfall and flooding (MC)
Decrease in cyclone frequency (MC)
Increase in cyclone intensity (MC)

Question 28

What are some of the regional projections for Central Australia?

Answer 28

Greater warming than coastal regions (HC)
Increase in heavy rainfall and flooding (MC)

Question 29

What are some of the regional projections for Southern Australia?

Answer 29

Decrease in rainfall in cool season (MC) and under all scenarios (HC)
Increase in aridity (MC)
Increase in agricultural and ecological droughts (HC)

Question 30

What are some of the regional projections for Eastern Australia?

Answer 30

Decrease in rainfall in cool season (MC)
Extreme rainfall events (MC)
Increase in agricultural and ecological droughts (MC)