1.5 Weather Hazards and Climate Flashcards
Describe the Greenhouse Effect
use a description and diagram
The Greenhouse Effect is the effect by which short wavelength radiation, emitted by the sun, passes through the atmosphere and is largely absorbed by the Earth’s crust. However, some is reflected back out of the atmosphere. If this radiation, as it reaches the atmosphere, hits any greenhouse gasses, they will absorb this and re-emit it as further long wavelength radiation which can not pass through the atmosphere. Long wavelength radiation is also known as thermal radiation as it causes heat. In this way, greenhouse gasses create a blanket that surrounds the atmosphere keeping warmth trapped inside. (See Figure 1, Page 1 of older)
What is a Greenhouse gas
A gas which re-emits short wavelength radiation as long wavelength radiation. (i.e.: carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone)
Define Enhanced Greenhouse effect
The Enhanced Greenhouse effect is just the Greenhouse Effect enhanced by human activity (i.e.: burning fossil fuels). (See Figure 1, Page 1 of folder)
Define Thermal Expansion
Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change its shape, area, and volume in response to a change in temperature.
Define Quaternary Period
The Quaternary Period is a geologic time period that encompasses the most recent 2.6 million years — including the present day.
Define Climate Change
Climate change refers to significant changes in global temperature, precipitation, wind patterns and other measures of climate that occur over several decades or longer.
Define Interglacial Period
The Interglacial period is a period of relatively warmer weather between ice ages.
Define Glacial Period
The Glacial period is a period of relatively cooler weather that causes ice ages.
Define Eccentricity
Eccentricity are the changes to the Earth’s orbit causing greater or lesser differentiation between temperatures during different seasons. At times the orbit is more circular and at others it is more elliptical. (See Figure 2, Page 1 of folder)
Define Axial Tilt
Earth’s axial tilt actually oscillates between 22.1 and 24.5 degrees. The reason for this changing obliquity angle is that Earth’s axis also wobbles around itself. This wobble motion is called axial precession. Depending on how tilted towards the sun the Earth is, there can be more or less heat in certain areas, this occurs every 41, 000 years. (See Figure 3, Page 2 of folder)
Define Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
The Inter Tropical Convergence Zone, or ITCZ, is a belt of low pressure which circles the Earth near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres come together.
Define Jet Streams
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow, meandering air currents in the atmospheres usually where climatic cells meet.
Define Ocean Circulation
Ocean circulation is the large, connected system of water movements in the oceans. It involves both surface and deep currents.
Define Solar Radiation
Solar radiation is the radiant energy emitted by the sun.
Define Trade Winds
Trade winds are a wind blowing steadily towards the equator from the north-east in the northern hemisphere or the south-east in the southern hemisphere, especially at sea. (See Figure 4, Page 2 of folder)
Define Magnitude
Magnitude is the great size or extent of something.
Define Frequency
Frequency is the rate at which something occurs over a particular period of time or in a given sample.
Define Social Impacts
An social impact is the effect of an event on people or the society.
Define Economic Impacts
An economic impact is the effect of an event on money or the economy.
Define Environmental Impacts
An environmental impact is the effect of an event on the natural world.
Define Vulnerability
Vulnerability is the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
Define Meteorological Drought
Meteorological drought is when an area has less water than usual over a sustained period of time due to changes in the weather. (i.e: changing wind patterns)
Define Hydrological Drought
Hydrological drought is when an area has less water than usual over a sustained period of time due to changes in water patterns. (i.e.: less snow melting into rivers)
Define Storm Surge
The rising of the sea due to winds/pressure associated with a storm.
Define Global Atmospheric Circulation
Global atmospheric circulation is the large-scale movement of air by which heat is distributed on the surface of the Earth. This occurs around three conventional cells: Hadley cell, the Ferrel cell, and the Polar cell. (See Figure 4, Page 2 of folder)
Define Hadley Cell
The Hadley cells are between 30°N - 60°N and 30°S - 60°S. (See Figure 4, Page 2 of folder)
Define Ferrel Cell
The Ferrel cells are between 0° - 30°N and 0° - 30°S. (See Figure 4, Page 2 of folder)
Define Polar Cell
The Polar cells are between 60°N - 90°N and 60°S - 90°S. (See Figure 4, Page 2 of folder)
Define Natural Hazard
A natural hazard is a natural phenomenon that might have a negative effect on humans or the environment.
Define Saffir-Simpson Scale
The Saffir-Simpson tropical storm wind scale is a 1 to 5 rating based on a tropical storm’s sustained wind speed. This scale estimates potential property damage. The moment a tropical storm hits 1 on the scale it becomes a hurricane. ( For wind speeds See Figure 5, Page 3)
At which point scale does a tropical storm become a hurricane?
At 74mph, a tropical storm becomes a hurricane.
Define Coriolis Effect
The Coriolis effect tends to deflect winds to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern and is important in the formation of cyclonic weather systems. This is due to the spinning of the Earth. (See Figure 4, Page 2 of folder)
Define Prevailing Wind
Prevailing wind is a wind from the direction that is predominant or most usual at a particular place or season.
Define Over Abstraction
Over abstraction is when water is taken from aquifers, groundwater levels fall. If the amount of water taken is greater than the amount of water falling as rain, it is called over-abstraction .
Define Ice Cores and Explain their uses
The ice core is the centre of a glacier, depending on the quantity of sheets that surround it, an ice core can tell us the age of ice or what the atmosphere was like at the time the core formed. This can tell us about the early atmosphere.
Define Pollen Records and Explain their uses
Pollen records are pollen analysis from small particles of pollen that become trapped in fossils or rocks. These can help us analyse what the atmosphere was like at the time.
Describe El Niño Effect
The term El Niño refers to the large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate interaction linked to a periodic warming in sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central Equatorial Pacific. This causes a change in weather patterns globally. ( See Figure 6, Page 3 of folder)
Describe La Niña Effect
La Niña is thus defined as the intense cooling of the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean, frequently experienced together with warmer than normal sea surface temperatures in the west side of the Pacific. Just like an El Niño event, La Niña is tied to increased chances of extensive changes in global weather.
Define Ocean Currents
An ocean current is any more or less permanent or continuous, directed movement of ocean water that flows in one of the Earth’s oceans.
This is caused by the Earths rotation, wind, temperature, salinity and the moon’s gravity.
Define Tree Rings
Tree Rings are circles that appear around each other in the cross section of tree trunks.
What is the name given to calculating age using Tree Rings?
Dendrochronology
“dendron” - tree
“khronos” - time
“logia” - study of
What are Historical Records?
Historical Records are any evidence written or noted by people in the past, some are more reliable than others.
Give some examples of Historical Records?
Diary Newspaper Book Tapestry Painting Drawing Notes (preferably academic)
Describe the Milankovitch cycle
The Milankovitch cycle is the changes in the Earths’ orbit and rotation. It encompasses axial, eccentricity and precession.
(See Figure 2 and 3, Page 1 and 2 of folder)
Describe Precession
Precession is a change in the orientation of the rotational axis of the Earth. (See Figure 7, Page 4)
Describe Sun Spots and Solar Variation
Sunspots are darker, cooler spots on the sun, when these shine towards the sun they cause solar variation, this means the amount of solar energy is less than usual.
Describe the Effect of Volcanoes on the Earths Climate
When Volcanoes erupt, the debris and smoke fly into the atmosphere creating a cloud in the atmosphere this stops solar radiation being able to get in and thus creates a period of cooler weather.
Describe the Effect of Cosmic Material on the Earths Climate
When cosmic material hits the Earth, it causes clouds of debris in the atmosphere this stops solar radiation being able to get in and thus creates a period of cooler weather.
What is Gulf Stream/ North Atlantic Drift?
A warm ocean current of the northern Atlantic Ocean off eastern North America.
