Climate change and its causes Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in Climate change and its causes Deck (7)
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1
Q

Climate

A

The average conditions of precipitation, temperature, pressure and wind measured over a 30-year period

2
Q

Climate change

A

Any long-term trend or shift in climate detected by a sustained shift in the average value for any climatic element (e.g. rainfall or drought)

3
Q

Thermohaline circulation

A

A global system of surface and deep-water ocean currents, driven by differences in temperature and salinity between areas of the oceans

4
Q

Little Ice Age

A

A cool period in Europe (and possibly globally) in which many Alpine glaciers advanced. It lasted from around 1400 until 1850

5
Q

Medieval Warm Period

A

A period of unusually warm North Atlantic climate lasting from around 800 to 1400

6
Q

Thermal expansion

A

The increased volume of the oceans as a result of their higher water temperature, leading to sea-level rise. It accounted for about 60% of sea-level rise in the late twentieth century

7
Q

Climate forcing

A

Any mechanism that alters the global energy balance and ‘forces’ the climate to change in response