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Environmental Science 2000 > Global Climate Change > Flashcards

Global Climate Change Flashcards

1
Q

true or false
climate change only influences certain aspects around us

A

false - influences EVERYTHING around us

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2
Q

what does climate include (traits)

A
  • temp
  • moisture content
  • wind
  • precipitation
  • pressure
  • solar radiation
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3
Q

weather vs climate

A

weather
- specifies conditions at localized sites over hours or days

climate
- an area’s long term atmospheric conditions over seasons, years or millennia

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4
Q

what is included in global climate change

A
  • temp changes
  • precipitation changes
  • storm frequency and intensity
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5
Q

global warming vs global climate change

A

global climate change
- trends and variations in earth’s climate

global warming
- specifically refers to an increase in earth’s average surface temp

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6
Q

is global warming an aspect of global climate change OR is global climate change an aspect of global warming

A

global warming an aspect of global climate change

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7
Q

what is largely responsible for climatic changes

A

human activities
- deforestation
- fossil fuels
- combustion

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8
Q

the three factors that influence earth’s climate more than all others combined

A
  • sun
    (without earth would be dark and frozen- provides earth’s energy)
  • atmosphere
    (without earth would be almost 33 degrees Celsius colder- absorbs incoming solar radiation)
  • ocean
    (shapes the climate by storing and transporting heat and moisture)
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9
Q

what supplies most of earth’s energy

A

sun

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10
Q

albedo

A

the reflectivity of a surface

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11
Q

where do GHGs warm

A

the lower atmosphere

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12
Q

how does earth’s surface interact with solar radiation

A

earth’s surface absorbs incoming short-wave solar radiation

surface materials emit longer-wave solar radiation (infrared radiation)

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13
Q

best gases in lower atmosphere that absorb infrared radiation

A
  • water vapour
  • ozone
  • carbon dioxide
  • nitrous oxide
  • methane
  • halocarbons
  • CFS (Chlorofluorocarbons)
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14
Q

what are greenhouse gases

A

gases that selectively absorb infrared radiation released by earth’s surface and then warms the surface and troposphere by emitting INFRARED energy

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15
Q

greenhouse effect

A

Some of the re-emitted energy from the earth’s surface that is not lost to space instead travels back downward to warm the troposphere and earth’s surface

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16
Q

is greenhouse effect a natural phenomenon

A

YES

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17
Q

how is the greenhouse effect a positive process

A

our planet would have a much cooler surface temp without it = no life would be found

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18
Q

what part of the greenhouse effect is the problem

A

the human generated contributions is the problem NOT the natural process

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19
Q

how have human impacts negatively impacted the greenhouse effect process

A

Human activities have increased concentrations of greenhouse gases = enhances the greenhouse effect

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20
Q

Global warming potential

A

The relative ability of one molecule of a given greenhouse gas to contribute to warming that is measured against CO2

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21
Q

how do greenhouse gases differ from each other

A
  • concentrations
  • ability to warm the troposphere and surface
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22
Q

what GHG is of primary concern

A

CO2

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23
Q

why is CO2 the primary concern of the GHGs

A

may not be the most potent GHG on a per-molecule bases HOWEVER it is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere of any other GHGs

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24
Q

main natural source of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

A

decay of organic matter

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25
Q

what is the link between GHG is atmosphere and temperature

A

high amounts of GHG in atmosphere = higher temp

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26
Q

how does the human source of carbon unbalance the natural process of carbon fluxes

A

Natural source of carbon may be higher than human source BUT the natural fluxes cancel each other out while the human sources do NOT have fluxes cancel.

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27
Q

how do human activities impact fluxes of materials

A

accelerates the fluxes of materials from one to another reservoir

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28
Q

is human fluxes or natural fluxes of carbon into atmosphere faster

A

human fluxes are faster

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29
Q

what are the 2 main reasons for increase in atmospheric CO2 concentrations since industrial revolution

A
  1. Release of carbon from long-term reservoirs (deforestation removes CO2 from terrestrial reservoirs to atmosphere)
  2. Acceleration of the carbon flux from lithospheric reservoir to atmospheric reservoir by burning fossil fuels
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30
Q

why is ozone important for life

A

it’s function in the stratosphere as a UV filter

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31
Q

what are halocarbons

A

anthropogenic group of chemicals

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32
Q

what is part of the reason for the stratospheric ozone depletion

A

halocarbons

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33
Q

what is the most abundant naturally occurring GHG in atmosphere

A

water vapour

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34
Q

what GHG contributes the most to the natural greenhouse effect

A

water vapour

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35
Q

has the global concentration of water vapor changed over recent centuries in atmosphere

A

NO

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36
Q

how is the concentration of water in atmosphere connected to temp

A

as the tropospheric temp increases, water bodies transfer more water vapour to the atmosphere which causes further warming since the water vapour is a GHG

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37
Q

aerosols

A

Microscopic droplets and particles suspended in the air

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38
Q

what are some positive feedback loops found in the climate system

A
  • increase in the concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere, can cause more warming because water is a radiatively active gas (GHG) = causes more evaporation which further increases in water vapour in the atmosphere
  • Soot, or black carbon aerosols, can cause warming by absorbing solar energy = increased warmth of surface
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39
Q

what are some examples of negative feedback loops in climate system

A
  • increase cloudiness caused by more water vapour in atmosphere would result in slowing global warming by reflecting more solar radiation
  • soil formation is accelerated by warmer, wetter weather, and soils function as a major sink for organic matter, removing carbon from the atmospheric reservoir
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40
Q

radiative forcing

A

the amount of change in energy that a given factor causes

41
Q

positive radiative forcing examples vs negative radiative forcing examples

A

positive forcing
- carbon dioxide
- halocarbons
- methane
- ozone
- dark surface albedo

negative forcing
- ozone in stratosphere
- light surface albedo
- aerosols
- cloud albedo

42
Q

negative vs positive forcing

A

negative - cools the surface

positive - warms the surface

43
Q

what are 4 key influences on climate

A
  • changes in earth’s rotation and orbit (Milankovitch cycles)
  • Variation in solar output which drives temp changes on earth’s surface
  • ocean absorption of carbon dioxide (ocean holds 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere - acts as sink)
  • Oceanic circulation patterns (ocean water exchanges tremendous amounts of heat with atmosphere- ocean currents move energy from place to place)
44
Q

insolation

A

The amount of solar energy that reaches earth’s surface per unit of area in a given period

45
Q

what three variations alter the way solar radiation is distributed over earth’s surface

A
  • precession (wobbling of earth’s rotational axis - changes location of highest warming from sun)
  • obliquity (tilt of earth’s rotational axis)
  • eccentricity (change in shape of earth’s orbit around sun)
46
Q

Milankovitch Cycles

A

periodic changes in earth’s rotation and orbit around the sun which drive glaciation and interglaciation periods

47
Q

are radiative forcing of natural changes in solar output less or more than anthropogenic causes

A

FAR LESS

48
Q

do oceans hold more or less carbon than the atmosphere

A

50 times MORE carbon

49
Q

how does the ocean absorb carbon dioxide from atmosphere

A
  • Direct solubility of gas in water
  • Uptake by marine phytoplankton for photosynthesis
  • Incorporation into calcareous shells and skeletons by marine organisms
50
Q

how do warmer waters affect ocean’s ability to absorb CO2

A

Warmer waters = lower absorption of CO2 as gases are less soluble in warmer water

51
Q

what are some issues associated with oceans absorbing CO2

A

leads to acidification of ocean waters

52
Q

what is the importance of ocean currents

A

move energy from place to place

53
Q

ocean currents in equatorial vs near polar regions

A

equatorial
- Oceans receive more heat from sun and atmosphere than they emit

near polar
- Ocean water emits more heat from sun than it absorbs

54
Q

Thermohaline circulation

A

A worldwide current system where warmer, fresher water moves along the surface and colder, saltier water moves deep below the surface (as its denser)

55
Q

what is the importance of paleoclimate

A

Gives us a baseline against which to measure the changes that we are see happening in the climatic system on shorter timescale

56
Q

what are proxy indicators in terms of climate

A

Type of indirect evidence that serves as proxies (substitutes) for direct measurements

57
Q

what is the only way we can go further back in time climatically

A

natural world’s record keeping

(tree rings
carbon dating
sea and ice cores - trapped bubbles in ice core show what the climate was like)

58
Q

what are some global impacts of climate change

A
  • most northerly regions will experience the greatest warming
  • Climate sensitive industries will be affected (fishing, agriculture, forestry…)
59
Q

IPCC stands for what and the purpose

A

Intergovernmental panel on climate change
(The most reviewed and accepted synthesis of scientific info about climate change around the world)

60
Q

do changes in temp have greater impact over land or ocean

A

over land
- weather records being broken
- extreme weather events are more common

61
Q

does a warmer atmosphere hold more or less water vapor

A

more

62
Q

describe expected changes of precipitation in high and low altitudes

A

high altitudes
- increase at high latitudes

low altitudes
- decrease at low latitudes

63
Q

are sea surface temps increase or decreasing

A

increasing as they absorb more heat which is adding both heat energy and water vapour to atmosphere

64
Q

will warmer seas cause more storms or stronger storms

A

stronger storms and NOT more storms

65
Q

Jet streams

A

A high altitude air current that blows west to east

66
Q

what do jet streams influence

A

much of the day to day weather across NA and Eurasia

67
Q

what is the most influential jet stream across Canada and USA

A

polar jet stream

68
Q

why is the polar jet stream becoming weaker

A

because of the warming being greatest at the poles

69
Q

what happens to the polar jet stream as it slows (as it weakens)

A

the loop becomes longer which can cause a blocking pattern (can block the movement of weather systems and can hold them in place)

70
Q

glaciers

A

land-based deposits of perennially frozen ice

71
Q

what is the risk with warming temps causing mountain glaciers to melt

A
  • risk of sudden floods
  • reducing summertime water supplies
72
Q

how will warming affect permafrost

A

permafrost plays a key role in slope stability and warming increases chances of landslides

73
Q

what are some challenges Canada’s arctic is facing

A
  • sea ice is thinning
  • sea ice is decreasing in areal extent
  • storms are increasing
74
Q

why is Canada’s arctic warming

A

Snow and ice cover are melted, darker, less reflective surface are exposed which lowers earth’s albedo and causes more melting

75
Q

how do sea levels rise

A
  • glaciers and ice melt
  • ocean water is warming (liquid expands in volume as temp increases - MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO RISING SEA LEVLES)
76
Q

what are some impacts of rising sea levels

A
  • beach erosion
  • costal flooding
  • intrusions of salt water in aquifers
77
Q

how is climate warming affecting organisms

A

Organisms are adapted to their environments, so any altered environments have the chance to make their adaptions no longer favourable and change how they live

78
Q

how does climate change affect plants

A

○ Climate change may increase vegetation which would help mitigate carbon emissions (negative feedback)

○ Climate change might also decrease plant growth which would increase carbon flux to environment (positive feedback)

79
Q

how does climate change affect species interactions

A

○ Regions where Precipitation and stream flow increase = erosion and flooding will pollute and alter aquatic ecosystems

○ Region where Precipitation decreases = lakes, ponds, wetlands and streams will diminish which affects aquatic organisms

80
Q

how does climate change affect agriculture

A
  • Rainfall will shift and droughts in some areas will become more severe = affects agricultural productivity
  • Growing season in some areas will shorten which means harvests will be susceptible to drought and crop failure
81
Q

how will climate change affect forestry

A

Longer, warmer and direr fire season are affecting trees by
○ Increasing pests and disease outbreaks
○ Invasive species
○ Fires

82
Q

how is climate change affecting human health

A
  • We will face more heat waves and heat stress
  • Respiratory issues from increased air pollution
  • Expansion of tropical diseases into temperate regions as vectors move towards the poles
83
Q

how will climate change affect economics

A
  • Climate change will widen gap between rich and poor
  • Concluding that spending money to mitigate climate change now will save great deal of money in the future
84
Q

what are the two main reasons for 90% of global warming over the half-century

A
  • combustion of fossil fuels
  • land use changes (agriculture and deforestation)
85
Q

Two ways to respond to climate change

A

mitigation and adaption

86
Q

mitigation vs adaption strategies for responding to climate change

A

mitigation
- Aim is to mitigate, or alleviate, the problem
- Choose to pursue actions that reduce GHG emissions to lessen severity of future climate change
- ex. (using clean energy, recovering land fill gases, preventing deforestation)

adaption
- accept that climate change is happening and pursue strategies to minimize its impact on us
- Erecting a sea wall to combat rising sea levels and increase storm surges
- Restricting costal development
- Farming practices to account for drought

87
Q

what is a grand scale intervention strategy for climate change (example of intervention)

A
  • Geoengineering
    (Strategies aiming to increase fluxes in GHG out of the atmosphere

Strategies aiming to reduce incoming solar radiation)

88
Q

is climate change the fastest moving-area of environmental science

A

YES

89
Q

does earth’s climate vary naturally through time? and how are human activities affecting this change?

A
  • yes
  • the rapid climatic changes taking place re due to human activities
90
Q

compare the global warming potential of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide

A
  1. carbon dioxide (smallest warming potential)
  2. methane
  3. nitrous oxide (largest warming potential)
91
Q

as atmospheric CO2 increases, what happens to temperatures

A

increases

92
Q

what information to climate models use

A
  • atmospheric circulation
  • ocean circulation
  • interactions of different spheres
  • feedback mechanisms
93
Q

are there seasonal changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration

A

yes
- more carbon dioxide ABSORBED during summer (more photosynthesis)
- more carbon dioxide RELEASED during winter (less photosynthesis and more respiration)

94
Q

what is a trend

A

a pattern that persists within a data set, even after short-term fluctuations and anomalies have been accounted for

95
Q

what did the IPCC report conclude

A

average surface temps on earth have risen since 1906 with most occurring in last decades (not linear increase)

96
Q

how much has Canada’s ice shelves shrunk over past 100 years

A

90%

97
Q

what does IPCC base it climate models on

A

differing human responses to climate change

98
Q

what is the intervention response to climate change

A

set of possible large-scale technological modifications to the global climate system

99
Q

what is the concern with intervention as a response to climate change

A
  • interfering with global scale earth’s systems
  • abandon mitigation efforts

Environmental Science 2000 (10 decks)

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