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BIOL 366 > Lecture 3- Physical Environment II > Flashcards

Lecture 3- Physical Environment II Flashcards

1
Q

What is Milankovitch cycle?

A

Changes in glacial and interglacial periods are driven by the patterns of Earths circling of the sun

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2
Q

Name the three components of Milankovitch cycle

A
  1. Eccentricity
  2. Axial tilt
  3. Precession
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3
Q

Differentiate glacial and interglacial

A

Glacial= covered by glacials
Interglacial= between glacial periods, not much glaciers

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4
Q

What is eccentricity?

A

Shape of the Earths orbit around the sun

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5
Q

How does eccentricity influence glaciers?

A

Prime importance to glaciation because it alters the distance from the Earth to the sun

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6
Q

Eccentricity leads to _______ changes

A

Seasonal

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7
Q

What are the differences between a circular path and a oval path (eccentricity)

A

Circle= more even temperature in seasons
Oval= further from sun or closer to sun for part of the year, can drive seasonal changes

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8
Q

What role does axial tilt have on solar radiation?

A

Less axial tilt results in solar radiation more evenly distributed between winter and summer (causes less seasonality)

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9
Q

Why would decreasing axial tilt promote glaciation?

A

A warmer winter means warmer air which holds more moisture and more snowfall (as long as you have more snowfall than melting then you’ll get glaciation

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10
Q

What is precession?

A

Earths slow wobble as it spins on axis

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11
Q

How can precession lead to glaciation?

A

Can change how much sunlight is experienced across planet which could lead to colder temperatures which could lead to accumulation of snowfall

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12
Q

What could trigger an ice age?

A
  • Milankovitch cycles (changes amount of sunlight)
  • Amount of summer sun in the northern continents (if not enough sun, then snow doesnt melt)
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13
Q

Milankovitch cycles explain ______ term changes in the climate

A

Long

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14
Q

Climate change is more likely impacted by _______ then Milankovitch cycles.

A

Greenhouse gases

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15
Q

Give in order of warming potential some greenhouse gases

A

CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, water vapour

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16
Q

True or false? Greenhouse gases are naturally occurring and form important parts of cycle

A

True

17
Q

Why is water vapour a greenhouse gas?

A

Because warm air can hold more moisture, stay trapped in atmosphere, reflect radiation back down

18
Q

What is warming potential?

A

Ability to absorb radiation overtime

19
Q

What happens to incoming solar radiation?

A
  • Bounces back into space
  • Absorbed in atmosphere
  • Absorbed at Earths surface
  • Trapped within atmosphere (greenhouse gases)
  • Earth can emit some solar radiation back as weaker infrared radiation
20
Q

Describe northern climates

A
  • Strong seasonal variation
  • Short, moderately warm and moist summers
  • Long, extremely cold and dry winters
  • Highly variable at same latitude
21
Q

What are the driving factors of changes in climate?

A
  • Solar radiation (because axial tilt)
  • Precipitation
22
Q

What is the solar radiation like at high altitudes?

A

Hits Earth at an angle, therefore spread over a large surface and more scatter

23
Q

Climate patterns depend on what?

A

Depend on warming energy from the sun

24
Q

Why is solar radiation the most significant driver of northern climates?

A
  • Because of axial tilt
  • Travel longer distances, loss of some intensity
  • Angle= spread out over larger area, weakens affect, not as effective as warming, diffuses a lot in atmosphere
25
Q

The amount of solar radiation that gets absorbed by the surface depends on what?

A

The surface substrate

26
Q

What absorbs the most solar radiation?

A

Green plants

27
Q

Light reflected by clouds if higher in the temperate regions due to _________

A

Dense clouds (reduced radiation)

28
Q

Where is reflection the highest?

A

At the poles

29
Q

What is albedo?

A

Amount of sunlight reflected by a surface

30
Q

White snow has a ______ albedo and dark surfaces have a ______ albedo

A
  • High
  • Low
31
Q

Describe the feedback loop with warming of the north

A

Melting of snow and ice will increase the open water and vegetation = more dark area = more absorption of solar radiation = warming

32
Q

Northern altitudes receive ______ amounts of precipitation than areas further south or on the coast

A

Lower

33
Q

______ important feature in the Arctic

A

Cloud cover

34
Q

0 to 30 ______, 30 to 60 _______, 60 to 90 _______

A
  • Hadley Cell
  • Ferrell Cell
  • Polar Cell
35
Q

Describe climate during positive NAO

A
  • Cold dry winters in northern canada
  • Warm, wet winters in northern europe
36
Q

Describe climate during negative NAO

A
  • Cold dry winters in northern europe
  • Warm, wet winters in northern canada
37
Q

Describe pressure during positive NAO

A

Stronger subtropical high pressure and deeper polar low

38
Q

Describe pressure during negative NAO

A

Weak subtropical high and weak polar low

BIOL 366 (33 decks)

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