natural causes of climate change Flashcards
(8 cards)
what are the cycles called in orbital changes
milankovitch cycles
what is eccentricity
-every 10,000 years the orbit changes from almost circular to mildly epillictical and back again
what is axial tilt
every 41,000 years the tilt of the earths axis moves back and forth
what is procession
-over a period of around 26,000 years the axis wobbles from one extreme to another
what are sunspots
dark patches on the suns surface which mark short-term regions of reduced surface temperature
what are sunspots usually accompanied with
explosive, high energy solar flares increasing heat output
how is volcanic ash a natural cause of climate change
-volcanic ash can block out the sun, reducing earths temperature
how does sulphur dioxide in volcanic ash decrease temperatures on earth
it is converted to droplets of sulphuric acid and reflect solar radiation back to space
