Week 1 Flashcards
(26 cards)
How has the air T in the alps changed over the last 50 years? comment on glacial ramificatoins
- Air temperature has increased by double the global mean,
- this could be detremental to the glacials ( melting them)
The rising of artic weather could cause?
-At the rate which the artic sea ice is melting (12%) per decade, the artic could be ice free by 2030.
Weather vs. Climate
- Weather can change minute to minute (constantly varying)
- climate is the average weather overtime
Time Scale Vs. Resolution
- Time scale refers to the period of time being studied
- Resolution refers to how many years we can tell from the data (tree rings=annual)
Who studies Climate sciences
All walks of life
What is a forcing, name 4 examples.
A forcing is something that puts stress on a system, and requires change or a reaction to occur,
- Anthropogenic (last 10000 years)
- Tectonic (Myrs)
- Orbital changes (10-100kyrs)
- Changes in the sun
How does Response time relate to forcings?
Response time is the time it takes to react fully to a forcing
How do different parts of the earth system react to forcings
Highly variable , I.e. Atmosphere reacts the quickest ( dust from volcano) Ice sheets react the slowest ( melting from global warming)
What is IPCC, what do they do?
Intergovernmental panel on climate Change
-authoritative and comprehensive source of info on climate change, connects scientists
Positive Vs negative feed back
Positive - Enhances original condition (albedo)
Negative - Dampens original condition
(chemical weathering)
Mean global temperature
+15
Three main contributors to the Green house effect?
Water, CO2, Methane
Are Greenhouse gases the same as air pollution?
No, CO2, methane, and water are all naturally occuring gases, other pollutants are (CO, orgocarbons, sulfates, etc.)
What is the most important greenhouse gas?
Water (50% contribution)
Humans are responsible for water emmisions
Not true, heat is responsible for evaporation for the most part
Water vapour control the earth’s climate?
No, water vapour is controlled by the earths climate.
Conclusion about H2O as a greenhouse gas.
It is important, but remains a consequence of globals warming, not the cause.
DGWP is
Direct global warming potential ( power of a compound to be a green house gas relative to carbon dioxide)
Lapse Rate is
The rate of cooling with elevation (6.5 C/km)
Movement around High pressue cells in NH vs SH
Clockwise - NH
Counterclockwise - SH
What is a Hadley cell
A giant tropical circulation , occurs between 30 N and 30S, helps push energy from low to high ALtitude, as well as low to high LAtitudes
ITCZ is
Inter- Tropical convergence zone
ITCZ moves because?
Of the earth tilt and its relative position to the sun.
How does the Earthsystem transfer energy from sea to land? comment on winter vs summer
monsoons,
summer monsoons- strong land surface heating, causing incoming moisture from the ocean to rise (rainfall)
Winter monsoons- land cools faster, ocean provides heat and transfers it over land in the form rainfall.
