The Carbon Cycle and Climate Change

These flashcards cover fundamental terms and concepts related to the carbon cycle, climate change, and atmospheric dynamics discussed in the lecture.

Active Earth carbon system turnover

Refers to how quickly carbon is exchanged between different Earth reservoirs such as the atmosphere, ocean, and land biosphere, with turnover times ranging from years to centuries.

Residence time

The average time that carbon remains in a particular reservoir, varying significantly between the active carbon cycle (a few years) and geological time (millions of years).

Weathering of rocks

The process by which rocks break down, pulling CO2 out of the atmosphere and contributing to the carbon cycle by transferring products into oceans.

Long-term inorganic carbon cycle

The geological process which involves the weathering of rocks, the burial of sediments, and the subduction of these sediments to release CO2 back into the atmosphere through volcanic activity.

Fossil fuels

Natural resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas formed from ancient organic matter and have long residence times in the carbon cycle.

Anthropogenic CO2 emissions

Carbon dioxide emissions resulting from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, leading to an increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Geological exchange

The slow exchange of carbon between the deep Earth and surface environments that occurs over millions of years.

Total CO2 emissions

The cumulative release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from all sources, including fossil fuel combustion and land use changes.

Radiative forcing (RF)

The change in energy balance of the Earth due to alterations in the Earth's energy input-output, often related to greenhouse gas concentrations.

Aerosols

Small atmospheric particles that influence radiative forcing by reflecting sunlight and affecting cloud properties.

Greenhouse gases (GHGs)

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, including CO2 and methane, contributing to global warming.

Thermal inertia

The ability of the Earth system, especially the oceans, to resist changes in temperature, leading to delays in warming.

El Niño and La Niña events

Climate phenomena that alter global weather patterns and can cause variability in atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

Dissolution of CaCO3

The process by which calcium carbonate reacts with CO2 and water, affecting marine carbon cycles by releasing bicarbonate.

Plate tectonics

The movement of Earth's plates that affects the long-term carbon cycle by subducting sediments and influencing weathering.

Oxygen (O2) uptake in oceans

The process by which oceans absorb and help regulate levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Keeling Curve

A graph that plots the ongoing change in concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere since the 1950s.

Surface ocean

The upper layer of the ocean where carbon exchanges occur more rapidly compared to deeper ocean layers.

Greenhouse gas emissions from land use change

Carbon dioxide released as a result of deforestation and other changes in land use.

Natural carbon fluxes

The natural processes that result in carbon being added and removed from the atmosphere in a balanced manner over extended periods.