book chapters *global climate change*

What was Antarctica like in the past?

Antarctica used to be warm.

What happens if Antarctica melts?

The effects would be disastrous, but only West Antarctica is likely to melt.

What controls how hot the Earth is?

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

Who wrote about the uplift of plateau areas changing the climate?

Bill Rudiman.

What did Maureen Raymo say about CO2?

It was deposited in other places, having a small impact.

How did Greenland get ice?

From the bottom up.

What was the Messinian Salinity Crisis?

A period when the Mediterranean dried up, leaving salt deposits.

What caused the end of the ice age?

Erosion from ocean currents.

What effect did the closing of the Panama ocean gateway have?

It both helped and hurt the ice age.

When did three separate ice sheets form?

From 2.74 to 2.54 million years ago.

What is the range of Earth's axial tilt?

21.8 to 24.4 degrees.

What are Walker circulations a part of?

The Hadley cell.

What did the Middle Pleistocene Transition change?

Glacial cycles changed every 41,000 to 800,000 years.

When was Noah's Ark flood attributed to have happened?

4004 BC.

How are ice age amounts figured out?

By sediment cores from the ocean.

What causes major climate changes?

Glacier changes influenced by Earth's orbit and wobbles.

What is eccentricity in terms of orbits?

The shape change from circle to ellipse.

What does obliquity refer to?

The tilt of the Earth.

What is precession?

The variation of Earth's gyration every 27,000 years.

What happens if it's cold during summer?

Snow will survive, leading to more albedo and less heat absorbed.

What is the effect of greenhouse gases on ice?

A lack of moisture will deplete the ice.

How long does it take to glaciate?

About 21,000 years.

What happens when glaciers melt?

Sea levels rise.

What ice sheets met in North America?

The Laurentide and Carilleran ice sheets.

What are Heinrich events?

Untimely crashes of glaciers or icebergs.

How often are changes in marine worm habitats observed?

Every 7,000 years.

What did Dansgaard-Oeschiger write about?

Climate events leading to the downfall of ancient civilizations.

What was the little ice age?

A cold period following the Medieval warm period.

What is the current atmospheric CO2 level?

316 ppmv, up from 280 ppmv.

What is the trend of the last decade in terms of temperature?

It is the hottest of the last 150 years.

What is the best strategy to combat climate change?

Cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

What are alternative energy sources?

Solar, biofuels, wind, wave, tidal, hydro, geothermal, nuclear fission, and nuclear fusion.

What is CO2 removal?

A process that needs to be applied on a large scale.

What is solar radiation management?

Physically blocking the sun to manage climate.

What should political actions focus on regarding climate?

Helping the poor, investing in renewable energy, and reforestation.

When could the next ice age occur?

In the next 1,000 years, but may be delayed due to climate change.

What will happen to the Earth in 250 million years?

The next supercontinent will form.