Natural causes of climate change

0.0(0)
studied byStudied by 0 people
full-widthCall with Kai
GameKnowt Play
learnLearn
examPractice Test
spaced repetitionSpaced Repetition
heart puzzleMatch
flashcardsFlashcards
Card Sorting

1/11

encourage image

There's no tags or description

Looks like no tags are added yet.

Study Analytics
Name
Mastery
Learn
Test
Matching
Spaced

No study sessions yet.

12 Terms

1
New cards

What is the milankovitch cycle?

Long term variations in Earth leading to increase / decrease in how much Sun the Earth receives.

2
New cards

Eccentricity?

  • Shape of the Earth’s orbit

  • Normally a circular orbit becoming an elliptical orbit therefore uneven solar energy, cooler summers and a glacial period.

    • Over 100,000 year periods

3
New cards

Axial tilt?

  • Angle between orbital plane and rotational plane.

  • 22.1 to 24.5 degrees where the lower the angle, the less difference between Summer + Winter temperature leading to cooler summers and a glacial period.

  • Over 41,000 year period

  • Currently at 23.4 degree

4
New cards

Precession?

  • Wobble of Earth’s axis relative to Polaris

  • Earth wobbles like a spinning top - changing when seasons occur within an orbit

  • North Hemisphere Summers occur when Earth is furthest from Sun (tilting away) leading to cooler summers and a glacial period

    • Every 26,000 yearw

5
New cards

Milankovitch cycle where all 3 align?

  • Every 100,000 years all 3 align to form a glacial period.

6
New cards

Solar variation

  • Radiation from the Sun varies

  • Low solar activity - cooler periods

  • High solar activity - warmer periods

7
New cards

Volcanism

  • Large-scale volcanic eruptions eject ash + dust in the atmosphere

  • Some eruptions produce so much that it blocks radiation from the Sun

  • Reduced temp

  • Glacial period

  • 1816 year without summer because of Mount Tambora

8
New cards

Surface Impact

  • Large space objects impact Earth’s surface

  • Releasing volumes of dust to atmosphere, blocking soler radiation and causing glacial periods

  • Asteroid impacting climate was responsible for the dino excinction not the general impact.

9
New cards

3 ways for evidence of climate change?

  • Ice cores

  • Tree ring

  • Historical source

10
New cards

Albedo

  • Reflectiveness of a surface

  • High albedo - very reflective

    • Low albedo - absorbs energy

11
New cards

What albedo does ice have?

High albedo

12
New cards

How can ice sheets exacerbate global warming?

Ice has a high albedo therefore reflects solar radiation away. When it melts it reflects less away therefore more intense ground heating