Physical Geography, Atmospheric Systems, and Environmental Dynamics Flashcards

Flashcards testing knowledge on atmospheric structure, global climate patterns, ocean dynamics, hydrology, geomorphology, soil dynamics, and remote sensing based on lecture material.

What percentage of the atmosphere's total mass and water vapor is contained within the troposphere?

The troposphere contains $90\%$ of the total atmospheric mass and $99\%$ of all water vapor.

What is the amount of solar radiation (insolation) received at the top of the atmosphere?

$$342\,\text{W}\,\text{m}^{-2}$$

What is the global average albedo of Earth?

The global average albedo is $31\%$.

What is the normal tropospheric temperature lapse rate per $1000\,\text{m}$ altitude increase?

A temperature drop of $6.4\,^\circ\text{C}$ per $1000\,\text{m}$ ($6.4\,^\circ\text{C}/1000\,\text{m}$).

What are the dry and moist adiabatic lapse rates?

The dry adiabatic lapse rate is $10\,^\circ\text{C}/1000\,\text{m}$ (typically for sinking air), and the moist adiabatic lapse rate is $6\,^\circ\text{C}/1000\,\text{m}$ (typically for rising air).

What driver causes the decline in rainfall between July and November in Vaupes, Brazil?

The shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) to the North.

How are arid and semi-arid zones classified in Australia based on rainfall thresholds?

Arid zones receive less than $250\,\text{mm}$ of rainfall, and semi-arid zones receive less than $350\,\text{mm}$ of rainfall, together making up $70\%$ of the continent.

What are the three orbital variations that compose the Milankovitch cycles?

Tilt (obliquity), eccentricity (elliptical nature of Earth's rotation), and precession (wobbling of Earth's tilt on its axis).

How is the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) measured?

It measures the standardized sea level pressure difference between Tahiti and Darwin.

What are the current annual human emissions of $\text{CO}_2$ and the atmospheric concentration level reached?

Humans emit $35\,\text{Gt}$ of $\text{CO}_2$ per year, and atmospheric concentration has reached $430\,\text{ppm}$.

What is the total volume of water present in the global hydrosphere?

Approximately $1.4\,\text{billion}\,\text{km}^3$ ($1.4 \times 10^9\,\text{km}^3$).

How is global freshwater consumption distributed across major human activities?

$70\%$ is used in agriculture, $20\%$ in industry, and less than $10\%$ for domestic purposes.

What five environmental factors influence soil formation according to the CLORPT framework?

Climate, Organisms (biota), Relief (topography), Parent material, and Time.

What is the average rate of new soil formation in Australia?

Virtually $0\,\text{t}/\text{ha}/\text{year}$ on average, due to a lack of tectonic activity, volcanism, and glacial activity.

What Sinuosity Index ($S$) value defines a meandering river channel?

$S > 1.5$ (calculated as stream length divided by valley length).

How is an arid environment quantitatively defined by annual precipitation?

An environment experiencing less than $250\,\text{mm}$ of precipitation annually.

What is the difference between Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and Net Primary Productivity (NPP)?

Gross Primary Productivity is the total rate at which energy is bound by photosynthesis per unit area and time, while Net Primary Productivity is the remaining energy after accounting for plant respiration.

What proportion of terrestrial Net Primary Productivity (NPP) is harvested by animals?

Only $10\%$ of terrestrial NPP is harvested by animals; the remaining $90\%$ goes to reducers, transformers, and decomposers.

What is the formula for the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)?

$$\text{NDVI} = \frac{\text{NIR} - \text{Red}}{\text{NIR} + \text{Red}}$$

According to molecular and archaeological evidence, when did modern humans arise and when did they first inhabit Australia?

Modern humans arose from a single population in Africa $300\,000$ years ago and inhabited the Australian continent approximately $65\,000$ years ago.