The Atmosphere (The Physical Environment)

The atmosphere

A vital layer of gases surrounding the earth crucial for supporting life forms and regulating climate

How does the atmosphere deflect UV radiation

The ozone layer deflects harmful UV radiation from the Earths surface

Troposphere

Lowest layer of the atmosphere where wether phenomena occur and it’s closest to the earths surface

Stratosphere

Layer universal the troposphere where ozone layer is located playing a crucial role in absorbing/deflecting UV radiation

Mesosphere

The layer above the stratosphere characterised by a decrease in temperature with increasing altitude

Thermosphere

Uppermost layer of the atmosphere closest to the sun where temps rise significantly due to the absorption of solar radiation

Global energy budget

A graphical representation of the distribution and balance of different wavelengths of light in the earths atmosphere illustrating the energy exchanges within the system

UV light

A form of solar radiation with shorter wavelengths capable of causing genetic mutations and eye damage in living organisms

Infrared

Type of electromagnetic radiation emitted by objects and the ground as heat trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere contributing to global warming

Albedo

The measure of the reflectivity of the earths surface influencing the absorption of ultraviolet energy and the regulation of the planets temps

Resources we rely on biodiversity for

Wood, fibres such as silk cotton wool, oils, medicine, food, fuel

Exponential population growth

The rapid increase in human population highlighting the necessity of maintaining biodiversity to sustain food resources for a healthy and balanced diet

Physiological research

Studying organisms to understand human health problems and potentiometer medicines often involving strict regulations on animal testing

Which process relies on oxygen from the atmosphere

Aerobic respiration

Which process relies on nitrogen gas from the atmosphere

Protein synthesis

How is hear distributed from the equator?

Winds, ocean currents,

Which gases are used in the Haber process to create artificial fertiliser

Nitrogen, hydrogen

Which has is the product of anaerobic respiration

Methane

Define inert

unreactive

How the atmosphere supports life

Gases for natural processes

Absorption of electromagnetic radiation and prevention by oxygen/ozone in the stratosphere

Delay escape of IR as most visible light is absorbed converted to heat then remitted raising earths temps by the atmosphere emoting the energy or atmosphere reducing heat loss by conduction

Heat distribution eg. South westerly winds provide heat for UK from Caribbean

Ocean currents- wind creates currents that distribute heat/nutrients eg. North Atlantic Conveyer

Water vapour- winds transport water vapour to areas that would otherwise get little precipitation

Pressure- controls how water molecules can evaporate and escape the surface, if lower there wouldn’t be liquid

Causes of sea level rise

Thermal expansion of seawateR, Melting of land ice

The cryosphere is

Areas covered in ice, affected by warming temperatures and impacting ecosystems and societies

Thermal expansion of seawater is

Increase in volume of seawater as it warms, contributing to sea level rise and flooding

Why is sea level rise only impacted by melting ice on land and not the ocean

Ice in the ocean will have already displaced the water to be there so when it melts it will not contribute to sea levels rising

Positive feedback mechanism

Process amplifying initial changes, such as increased temperatures leading to more ice melt, further increasing temperatures

Ice sheet

Covers an area >50,000km² found only in Greenland and Antarctica

Ice cap

<50,000km² with thick and undulating surface

Permafrost

2+ years of frozen soil/rock

Ice field

Ice that’s shaped like the land below

Glacier

Moves down slope under own weight

Ice shelf

Ice attached to land floating on the sea

Iceberg

An ice block that has broken off from ice sheet

Sea ice

Thin ice that forms as water freezes

Glacial retreat

Melting of glaciers at a faster rate than they can replenish, leading to changes in abiotic factors and potential flooding.

Ice lakes

Lakes formed on top of glaciers from meltwater, which can lead to flooding and destruction of habitats and infrastructure during glacial retreat.

Perennial ice

New ice formation that is thin and melts during warmer months, contributing to changes in ice thickness and cover.

North Atlantic Conveyer

Also known as the Gulf Stream where warm water from the tropical Atlantic Ocean travels northeast towards Europe driven by prevailing winds and water replacement

Jet streams

Strong winds driven by differences in temperature between the poles and mid-latitudes

Tipping point

Critical threshold at which environmental impacts become irreversible, such as potential weakening of the jet stream due to global temperature rise

El niño

Natural phenomenon every 2-7 where trade winds blow westwards across the Pacific Ocean near the equator causing nutrient rich water to be drawn up near South America forming algal blooms that feed a rich food web, causing global impacts such as drought in NE Africa, S Africa, China and fewer tropical cyclones in Japan

La Niña

When the wind blows stronger in the normal direction speeding up water currents and temp differences between western and eastern pacific meaning future global weather patterns are less predictable

Kyoto protocol

International agreement aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate global climate change, providing a case study for climate change management.

Global climate change impact on species survival

Temp rise may cause increased plant growth=more food for herbivores eg.caterpillars yet if growth happens sooner toxins will be produced that will kill them

Dormouse hibernation will be disturbed by warmer temps causing them to use up stored fat and starve before spring

Timing of ecological events eg flowing, migration, nesting will change meaning interdependent species survival decreases

Rosby waves

Large scale atmospheric/oceanic waves that carry sold air south and warm air north, slower movement caused by global climate change will cause longer remaining weather eg more intense rain leads to flooding

Impacts of climate change on humans

Health- heart/respiratory disease is more vulnerable to extreme temps, food poisoning may become more common bc pathogens thrive in hotter conditions, changes in evaporation/precipitation create supply problems

Food- reduced availability makes crop irrigation more important, warmer weather allows more pests to survive

Infrastructure- road heat stress melts tar, higher rainfall increases flood risk and waterlogged soil creates landslides

Air pressure of warm air

Low so it rises

How will rain distribution change with rising temps

More common closer to the poles

How would you describe current such as the Gulf Stream

Thermohaline

Why are jet streams threatened

Poles warming faster than mid-latitudes

natural fluctuations of climate

Inherent variations in the earths climate independent of human active

Interconnected climate systems

Complex relationships between different climate components posing challenges in identifying the origins of changes eg. Between atmospheric and hydrosphere

Temporal scale

The range of time over which climate changes occur posing difficulties in pinpointing specific causes and effects

Time delay in cause/effect

The lag between the occurrence of a climate change and it’s discernible effects complicating the identification of casual factors

Feedback mechanisms

Processes that either amplify or counteract climate changes adding complexity to the interpretation of collected data

Proxy data

Indirect evidence used to infer past climate conditions often employed due to the lack of accurate historical data

Modern climate monitoring methods

Contemporary techniques enabling the collection of long term accurate and comprehensive data on various environmental conditions including ocean monitoring

Ocean monitoring techniques

Methods such as satellite and buoy monitoring for surface ocean currents as well a ARGO floats for deep ocean data collection to understand oceanic influences on climate

Global collaboration

International cooperation to ensure comprehensive and continuous data collection minimising gaps in climate monitoring

Spatial scales

The range of space over which climate changes occur can occur eg.local, global etc

Historic data

Collected in past climatic conditions yet could be unreliable due to unsophisticated equipment or lack of data collected on a global scale

Ice core data

Data up to 800’000 years old has been collected from a 3200 core from Dome Concordia in Antarctica, the air bubbles trapped in each ice layer provide info on c02 concentration, oxygen isotopes giving an idea of the temperature

Satellite data

Can collect info from sensors on wind velocity, ocean currents, temperature, wave height, ice cover, ice thickness, vegetation cover

Computer models

Models can be tested by feeding in data for a particular year and seeing how the model predicts the outcome for a later year, if the prediction was similar to the real conditions then it can be trusted

Negative feedback mechanisms

Works to reverse the original change eg. Temp increases lead to increased cloud cover reflecting solar radiation to reduce the temp increase

Positive feedback machanisms

Amplifies the original change such as temp increase leads to melting permafrost releasing methane, contributing to the greenhouse effect and further increasing temps

Gaia hypothesis

A concept proposed by James Lovelock identifying Earth as a living system regulating abiotic factors to maintain dynamic equilibrium

Tipping points

Irreversible points where damage caused by human activities cannot be reversed even once those activities stop

Exsolving

The process of gas being released from a solution such as carbon dioxide being released from ocean water into the atmosphere

Greenhouse gases

Gases like carbon dioxide, methane, CFC, that trap heat in the earths atmosphere contributing to global warming

Primary pollutant

Pollutant released directly from human activities such as mining leading to environmental degradation

Secondary pollutant

Pollutant formed when pollutants react with other substances for example tropospheric ozone from nitrous oxide gases reacting with UV, leading to air pollution

Carbon sequestration

The natural process of capturing and spring atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate global warming and reduce its impact on climate change

Carbon capture and Storage (CCS)

A man made process of capuring carbon dioxide emissions and storing them underground to prevent their release into the atmosphere reducing greenhouse gas levels

Peat bogs

Wetlands with a deposit of dead plant material often used as carbon storage sites playing a virtual role in carbon sequestration

Renewable energy

Energy derived from naturally replenished sources such as solar wind, and hydroelectric power reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions

Afforestation

The planting of trees in an area where there was no forest contributing to carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation

Biogas

A renewable energy source produced from the anaerobic decomposition KF organic matter providing a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels

Catalytic converter

A device in a vehicles exhaust system that reduces nitrous oxide gases back to nitrogen and oxygen before releasing them

Montreal protocol

An international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances responsible for ozone depletion contributing to climate and environmental protection

Geo engineering

The deliberate large scale manipulation of an environmental process to counteract climate change involving innovative and controversial methods

Artificial upwelling

The process of bringing deep cold nutrient rich water to the surface in order to stimulate primary productivity in the ocean potentially migrating the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems

Managed retreat

A strategy of allowing the natural processes of erosion and flooding to occur in specified areas rather than implementing costly protection measures as a response to sea level rise and climate change impacts

Urban permeability

Ability of urban surfaces to allow water to pass through the ground reducing surface runoff and mitigating urban heat island effects

Chlorofluorocarbons

Man made chemicals used in refrigerants aerosol propellants and solvents, which have been linked to the depletion of the ozone layer

Rowland-Molina hypothesis

A hypothesis suggesting that CFCs could cause ozone depletion due to their persistence and release of reactive chlorine

Dobson Units

A measure of ozone concentration where 10 Dobson units equal a 0.1mm thick ozone layer at sea level

Ozone hole

An area with less than 220 Dobson units indicating significant ozone depletion

How were satellite surveys used in monitoring ozone depletion?

Surveys conducted using satellites to detect increased UV reflection from earths surface indicating ozone depletion

Chlorine radical

Chemicals for ozone depletion released from split CFCs and preventing ozone formation

Polar vortex

Cold temps and winds creating a vortex over Antarctica leading to increased ozone depletion due to ice cloud formation

Hydrofluorocarbons

An alternative to CFCs less stable so less likely to reach the stratosphere and to be phased out by 2030

Methods to control GHG levels

C02- less fossil fuel use, more trees

Methane- less livestock production, less landfill waste,

Nitrogen oxides- more public transport, catalytic converters in vehicles

CFCs- using alternative materials eg hydrocarbons and pump action sprays

Adaption techniques to climate change

Flood control- build higher banks and coastal defences

Costal erosion- sea walls/wave screens

Managed retreat- abandon areas where the cost of saving it isn’t worth it

Urban drainage

Ozone formation

1- UV light splits a molecule of diatomic oxygen

2- two monoatomic oxygens are released

3- monoatomic atoms react with diatomic molecules to form triatomic oxygen/ozone

Ozone destruction

1- UV splits the triatomic molecule

2- stable diatomic molecule

3- reactive monoatomic oxygen can react with another or with a diatomic

Effects of ozone depletion

Without ozone UV can cause DNA damage, skin cancer, leaf tissue damage, reduced photosynthesis

Evidence for ozone depletion

Measuring ozone, ground based data collection, satellite surveys, air samples from the stratosphere, variability in ozone levels

Restoration of ozone

International concern lead to international agreements to control depletion, the Vienna convention for the protection of the ozone layer 1985 produced non legally binding goals with every country in the UN that were later out in the Montreal protocol

The atmosphere supports life on Earth because:

It’s composition changes very little, oxygen is present in three forms, gases moderate temperature, the Coriolis effect means heat/water vapour are transferred by wind/ocean currents