Global Climate Change Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to global climate change from the lecture notes.

Climate

The average weather at a location over a long period, typically 30-50 years.

Milankovitch Cycles

Natural cycles that affect Earth's climate based on changes in its orbital patterns and axial tilt.

ENSO

El Niño Southern Oscillation, a climate pattern that describes variations in ocean temperatures in the Pacific.

Ice Cores

Cylinders of ice drilled from glaciers, used to study past climates by analyzing trapped air bubbles.

Varves

Sedimentary layers in lake sediments that provide information on historical climate through fossilized pollen.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, primarily CO2, CH4, and N2O, increasing temperatures.

Carbon Footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gases emitted by human activities, especially CO2 emissions.

Deforestation

The clearing or thinning of forests, impacting carbon balance and contributing to climate change.

La Niña

A climate pattern featuring cooler than average ocean temperatures in the Pacific, affecting global weather.

El Niño

A climate pattern characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Pacific, influencing global weather patterns.

Climate Change

Long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place, driven by natural and human activities.

Historical Climatology

The study of past climates through various proxies, such as ice cores, tree rings, and sediment layers.

Atmospheric Composition

The various gases present in the atmosphere, crucial for understanding climate systems.

Temperature Anomaly

Deviation of temperature from the average over a specific time period, important for measuring climate change.

Global Warming

The increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to rising levels of greenhouse gases.