APES; CLIMATE CHANGE (FINAL EXAM)

climate change; deals with many other Vocab we have gone through throughout the year

global warming

describes the observed 1 degree C increase in the earth’s average temperature since the industrial revolution

weather

refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere, it can change minute to minute, day to day or hour to hour

climate

describes the average weather conditions in a specific area over a long period of time- 30 years or more

climate change

refers to the long-term shifts in seasonal precipitation, storms, and more

exosphere

is the most and least dense layer. Satellites are found here

thermosphere

protects us from x-ray and UV radiation

mesosphere

heats us and destroys meteorites

stratosphere

contains the ozone layer

troposphere

is the densest layer with all the air be breath and weather we live in

composition of the troposphere; permanent gases

______of the troposphere do not change day-to-day; 78% nitrogen (N2), 21% oxygen (02)

composition of the troposphere; variable gases

_____fluctuate seasonally and from human inputs; 0.95% Aragon (Ar), 0.4% water (H2O), 0.1% CO2, CH4, NOx, O3, CFCs

greenhouse effect

is the trapping of heat by some of the variable gases in the atmosphere

greenhouse gasses

carbon dioxide( CO2), nitrous oxides( NOx), methane (CH4), water vapor (H2O), CFCs

greenhouse gas; carbon dioxide

percent of total; 76%

lifespan; 1,000 of years

global warming potential; 1

is produced the most

greenhouse gas; methane

percent of total;16%

lifespan;10 years

global warming potential; 25

greenhouse gas; nitrous oxides (NOx)

percent of total; 6 %

lifespan;100s of years

global warming potential; 298

greenhouse gas; fluorinated gases

percent of total; 2%

lifespan; 1,000s of years

global warming potential; 1,000-10,000

prehistoric climate change

the earth has experienced at least 5 major ice ages

ice age

is any time period where glaciers are found at the earth’s pole and mountains

glaciers

are masses of ice formed by the accumulation and compression of snow; are masses of ice formed by centuries of snow

ablation

is glacier loss from sublimation (solid to gas), melting, and calving (breaking off of ice chunks).

accumulation

is glacier growth through snow and ice precipitation

withing any given ice age…

… glaciers will expand and contract

glacial period

experience global cooling and more accumulation

interglacial period

experience global warming and more ablation

forces that trigger climate change; orbit shape

an oval-shaped orbit favors global cooling, a rounder orbit favors global warming; 100,000 year cycle

forces that trigger climate change; earth’s tilt

a large tilt angle favors hotter summers and cooler winters, and causes glaciers to retreated ; 41,000 year cycle

forces that trigger climate change; earth’s wobble

the earth’s also “wobbles” on its axis like a top, affecting seasonal differences; 26,000 year cycles

forces that trigger climate change; sunspot activity

sunspots are dark areas where the sun releases more energy; every 11 years, the number of sunspots fluctuate

forces that trigger climate change; volcanic eruptions

release sulfates and particulates that reflect heat, causing the earth to cool

forces that trigger climate change; carbon sinks

any increase in ___ will weaken the greenhouse effect and cause global cooling; photosynthesis, burial

forces that trigger climate change; carbon sources

any increase in ____ will strengthen the greenhouse effect and cause global warming; combustion, deforestation

albedo

is a measurement from of how reflective a surface is

absorbs (0→ 0% reflected) → 0.5 (50%) reflected → reflects (1→100% reflected)

asphalt (0.10)

grass (0.25)

white paint (0.80)

proxy data

when direct measurements aren’t possible, scientists use ____ which is preserved data from natural source; ice cores, tree rings, ocean sediments

what is measured from ice cores?

____have bubbles of atmosphere which can be studied to learn; concentration of greenhouse gases, ratio of oxygen isotopes which indicates average temperature

correlation between CO2, methane, and temperature

carbon dioxide, and methane levels are positively correlated with global temperature

CO2 annual fluctuation

CO2 also fluctuates seasonally because most o the Earth's land mass is in the northern hemisphere

winter; less photosynthesis, CO2 increases

summer; more photosynthesis, CO2 decreases

current temperature compared to baseline

temperature are now 1.1 degrees C (1.9 degrees F) above the average baseline

areas experiencing greatest rates of warming

the poles are experiencing the greatest areas of warming

sea ice maximum decline

sea ice; is frozen sea water floating on the ocean surface; it is declining 10% per decade

positive feedback loop

the loss of sea ice is triggering a ____, where warming continues to intensify over time

land ice loss; Antarctica

is losing 152 billion tons of land ice (glacier) per year

land ice loss; Greenland

is losing 275 million tons of land ice (glaciers) per year

land ice loss; Alpine Glaciers

(mountain) glaciers are losing about 24m of thickness per decade

sea level rise

is rising at a rate of about 0.15 inches per year due to glacial melt and thermal expansion- water expanding as it warms

hurricane frequency and intensity

warmer waters correlates with an increase in hurricane numbers and intensity since 1980

ocean conveyor belt

as glacier water enters the ocean, the great_____ could collapse and cause drastic changes across Europe

water cycle

increased heat accelerates all processes of the water cycle

drought and flood frequency

some regions are predicted to become drier, while others will get wetter

El niño southern oscillation (ENSO)

during normal years; seasonal monsoons in southeast Asia; droughts in the western America's

during ENSO; droughts in southeast Asia; flooding in the western Americas, warmer winters in north America

as the pacific warms the effect of ENSO cycle will intensify

effects on ecosystems; wildfires

will become up to 80% much more common, especially in the western U.S. Charrales

specialists vs. generalists

s; species are unable to adapt quickly enough to the changing climate an are becoming endangered (polar bears)

g; like insects are increasing their range because that can adapt quickly ( pine bark beetles, mosquitoes, Derek tick)

coral bleaching

in the ejection of symbiotic algae by coral polyps due to 2 changes in ocean ecology; pH change and temperature

coral bleaching; pH change

carbon dioxide dissolves in ocean water, forming carbonic acid and increasing acidity

coral bleaching; temperature

ocean water is warming