Climate Change and Variability

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to climate change and variability, including definitions of critical terms and concepts.

Climate Variability

The variations in climatic conditions, such as temperature and precipitation, that occur over short periods.

Urban Heat Island Effect

The phenomenon where urban areas experience higher temperatures than their rural surroundings due to human activities and urbanization.

Sea Surface Temperature (SST)

The water temperature at the surface of the ocean, which is crucial for understanding climate and weather patterns.

Temperature Anomaly

The difference from a baseline average temperature, often used to assess the level of climate change.

Zettajoule

A unit of energy equivalent to 10^21 joules, often used to quantify energy in large-scale scientific contexts.

Extreme Weather Events

Severe or unusual weather occurrences, such as hurricanes, droughts, or heatwaves, that result in significant impact.

Global Warming

The long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to human activity, especially the emission of greenhouse gases.

Atmospheric Circulation

The large-scale movement of air that helps distribute thermal energy across the surface of the Earth.

Ocean Acidification

The process by which increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere lowers the pH of ocean waters, impacting marine life.

Arctic Amplification

The phenomenon where the Arctic warms at a rate faster than the global average due to various feedback mechanisms.

Mass Coral Bleaching

The loss of symbiotic algae from coral reefs due to stress factors, leading to a white appearance and increased mortality.