Earth Science > Climate change > Flashcards

Climate change Flashcards

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1
Q

Climate studies

A

types of change
At what rates
Effects
Methods - paleo climate - past
Computer simulations - past and future

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2
Q

Paleoclimates

A

earth material that are sensitive to climate
SO …
Stratigraphic records- order of rock layers
Are sensitive to climates
BC OF
The environments they’re deposited in
- coral reefs - tropical marine
Glacial tills- cold and continental

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3
Q

Paleoclimate evidence - paleontological

A

Animal remains (faunal assemblages) change when the climate changes
- pollen in pond sediments
- spruce pollen dominates when COLD vs. hemlock (warm)
- trees (colder, drier) vs. grass pollen (warm)

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4
Q

Oxygen isotopes - 16O

A

ICE AGE
16 water evaporates faster
Becomes ice trapped on land
Seawater has more 18
18 increases in ratio
SO..
colder= lower 16
Warmer= higher 16

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5
Q

O isotopes- Interglacials

A

Ice melts back into seawater
16 increases
18 decreases

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6
Q

Carbonate shells

A

CaCO3 shells
Show 18/16 ratio
Sea floor sediments-> ocean chemistry changes

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7
Q

growth rings

A

thickness= warmer, wetter
Thinner= drier, colder

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8
Q

Climate history periods

A

icehouse- colder
Greenhouse- warmer
Mesozoic end- warmer
Oligocene- cooler

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9
Q

greenhouse gases

A

co2 and CH4
Absorb infrared energy from earth’s surface

Cause warmth

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10
Q

Long-term causes- continents

A

plate tectonics position continents
->
Ocean currents (climate) adapt to continetal changes - closed isthmus of Panama

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11
Q

Causes- volcanoes

A

Mid-Cretaceous rifting
Expanded MORs
Trap heat- warming

Tectonic uplift (orogenic)
Eats CO2 when rocks weather - cooling
EX- Himalayas = Cenozoic cooling

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12
Q

causes- biological

A

organic deposits remove CO2-
Coal, oil, natural gas

Evolution of lichens (Neoproterozoic)
And grasses (Miocene)

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13
Q

Short term causes

A

major glaciations
Minor glaciations
Interglacials in between

Warmer or colder climates last 1000s of years
Shifts happen in decades

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14
Q

Holocene period (15,000 years)

A

warming -> deglaciation
Temps still varied
Interglacial = the state of this warmed glacial transition
SO..
cold periods during interglacial
- younger grays
- Holocene maximum
- medieval warm period
- little ice age

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15
Q

short term causes- solar cosmic radiation

A

sunspot cycle- decreases solar output (radiation reach)
Spikes every 9-11 years

Natural cosmic radiation
flux
Cools earth when it increases high-altitude clouds
Warms it with more low altitude clouds

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16
Q

Short term- milankovitch factors

A

orbit and tilt - insulates from sun
Precession = axis wobbles
23,000 period
Obliquity= angle of axis changes
41,000- period
Eccentricity= shape of orbit changes
100,000 period

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17
Q

short term - volcano emissions

A

Albedo- clouds
Atmosphere uses albedo to reflect
Depends on how volcanic aerosols add to albedo
EX- tambora- extreme albedo covering sun for a whole year

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18
Q

short term-greenhouse gases concentrations

A

sudden release (methane from ocean sediments)
Changes in amount of photo synthesizers (algal blooms, deforestation) -> changes CO2 concentrations

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19
Q

short term- ocean currents

A

equatorial heat to poles
BY
Thermohaline sinking at poles
Disruption of currents- cooling
Melted sea ice -> salt-density under flow

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20
Q

exctinction

A

Catastrophic events - local (volcano, earthquake, tsunami)
Global (bolide impacts, flood basalts)

Cause

Mass extinctions
Cretaceous- tertiary boundary event
- ended Mesozoic (dinos)
- Yucatán peninsula asteroid impact
- chicxulub impact blocked sun with debris

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21
Q

Species Strata records

A

major extinctions-
Late Ordovician
Mid-late Devonian
End Permian
Late Triassic
End Cretaceous

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22
Q

Atmosphere and oceans

A

3 wind belts in each hemisphere
The axis tilts, exposing hemispheres
Coriolis effect and solar energy
controls atmsosphere and ocean behavior based on these

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23
Q

Solar enegry

A

generates winds

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24
Q

Plane of ecliptic

A

earths orbit = slightly elliptical (oval)

Axis tilt = 23.5 DG perpendicular to plane
Pointed in same direction throughout year

Plane of ecliptic- earth’s orbit around sun

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25
Seasons- summer
Summer- northern hemisphere tilts towards sun to receive vertical rays (straight down on the surface)
26
seasons - equinoxes
Sun directly overhead at equator (equator lined up with sun) vernal (spring) equinox March 21 Autumnal equinox Sept 23
27
solstices
Summer- June 21 Sun directly lined at Tropic of Cancer Winter- dec 21 Sun directly lined at tropic Capricorn
28
Sun’s declination
Between 23.5 north and 23.5 south latitudes = distance by angle from sun’s equatorial plane
29
Tropics
region between the latitudes of the declination Around equator
30
arctic circle
northern hemisphere winter= no direct solar radiation here 66.5 DG north latitude North Pole
31
Antarctic circle
south of 66.5 degree south latitude (South Pole)
32
solar energy distribution (through atmosphere sheild)
Low latitudes Pass through thinner atmosphere = concentrate`d in small area (Lower albedo) Incidence (Angle of incoming sunlight is vertical/ high/ 90 DG) High latitudes Pass through thick atmosphere = spread out More Light reflected (High albedo) Incidence (low) (Angle of sunlight is lower/ more slanted )
33
atmosphere absorption
thicker at higher latitude Albedo - reflects Earth average= 30% Angle of sun on sea (incoming light reflection)
34
reflection and absorption of solar energy - angle of incidence
35
Oceanic heat flow
high latitudes- heat lost in oceans - ice has high albedo - solar ray incidence= low (low angle) Low- more heat/ concentrated (not reflected)
36
Atmosphere composition
nitrogen - 78 Oxygen 21 Gases that trap heat- CO2, argon
37
temperature variation
troposphere- lowest layer Where mountains are … - weather occurs here - temperature lowers with altitude - from surface to 7 miles up
38
Convection cells- density variation
rising and sinking air within a confined space (atmospheric space) Circular loop of air Densest- cool air sinks Dry air sinks Least dense- warm, moist air rises
39
atmospheric water vapor content
air temperature - - warm= moist - cool= dry Influences density of air
40
atmospheric pressure
thick column- sea level - high surface pressure equals ONE atmosphere cool, dense air sinks - higher surface pressure Thin column= low pressure Warm, moist air rises - lower surface pressure
41
movement of atmosphere
air = high to low pressure Wind- moving air
42
upper troposphere
cool Contains convection cells that move high pressure air to low pressure Cool,dense -> high pressure (sinks) (dense molecules) Earth’s surface = warm Warms the dense air, moving it upwards Warm, not dense -> low pressure (rises) (separates molecules)
43
air movements
equator- air rises (low pressure) Poles- air sinks (high pressure) Air flow= high to low pressure One convection/ circulation cell
44
Coriolis effect
Deflection (away) Object gets moved away from first person viewpoint because they’re being rotated Object moves straight as spinning occurs Moved right - northern hemisphere Moved left- southern hemisphere
45
Coriolis effect with earth
zero effect at equator (rotating velocity is greatest) Greatest effects at poles AND Across long distant latitudes
46
circulation cells
Hadley cell- 0-30 lat Ferrel cell- 30-60 lat - subtropical Polar cell- 60-90 lat - Polar high , subpolar low MAKES High and low pressure zones from effect of rising and falling air
47
global atmospheric circulation- high
falling air= high pressure zone - subtropical high- 30 - polar high Clear skies
48
atmospheric circulation- low
Rising air= low pressure - equatorial low- equator - sub polar low- 60 lat - overcast skies with rain
49
atmospheric circulation
low at poles High at sub latitudes Low at equator High at sub last Low at poles
50
Global wind belts
closest circulation cells to surface = make winds - trade winds - northeast - northern hemisphere - southeast- southern hemisphere
51
trade winds
come from Subtropical (between poles and equator ) Highs Travel to equator Northeast Southeast
52
wind belts- westerly, easterly
prevailing westerly wind belts- 30-60 lat Polar easterly wind belts- 60-90 lat - polar front (boundary) = low pressure - polar high (boundary = high pressure
53
boundaries of wind belts
doldrums / inter tropical convergence zone - at equator - low pressure Horse latitudes -30 lat - high pressure Polar front - 60 lat - low pressure
54
characteristics of wind belts and boundaries
55
Idealized 3-cell model
complex because Tilt and axis and seasons Low heat capacity of rock vs. seawater Uneven distribution of land and ocean
56
weather
atmospheric characteristics at specific time and place
57
climate
Long term average weather
58
cyclonic flow-
Northern hemisphere counterclockwise Low Southern hemisphere Low Clockwise
59
anti cyclonic flow
North Low Clockwise South Low Counter
60
sea land breezes
sea breeze- ocean -> land - warm DAY air rises -> cold ocean air swoops in Land breeze-> land -> ocean - cold NIGHT air sinks -> ocean warmth
61
storms
strong winds and rain START at fronts
62
air masses
land air masses- dry Marine air masses- moist
63
fronts
warm front - layer between warm air masses land and cooler area Cold front- layer between cold air masses land and warmer area
64
jet stream
narrow, easterly air flow Middle lats Below top of troposphere CAUSES Unusual weather by steering air masses
65
tropical cyclones
rotating masses of low pressure Strong wind and rain air Maximum wind speed - typhoons - cyclones
66
Hurricane origin
low pressure cell Water vapor fed by winds (Heat condensation) Rising air - warm, moist Coriolis effect Storm develops
67
hurricane development
tropical depression- less than 61 km Tropical storm- 61-120 Hurricane- above 120
68
saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity
69
Hurricane anatomy q
diameter - less than 200 km Eye - low pressure center Spiral rain- intense rain and thunder
70
Hurricane factors
warmer waters Atlantic and pacific hurricanes out of phase Wind shear Nino and Nina
71
Destruction
storm surge- increase in shoreline sea level
72
Destruction history
Galveston, TX, 1900 – Andrew, 1992 – Mitch, 1998 – Katrina, 2005 – Ike, 2008 – Irene, 2011 – Sandy, 2012
73
Hurricane hot spots
North Pacific Bangladesh Southeast Asia Hawaii
74
climate pattern ocean
parallel to latitude lines - warm - east coasts -> warm water to high latitudes - cool- off west coasts-> cold water to lower latitudes
75
Oceans climate zone
temperate - strong westerly winds Severe storms Subpolar- raiinnyyy - summer sea ice Polar- high pressure - sea ice all year
76
sea ice
need crystals become slush -> Pancake ice in calm water -> Coalesces (merges) and forms ice floes
77
Ice floes
ice thickens and forms thick pressure ridges
78
icebergs
break off of glaciers Floating bodies of ice Arctic icebergs - western Greenland glaciers Carried by currents
79
shelf ice
Antarctica- glacial continent Edges thta break off (plate-like icebergs) = shelf lice Carried north by currents
80
Wind power
uneven solar heating = earth generates winds Turbines capture this energy Offshore wind farms generate electricity
81
Global ocean wind energy
Highest wind power - southern hemisphere - June - august Lowest wind power- northern hemisphere - middle
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