1c Flashcards
What is the maximum observed solar output
Occurs in the range of visible light I.e. between the wavelengths 0.40 and 0.75 um
What is the red limit
It’s the max wavelength for visible light. After that is ir
What is the violet limit
Shorter waves then violet are not visible and are uv
Wavelengths for IR
0.75 - 4 um
Wavelength for uv
Less then 0.4 um
50nm < wavelength < 400 nm
What does albedo mean?
The fraction of sunlight reflected back into space by an object
What was the warming trend from 1910-1940 due to mainly?
Lack of volcanic activity and slight increase in the intensity of sunlight
What was the cooling from 1940-1970 due to mainly?
Aerosols from increased volcanic activity
What was the warming from 1970 to present due to mainly?
Anthropogenic influences
What range does the earth emit energy in
Around 5-50 um with a peak at 13. This is thermal IR
What is the enhanced green house effect
Artificial global warming
Range for thermal IR
5–100 um
Range of thermal IR window?
8-13 um
Range for visible light?
.4 um - .78 um
400nm - 780 nm
What % of global co2 emissions are represented in fig 5-9
6%
Window for water
5.5-7.7 and???
Window for methane
7.7
Window for O3
9-10
Lifetime of methane
<10 years
3 dominant sinks for methane
- Reaction with OH
- Reactions with soil
- Loss to stratosphere
1 kg is how much more effective then CO2?
23
How much has methane contributed to global warming in comparison with CO2
1/3
What % of methane emissions are anthropogenic
70%
6 sources of methane
- E production and distribution
- ruminant of livestock
- melted permafrost
- Biomass burning
- Landfills
- Wetlands
Define clathrate
A structure that forms when small molecules occupy vacant space
How effective is 1 mol of N2O as a ghg compared to CO2
206
Lifetime of N2O
120 years
Net effect of N2O compared to CO2
1/9
Sources of N2O
Oceans, tropical soils, excess fertilizer (most important) landfills
Sinks N2O
None but it’s destroyed in strat and degrades in N(g)
How effective is a molecule of CFC as a ghg compared to CO2
10,000^12
What has more effect on global warming CFCs or HCFCs? Why
HCFCs have shorter lifetime so less important
Effect of SF6 vs CO2 on global warming
23,900
Sources of ozone
Power plants, cars, forest fires
% effect of ozone on ghg
11%
Define aerosol
Colloidal suspension of particles dispersed in air or gas
Aerosols effect on global warming
Offset and mask ghg
What type of aerosol 1.absorbs
2.reflects
3.scatters
Light
- dark
- sulfate rich
- sulfate+ordinary
Sinks for aerosols
Rain
Lifetime of aerosols
Days
Hot spots for aerosols
Europe, China, Russia
Order of ghgs effect on global warming
H2O>CO2>CH4>O3>CFC>N2O>SF6
Area of globe experiencing greatest increase in temp?
Arctic
Melting ice negative or positive feedback
Positive
Problem for models now
Clouds
Effect of low and night lying clouds?
Low=warming
High=cool
Signs of climate change
- percipitation
- Extreme weather
- short winters
- ice coverage shrinking
- Dying coals from warm water
- Mosquito-borne diseases reaching higher altitudes
- rising sea levels
