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2270 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the difference between weather and climate?

A

Weather is the day to day observations of weather.

Climate is the the long term averages of weather.

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2
Q

What are the atmospheric layers

A

Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere

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3
Q

What are the boundaries between each sphere?

A

tropopause
strtopause
mesopause

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4
Q

What is the most abundant element in the atmosphere

A

nitrogen

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5
Q

What is the driving force of atmospheric circulation

A

the sun

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6
Q

What level of the atmosphere contains the most gas

A

troposphere

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7
Q

What atmospheric layer contains the ozone

A

strotosphere

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8
Q

Why is it interest that water vapour is naturally occurring in the atmosphere

A

it is a GHG

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9
Q

Where on the earth has the highest insolation potential?

A

Equator

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10
Q

Why is there ore insolation along the equator?

A

Due to earths spherical shape

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11
Q

What is solar irradiance

A

whereby equal amount of solar radiation is hitting earth, but heat is concentratied on smaller area at centre than at poles

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12
Q

Define convection

A

movement of heat from one place to another by movement of air - E.g. room analogy

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13
Q

Why can’t a one-convention cell theory be applied to earths surface?

A

Not smooth, not continuous, and spinning motion

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14
Q

Coriolis effect

A

Rotation causes movement to the right in N and moment to the left in S

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15
Q

How does the Coriolis effect impact atmospheric circultion

A

3-cell model
Hadley 0-30
Ferrel Cell 30-60
Polar 60-90

Cells impact movement of wings

Global wind belts - in North move to the right
In south move to the left

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16
Q

Science checklist

A
  • focuses on natural world
    aims to explain natural work
    uses testable ideas
    relies on evidence
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17
Q

The Scientific Method

A 
Pragmatic - using wide variety of testing tactics
continuous process of refinement
1. Identify problem
2. form hypothesis 
3. test helpothesis/make observations
4. etc.
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18
Q

Define Law

A

general statement about expectation that certain events will occur where certain conditions are met (e.g. law of gravity)

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19
Q

Hypothesis

A

Human mental construct thet provides preliminary casual explanation of facts

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20
Q

Theory

A

more complex and wide-ranging mental construct

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21
Q

T/F Science IS about absolute truths

A

False

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22
Q

Peer Review process

A
  1. research writes publications and submits to peer-reviewed journal
  2. editor decides if publication is good enough
  3. Sent to a few reviewers to read and write for recommednations
  4. Can accept/reject/ask for revisions
  5. Paper back to author and author applies revisions
  6. editor makes final decision
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23
Q

What is the invisible boot?

A

Process by which peer reviewed process kicks out ideas that don’t work

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24
Q

Ozone Hole

A

Apparent that ozone holes were forming
Chemical that was found to be the culprit - CFCs (aerosol cans)
scientists were able to connect these results to other studies to determine relationship between Ozone and CFCs

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25
Q

Corelation does not equal causation

A

E.g. global average temperature and number of pirates

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26
Q

IPCC

A

Intergovernmental Panel of Climate change
UN in 88
Assess state of scientific knowledge on climate by regularly reviewing scientific literature and create assessment reports

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27
Q

What are the 3 volumes for the IPCC Assessment Reports?

A
  1. The Physical Science Basis
  2. Impacts, Adaption and Vulnerability
  3. Mitigation of Climate change
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28
Q

Thousands of scientists from all over the world contribute their results to the IPCC

A

True

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29
Q

Structure of a atom

A

contain small nucleus that contains protons (+) or neutrons (neutral) and electrons (-)

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30
Q

atomic number

A

element number referring to number of protons

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31
Q

atomic mass

A

number of protons + number of neutrons

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32
Q

Isotopes

A

Atoms of the same atomic number but differing mass

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33
Q

X vs Y axis

A 
| = y 
_ = x
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34
Q

temperature Anomaly

A

difference between measured temperature of a year and its baseline period

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35
Q

How do scientist estimate average global temperatures

A

Divide earth into grid cells (lat and long)
obtain temperature measurements in each grid box to create averages
Add averages - need to correct for earth geometry (small near poles large near equator)
Weighted average

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36
Q

Problem associated with estimating average global temperatures

A

earth geometry

and lack of data in many areas in the world

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37
Q

How do satellites measure temperature

A

air temp of lower troposphere using microwave sound units

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38
Q

How do air balloons measure temp

A

radiosonde transmits temp info to reciever

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39
Q

Different data sets used for averages demonstrate differences

A

Difference: how datasets deal with having little data in remote parts of the world, size of grid, etc.

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40
Q

What is the most comprehensive coverage for data sets

A

NASA Goddard Institute

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41
Q

16 od the 17 warmest years on record occurred during the 21st centruy

A

True

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42
Q

Keeling curve

A

Telling - reported CO2 every day in Hawaii since 60s

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43
Q

Human finger print - 13C and 12C

A 
Isotope = same number but different mass 
stable C (12/6 or 13/6) 
unstable 14/6 C = radioactive

Most of the CO2 in atmosphere is stable - easier for plants to assimilated 12C (light/smaller)
plants die - decompose - formed into fossil fuels
Burn fuels, adding more 12CO back into atmosphere which is directly a result of human burning of fuels

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44
Q

What greenhouse gases are increases

A

Methane, CO2, Nitrous Oxide, CFCs

45
Q

methane

A

Powerful GHG and increasing due to agricultural (rice paddies and livestock)

46
Q

What are main human causes of GHG emissions

A

Agriculture
Biomass burning
Livestock
Coal mining

47
Q

What are the two stable C02

A

C12 and C13

48
Q

What indicates that excess CO2 in atmosphere comes from burning fossil fuels

A

smaller C13/C12 ratio

49
Q

Give examples of human finger prints

A
  • decrease of 13c/12c ratio

- stratosphere cooling because less heat is leaving troposphere to heat it

50
Q

What indicates that cooling of stratosphere is human causes

A

GHG trap heat and keep it in troposphere

51
Q

Define paleoclimatology

A

research that examines past climates

52
Q

Climate proxies

A

natural archives of the climate

53
Q

Give examples of climate proxies

A 
Tree rings
pollen
lake sediments 
ice cores 
corals
stalagmites
54
Q

How do tree rings indicate climate change

A

tree growth rates
width of ring are sensitive to the climate
The thicker the ring = the better the growing conditions

55
Q

How to ice cores indicate climate change

A

800 000 years old
Thickness of layers, presence of ash and dust, air bubbles that contain C02
oxygen isotope chemistry

56
Q

What makes a isotope stable

A

Has more neutrons than protons (heavier)

57
Q

water isotopes

A

2H or 18O = heavy water
Heavy water evaporates less easily but condensates more easily
different temperatures lead to different stable isotope ratios

58
Q

What does presence of heavier ice

A

WARMING

59
Q

What does the presence of lighter ice

A

COLDER

60
Q

How does pollen in Lakes identify climate change

A

Reconstruct vegetative history
Plants can only occur in certain climate conditions
E.g. sage - cold and dry
E.g. okay - warm and dry

61
Q

Why use different climate proxies?

A

Provide different climate information (e.g. precipitation, temperature, etc.) and have different timescales

62
Q

Define resolution

A

smallest quantity of time for which information can be extracted from proxy

63
Q

Define timespan

A

total amount of time a climate proxy can provide

64
Q

Explain carbon dating

A

14C - unstable therefore decaying over time
Decaying at stable rate
Measure how much 14C is left, tells us how long its been dead for
Less 14C = longer its been dead

65
Q

What does coral growth depend on

A

water temperature

66
Q

What is the most commonly used proxy

A

Ice cores

67
Q

Dendrochronology

A

Count tree rings

68
Q

Milankovitch cycles

A

Intensity of radiation from sun vairies according to 3 cycles:

  1. obliquity - tilt
  2. Eccentricity - shape
  3. Precession - wobble
69
Q

Relate milan. cycles to climate change

A

ice ages occur when orbital variations to cause lands to receive less sunshine in summers

70
Q

What is a positive feed back?

A

Increased warming from solar irradiation has led to warming oceans
warmer oceans cannot hold as much C02, therefore more CO2 is released into atmosphere and perpetuates warming

71
Q

What is a negative feedback

A

E.g. Younger Dryas - increased warming - increased melting of ice - increased fresh water - diluting saltiness of waters and stopped circulation which created intense cooling

72
Q

What is THERMOHALINE CIRCULTURE

A

Convery belt transporting heat

73
Q

P.A.I.N. Explanation

A

Personal
Abrupt
Immoral
Now

Need to meet all these things to be taken seriously

74
Q

largest emission source

A

Burning of fossil fuels

  1. deforestation
  2. agriculture
75
Q

Scenarios that determine future GHG emissions

A

Economic growth
Population size
technological development
social will

76
Q

What are the differences between each climate scenario

A

A - focus on comic growth

B - focus on environmental integrity

77
Q

What is RCP

A

Each has expected CO2 concentration as of 2100

78
Q

Increased concern for environmental issues; low population growth; slow economic development; emphasis on local solutions to economic, social and environmental sustainability.

A

B2

79
Q

High level of environmental consciousness; global population peaks in mid-century and then declines; moderate economic growth; economy focused on clean and resource efficient technologies

A

b1

80
Q

Uneven economic growth; continuously increasing population; emphasis on self-reliance and local identities.

A

a2

81
Q

What do we use so many models

A
  • limits due to computer speed

- potential trade-offs

82
Q

How can you test how good a model is

A

run the model backward to see its validity

83
Q

What is the relationship between climate and scenario model

A

scenario models calculate future GHG emissions - these calculations are used in climate models

84
Q

Findings of current IPCC report

A
  • atmosphere and oceans warmed
  • sea level rising
  • GHG emissions increased
  • Lossing icesheets
85
Q

how many meters does the melting of Greenland icecsheet have the potential to raise sea level

A

5-7 meters

86
Q

What are the deadly trio

A

ocean warming
ocean acidification
and ocean anoxia

87
Q

coral bleaching

A

Ocean warming is greatly affecting oxygen content in algae,

Corals eat algal but can’t process excess oxygen

88
Q

Ocean acidification

A

Increased CO2 in atmosphere is being dissolved in waters increasing its acidification
impacting organisms such as sells

89
Q

What is thermal expansion

A

seawater can expand to fill a greater volume of heat

90
Q

Impacts of a rising sea level

A
  • storms and flooding
  • storms able to reach further inland
  • changing coastlines
  • salt water intrusion
91
Q

Which pole is melting quiker

A

Arctic

92
Q

What is saltwater intrusion

A

movement of sea water underground into reservoirs

93
Q

Who are the first climate change refugees, and why

A

The Maldives - lowest country on planet

94
Q

How will sea level rise affect canada

A
  • extended flooding
  • accelerating erosion
  • saltwater intrusion
  • impacts on wildlife
95
Q

Which Canadian coasts are the most affected

A

Atlantic coast and beaufort

96
Q

How much shoreline is lost when sea level rises 1 foot

A

300 feet

97
Q

When would we see regular flooding every 28 days with sea-level rise

A

due to spring tides occurring every 28 days

98
Q

when do we expect polar icecaps to be ice-free

A

next 20 years

99
Q

Can we alter sealevels rising

A

Do to intense storage of heat in oceans now we will not be able to stop sea-level rise

100
Q

What are mitigation tactics

A

decreasing sources: decreasing total GHG emissions

Increasing the sinks: finding ways to remove CO2 from atmosphere (carbon capture)

101
Q

Bathtub analogy

A

Faucet=carbon sources

Drain= sinks of carbon

102
Q

How can we lessen our demand for GHG: Demand-driven

A

Improve Energy Efficiency (E.g. Hybrid vehicles)

Improve every consumption (E.g. walking/ turning lights ogg)

103
Q

Give example of a green building

A

Wendell Wyatt

60-65% less energy than regular

104
Q

Energy efficiency dilemma

A

Energy efficiency increases with economic growth BUT GHG also increase

105
Q

How can we lessen our demand for GHG: Supply-side

A

Renewable energies (e.g. wind turbines)

106
Q

List some biomass sources

A

human sewage
corn and ag residues
food waste

107
Q

Publicly, what is the most support energy source

A

solar

108
Q

What are the benefits and challenges associated with alternative energy sources

A 
Benefits:
- reduced emissions
-sustainable
-easy distribution
Cons
- Cost
- conflicts for land use
- variable outputs (wind/sun)
109
Q

How can we adapt to climate change

A
  • migration corridors
  • 50 million tree program
  • green roofs

2130 (2 decks)

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