Chapter 18 Vocabulary Flashcards
Tropopause
Capping the trposphere
The Troposhere
The atmospheric layer closest to the earth.
The Stratosphere
The layer above the Troposphere which extends about 40 miles high containing ozone. (Temperature increases as you go up in this layer)
Weather
The day to day variations in temperature, air pressure, wind humidity etc.
Solar Radiation
The light and energy emitted by the sun which is captured by the earth and turned into heat
Climate
the long term weather patterns in an area
Meteorology
Is the study of weather and climate
Convection Currents
Are vertical air currents cause by warmer air from the surface rising expanding, cooling, and sinking.
Jet Streams
Rivers or air high in the troposphere which travel at speeds of more than 300 mph
Fronts
Boundaries of air masses which experience rapid weather change.
Monsoons
Are major seasonal airflows which often represent a reversal of previous wind patterns.
IPCC
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Thermohaline
the effects that temperature and salinity have on density and seawater
El Niño
Occurs when a major shift in atmospheric pressure leads to reversal of trade winds that ussualy come from the east.
El Nina
Occurs when a change in atmospheric pressure causes and intensifying effect of eaastern trade winds
Radioactive Forcing
The influence a particular factor has on the energy balance
Mitigation
Actions designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The Precautionary Principle
The lack of scientific certainty should not postpone measures
Equity Principle
The rich and privileged must care about the poor and generations to follow
The Kyoto Protocol
Aimed at reduceing greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% by 2012
Adaption
Means accepting the consequences of climate change
