Chapter 4 - CO2 and Long Term Climate Flashcards
Why are natural chemical weathering rates difficult to determine?
Due to complicating effects of dissolution. Dissolution is faster and thus accounts for most ions flowing in rivers, which does not control CO2 levels
Also agriculture and industrial activity has disturbed natural chemistry
Why could water vapour (clouds) not be a thermostat?
It amplifies rather than moderates climate changes
How is carbon released back to the surface?
Weathering of carbon-bearing rocks at the surface and volcanic processes
Why does the faint young sun pose a paradox?
In the early formation of the earth, the suns radiation was very weak as it was new and runway combustion had not fully activated. However life still managed to form thus atmosphere must have had a thermostat to counteract weak radiation
What evidence suggest earth has had a long term thermostat?
As there has been no long term CO2 build up. Climate change has been regulated in the past i.e. recovery
Why is volcanism not a good candidate as a thermostat?
As volcanism responds to heat in the earths interior, not surface. As there is no link between surface changes and interior processes, volcanism cannot be a thermostat
