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Climate Change > Climate Change > Flashcards

Climate Change Flashcards

1
Q

How are ice cores used to reconstruct past climates?

A

They contain air which record the gaseous composition at the time of freezing. Lower frequency of hydrogen and oxygen atoms suggest a colder climate.

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2
Q

How are tree rings use to reconstruct past climates?

A

They show the age of trees as well as the climatic conditions – the wider the ring the more growth due to warmer climate and more moisture availability.

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3
Q

How are fossils of plants and animals used to reconstruct past climate?

A

They can be used to suggest what the climate was like as plants and
animals require specific conditions to survive.

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4
Q

How are sea-floor sediments used to reconstruct past climate?

A

They are made up of shells of foraminifera, the chemical composition of which can be used to indicate ocean temperature.

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5
Q

How are lake sediment used to reconstruct past climate?

A

They contain pollen, spores and
diatoms which can be used to infer climatic conditions based on vegetation types. Varves can be
used to identify seasonal variations.

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6
Q

When was the Holocene period?

A

0.012 million years ago

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7
Q

When was the Oligocene period?

A

33 million years ago.

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8
Q

When was the Eocene period?

A

55 million years ago.

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9
Q

When was the Paleocene period?

A

65 million years ago.

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10
Q

When was the GCC extinction Event?

A

Between 250 and 298 million years ago.

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11
Q

What is external forcing?

A

Linked to changes in the orbital parameters of the Earth (outside Earth’s atmosphere)

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12
Q

What are the processes in the Milankovitch Cycles?

A

Obliquity
Eccentricity
Precession

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13
Q

What is Obliquity?

A

When the Earth’s axial tilt varies from 22 to 24.5 degrees, over a period of 40,000 years.

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14
Q

How does obliquity affect the Earth’s climate?

A

When tilt is closer to 22 degrees, seasonal variety of temperatures are reduced. Summers are colder and winters are warmer so snow doesn’t melt and glaciers expand.

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15
Q

What is eccentricity?

A

When the orbit varies from near circular to markedly elliptical over a period of 96,000 to 413,000 years.

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16
Q

How does eccentricity affect Earth’s climate?

A

When orbit is at maximum elliptical, the Earth is further away from the sun for longer periods of time so glaciation can occur.

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17
Q

What is precession?

A

Refers to when the plantet is closest to sun (perihelion) varies occur a period of 22,000 years.

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18
Q

How does precession affect the Earth’s climate?

A

Perihelion during northern hemisphere winter means that summers are cold and winters are warming so ice doesn’t melt and a glacial period is more likely to occur.

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19
Q

How do volcanic eruption cause climate change in the Earth’s climate?

A

Short term cooling affect as volcanic ash and sulphur dioxide is released into stratosphere. Sulphate aerosols reflect solar radiation back into space.

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20
Q

Example of volcanic eruption?

A

The Mount Pinatubo eruption cooled the climate by 1.3 degrees.

21
Q

Explain two ways in which continental
drift has influenced past climates.

A

100 million years ago (cretaceous period) the continents were in different positions. The distribution and configuration of the continents affect ocean circulation/currents which can influence the climate through heat transfer/the Earth’s energy budget. Distribution: More land mass at higher latitudes increases ice cover which increases albedo and lowers the Earth’s average temperature.

22
Q

What are the evidence of a warming climate?

A

Increase in global temperatures, rising sea levels, shrinking valley glacier and ice sheets.

23
Q

What is radiated from Earth?

A

Long wave infarred terrestral radiation.

24
Q

What are the main reasons for rising GHGs?

A

Manufactoring and transport
Population growth
Land use change

25
Q

What are the main reasons for rising GHGs?

A

Manufacturing and transport
Population growth
Land use change

26
Q

Is the global energy budget an open or closed system?

A

Closed (no movement of matter, only energy)

27
Q

What are the inputs and outputs of the global energy budget?

A

Inputs = solar radiation
Outputs = terrestral radiation
(these want to be in equilibrium)

28
Q

How much solar radiation is reflected by clouds?

A

1/3

29
Q

When did coal production peak in the UK?

A

In 1916 with 137 million tonnes.

30
Q

Who is Joseph Fourier?

A

Discovered the greenhouse effect in 1824.

31
Q

Who is John Tyndall?

A

First suggested that water vapour and CO2 trapped heat escaping the Earth’s atmosphere in 1862, and that glacials were linked with periods of low atmospheric CO2.

32
Q

Who is Svente Arrhenius?

A

Observed in 1896 that co2 is an absorber of long-wave radiation emitted by the Earth so doubling co2 levels would increase temperature by 5 to 6 degrees.

33
Q

Who is Guy Callendar?

A

Linked global warming in nineteenth century to emissions of co2 from burning fossil fuels. In 1938.

34
Q

Who are Hans Suess and Roger Revelle?

A

Discovered a complex chemical process which limited the capacity of oceans to absorb co2 in 1957. (residency time)

35
Q

What was the Mauna Loa observatory on Hawaii role?

A

Collected measurements of global atmospheric CO2 and showed concentrations were increasing year by year. in 1958

36
Q

Who is Michael Mann?

A

Developed famous hockey stick chart that showed average global temperatures over last millennium compared to 1961-1990 average with sharp rise.

37
Q

What is the united nations?

A

Established in 1992 to consider action against climate change through International treaty. This led to the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. Multiple countries agreed to reduce GHG emissions by 5% below 1990 level by 2021 and this was the first time legally binding targets were set.

38
Q

Limitations of Protocol?

A

Developing countries were not included so led to disagreements whether USA should even though they lead the world in emission. Also individual targets were not considered ambitious.

39
Q

The EU role in climate change?

A

The ECCP (European Climate Change Programme) is the EU’s
own mitigation package to reduce GHG emissions which was
launched in 2000. Each EU state has its own policies which build
upon this. The ETS (Emissions Trading System) is a vital part
which includes Cap-and-Trade.

40
Q

How did false balance create confusion?

A

Made climate change seem a much larger debate than reality. Example was the BBC interview of Sir Brian Hoskins and Lord Lawson.

41
Q

How are carbon trading and carbon credits designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

A

Carbon trading the the market-based process of buying and selling credits to emit CO2. A credit is a tradable emission allowance, worth 1 tonne of CO2. A cap is set on emissions which is converted in tradable credits. Emissions monitored each year and participants must surrender enough credits to cover their emissions. Exceeding allowance = fined.

42
Q

Role of media on climate change?

A

Most scientists agree in human-caused climate change yet the issue remains hugely controversial. The climate change debate involves access to
information. Sources of information include the media, scientific and subject specific publications and the internet. Different elements of the media are aimed at specific groups of people.

43
Q

Impact on public image on GCC by the Guardian?

A

Left-leaning and provides facts that share the narrative of 97% scientist.

44
Q

Impact on public image on GCC by Sunday Telegraphy?

A

Right-leaning and likely to report skeptical opinions that increases doubts it makes more money.

45
Q

Impact on public image on GCC by BBC?

A

Focused on balanced views but this can suggest that GCC is more controversial than experts believe.

46
Q

Impact on public image on GCC by ExxonMobil?

A

Knew of GCC since 1977 by spent 30 years promoting GCC denial and increasing doubt in order to avoid restrictions on fossil fuels that would weaken their economic growth.

47
Q

Impact on public image on GCC by BP?

A

Spent $195 million a year to suggest they support action against GCC whilst also investing in climate lobbying. This is done to create confusion on GCC and therefore increase sale by greenwashing.

48
Q

Impact on public image on GCC by Greenpace?

A

Promotes action against GCC and solutions such as renewable but some people may disagree with methods used to publicise views.

Climate Change (1 decks)

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