Climate Change

Question 1

How much has carbon dioxide increased in the atmosphere since the industrial revolution?

Answer 1

40%

Question 2

What percentage of greenhouse gas related heat gets absorbed by the ocean?

Answer 2

93%

Question 3

Which ocean is experiencing the greatest change in average temperatures?

Answer 3

arctic

Question 4

What are some consequences to increased global temperatures?

Answer 4

• loss of ice sheets/glaciers
• rise in sea level (due to thermal expansion)
• lower salinity in coastal Pacific ocean, higher salinity in the Atlantic ocean, open Pacific ocean
• change in ocean convection
• increased stratification in tropics
• release of mercury from permafrost

Question 5

How are ocean currents affected by warming waters?

Answer 5

• arctic water near Greenland warms and is not dense enough to sink
• lack of dense water prevents warm equatorial water from being brought up north to be cooled, disrupts upwellings

Question 6

Why is increased stratification bad?

Answer 6

• it prevents oxygen from reaching the bottom depths and prevents nutrients from being delivered to surface
• can cause HABs/eutrophication