Climate change!!

Question 1

When roughly was the Hadeon eon started?

Answer 1

4.6 Gya

Question 2

How was the moon formed?

Answer 2

50-70Mya after Earth formed, mars sized object crashed and caused moon to be created.

Question 3

Explain some events that occurred in the first 600 Mya of history?

Answer 3

Sun was 30% fainter, no atmosphere formed at beginning but outgasing(release of gases) formed an atmosphere of H2O, CO, H2S,SO2. Zircons(ZrSiO4) show oceans and material had formed by 4.4 Gya.

Question 4

Did impacts occur?

Answer 4

Yes until around 3.9Gya.

Question 5

What eon was the oldest rock found in?

Answer 5

Hadean, around 3Gya.

Question 6

Explain the evolution of life around the Archaen eon.
What did this era end with?
How do tectonics differ now?

Answer 6

Evolution of prokaryotes called methanogens.
CO2+4H2 –> CH4 + 2H2O
The great oxidation around 2.8Gya due to eukaryotes called cyanobacteria.
Higher heat flow, smaller plates.

Question 7

What is the faint sun paradox?

Answer 7

The sun was faint, but it wasnt frozen?
The Earth has had a pretty consistent climate with a few climates.
Caused by greenhouse effect!

Question 8

The CO2 hasnt really changed dramatically over the many years, but there was a lot of activity, where does it go?
What is the main removal of CO2?

Answer 8

Removal
CaSiO3 + H2CO3 –> CaCO3 + SiO2 + H2O
This is very well balanced!

Question 9

What happened to the rate of hydrolysis as the Earth warmed?

Answer 9

It became wetter so therefore it increased.

Question 10

Why is CH4 considered a positive feedback mechanism in the early Earth?

Answer 10

As methane increased, temperature increased which increased methanogenesis, which increases methane.

Question 11

If there is more CH4 than CO2 what happens?

Answer 11

Photo dissociation causes an anti-greenhouse effect than causes energy to be re-emitted to space.

Question 12

Describe, the GREAT OXIDATION

Answer 12

2.4 Gya. A massive increas in cyanobacteria, decreases CO2 and increase O2.
O2 out competed methanogenesis.
Major glaciation.

Question 13

What is the big glaciation called?

Answer 13

Cryogenian.

Question 14

How does a runaway glaciation effect occur?

Answer 14

Albedo increases(reflection), temp decreases, ice cover increases.

Question 15

Explain the Cambrian explosion.

Answer 15

Early Phanerozoic, response to snowball of Proterozoic.

Question 16

Explain the animals present in the Cambrian age.

Answer 16

No ice cover, only marine life. No terrestrial life.

Question 17

Explain the conditions during the Devonian age.

Answer 17

Some plants and animals. Removal of CO2 via hydrolysis.

Question 18

Explain the conditions during the Carboniferous.

Answer 18

Dominated by coal swamps and forests.

Question 19

What was the permo-carboniferous glaciation?

Answer 19

The biggest glacation instance within the Proterozoic era.

Question 20

Explain the Permian-triassic extinction.

Answer 20

Pangea experiences diverse seasonal variation.
Biggest extinction event, 95% destroyed. Marine invertebrates worst hit. Not much evidence exists only ideas such as a nimpact event, volcanism blah blah blah

Question 21

Explain the siberian traps and their influence.

Answer 21

Sulphur aerosols blocked out earth and caused great heat increase, but flora and fauna survived!

Question 22

What happened during the Mesozoic era?

Answer 22

Dinosaurs!

Question 23

What subsequently happened in the Cretaceous era?

Answer 23

The dinosaurs got fucked.

Question 24

What was the PETM?

What was the supposed causes?

Answer 24

Paleocene/Eocene temperature maximum
Flora died, it got fucking hot, big fuck off trees.
Large release of methane hydrates which was highly potent.

Question 25

What is the quartenary?

Answer 25

The last 2.4 Mya.

Question 26

What is orbital forcing theory?

Answer 26

Glaciations are controlled by change in radiation received by earths orbit.

Question 27

What is the Younger-Dryas?

Answer 27

An event that occured during the rapid degalciation that caused a climate flip flop. It was the last major cold event.

Question 28

It is clear that there have been warmer and colder periods in the past,so should we be worried about climate change?

Answer 28

YES!

Question 29

How can we model the future climate?

Answer 29

Using model/[proxy comparison of the end of the Holocene. High resolution data such as tree rings and corals are available. Antrholocene is the last 150 years.

Question 30

What is the single box model?

Answer 30

Planets temperature is based on forcing(ultimately sun drives climate).