Climate Change and Weather Flashcards 3:
to help study for climate change and weather test
What are proxy records?
Proxy records are sources of climate information, that can be measured to five clues about past climates.
Why are proxy records very valuable to climatologists?
They are very valuable because there are no written measurements of climate data for the very distant past, making proxy records precious.
With the data from proxy records, climatologists can…
Reconstruct past climate conditions to show that the climate in the area has changed.
What are boreholes?
Boreholes are thin, deep holes made in the ground by scientists who then take the temperature many meters below the surface.
How are boreholes a good indicator of past temperatures?
Boreholes are good indicators of past temperatures because the heat travels slowly into the earth, making it easier to track past temperatures.
What are ice cores?
Ice cores are long, cylindrical samples of ice that provide information about snow accumulation, and greenhouse gas amounts.
Tree rings are wider when…
Growing conditions are favorable.
Climatologists use tree rings to..
Estimate the climate of a region going back thousands of years.
What 2 sources of proxy records form rings?
Tree rings and coral reefs.
What type of information do coral reefs give?
They give information about the ocean’s temperature and salinity level.
What produces pollen in large amounts?
Plants.
Pollen is very resistant to…
Decay.
What information does pollen give to climatologists?
Pollen informs climatologists about the type of plants that lived in the area, which is another clue about its climate.
What carries sediment?
Wind and water.
Sediment builds up into…
Layers of rock.
