Cycles and pertubations

Question 1

What is a Cycle?

Answer 1

A pathway that describes how a substance moves through the various components of the earth system. Involved with reservoirs, flux and energy.

Question 2

What is the water cycle?

Answer 2

Reservoirs of water: ocean, clouds, glacial and groundwater
The flux of water: evaporation, condensation and precipitation. Surface runoff
Energy sources: The sun and gravity

Question 3

What is a perturbance?

Answer 3

An external force is changing the cycle. New reservoirs may be added, or existing reservoirs may be removed. Perturbation is like landslides, pollution, and changes in the earth’s orbit around the sun.

Question 4

What are the types of system responses?

Answer 4

• Linear response: The magnitude of the response is proportionate to the perturbation.
  -Feedback loops: Situations in the response to a perturbation or disturbance include an effect on the magnitude of the perturbation. A positive feedback loop increases the magnitude of the perturbation(exponential), and a negative feedback loop decreases the magnitude of the perturbation(episodic).
• Non-linear response: The magnitude of the response is not proportionate to the perturbation

Question 5

What are the spatial scales for system response?

Answer 5

Large spatial scale - climate change, ice ages
Small spatial scale- construction of a dam
Across spatial scales- ENSO

Question 6

What is the Temporal Scale?

Answer 6

Long time scales- ice ages evolution
Short time scale - volcanic eruption, weather changes
Across time scales- CO2 emitted today.