EAE2111 - Exam Preparation - 1 Flashcards

Question 1

Q

How easily does visible light pass through the atmosphere?

Answer

A

The atmosphere is largely transparent to visible light. (i.e. easily)

_{EAE2111 4aa}

Question 2

Q

What are dominant absorbers of longwave radiation?

Answer

A

Water vapour and CO₂

_{EAE2111 4ab}

Question 3

Q

What determines the solar radiation at a given time and location?

Answer

A

<ul>Time of year<li>Time of day</li><li>Transparency of atmoshpere</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4ac}

Question 4

Q

What is the largest control of spatial variability of atmospheric emissivity?

Answer

A

Moisture

_{EAE2111 4ad}

Question 5

Q

Amount of energy at the surface is always partitioned into?

3 points.

Answer

A

<ul> <li>Latent heat(LE)</li> <li>Sensible heat(H)</li> <li>Soil heat flux(G)</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4ae}

Question 6

Q

Where is there consistently an energy deficit and energy surplus on earth?

Answer

A

Equator (surplus) Poles (deficit)

_{EAE2111 4af}

Question 7

Q

When does condensation occur?

Answer

A

At saturation

_{EAE2111 4ag}

Question 8

Q

What is the Bowen ratio?

Answer

A

Measure of how much energy goes into sensible vs latent heat. B=H/LE

_{EAE2111 4ah}

Question 9

Q

What does a Bowen ratio of <1 mean?

Answer

A

Most of the energy is going into latent heat so it will be cooler and mistier than if the ratio was>1

_{EAE2111 4ai}

Question 10

Q

What does a Bowen ratio> 1 mean?

Answer

A

It will be dryer and warmer than if it was less than one.

_{EAE2111 4aj}

Question 11

Q

What is convection?

Answer

A

The transfer of energy by mass motions within a fluid or gas, resulting in actual transport of energy.

_{EAE2111 4ak}

Question 12

Q

What is conduction?

Answer

A

The transfer of energy in a substance by means of molecular excitation without any net external motion

_{EAE2111 4al}

Question 13

Q

What is radiation?

Answer

A

Electromagnetic waves propagated through space.

_{EAE2111 4am}

Question 14

Q

What is a black body?

Answer

A

A body that emits the maximum radiation for its temperature i.e. it emits all that it absorbs

_{EAE2111 4an}

Question 15

Q

What is shortwave radiation?

Answer

A

Radiation emitted by the sun

_{EAE2111 4ao}

Question 16

Q

What is Planks law?

Answer

A

Total energy emitted and the spectral (wavelength) composition depends on temperature

_{EAE2111 4ap}

Question 17

Q

What does Wien's Displacement law state?

2 points.

Answer

A

<div>In general, states that:</div>

<ul> <li>The higher the black body temperature, the higher proportion of shorter wavelengths in the emitted radiation</li> <li>The lower the black body temperature, the lower the proportion of shorter wavelengths in the emitted radiation</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4aq}

Question 18

Q

Which wavelengths of light is the atmosphere most transparent to?

Answer

A

Visible light

_{EAE2111 4ar}

Question 19

Q

For a given location and time what does shortwave radiation depend on?

Answer

A

<ul>Time of year<li>Time of day</li><li>‘Transparency’ of the atmosphere</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4as}

Question 20

Q

What is the largest control of local atmospheric emissivity?

Answer

A

Moisture

_{EAE2111 4at}

Question 21

Q

When are radiative fluxes positive?

Answer

A

When they represent a gain to the surface

_{EAE2111 4au}

Question 22

Q

When are non-radiative fluxes positive?

Answer

A

Positive when directed away from the surface (the usual daytime situation), and negative when directed toward the surface

_{EAE2111 4av}

Question 23

Q

How is a Net surplus of energy transferred to the atmosphere?

2 points.

Answer

A

Via convective fluxes

<ul> <li>Sensible heat flux (H)</li> <li>Latent heat flux (LE)</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4aw}

Question 24

Q

What is sensible heat flux?

Answer

A

(H):the heat we feel

_{EAE2111 4ax}

Question 25

Q

What is latent heat flux?

Answer

A

(LE):energy transferred through a phase change of water

_{EAE2111 4ay}

Question 26

Q

What effects energy transfer in soil?

Answer

A

<ul>Pore space<li>Moisture content</li><li>Soil composition</li><li>Texture</li><li>With moisture availability being most important</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4az}

Question 27

Q

What leads to larger eddy diffusivities?

Answer

A

Large mean wind speed

_{EAE2111 4ba}

Question 28

Q

What is the (PGF)?

Answer

A

Pressure gradient force= air moving from high to low pressure

_{EAE2111 4bb}

Question 29

Q

How does Air density relate to surface pressure and temperature?

Answer

A

.

Air density is directly related to surface pressure and inversely related to temperature. <div>In reality, this means that an increase in temperature often leads to a decrease in air density and pressure_{EAE2111 4bc}</div>

Question 30

Q

What does high temperature mean for air pressure at the surface and aloft?

Answer

A

Low pressure at the surface<div>High pressure aloft_{EAE2111 4bd}</div>

Question 31

Q

What are geostrophic winds?

Answer

A

Ideal winds that occur at 90 degrees to the coriolis force and PGF

_{EAE2111 4be}

Question 32

Q

Where are winds closest to being geostrophic?

Answer

A

Away from the surface where friction is not a factor

_{EAE2111 4bf}

Question 33

Q

What is mechanical turbulence?

Answer

A

Turbulence created when wind collides with objects in its path?

_{EAE2111 4bg}

Question 34

Q

Thermal turbulence?

Answer

A

Created by warm air parcels rising

_{EAE2111 4bh}

Question 35

Q

What are the five states of atmospheric stability?

4 points.

Answer

A

<ul>Absolutely stable<li>Saturated neutral</li><li>Conditionally unstable</li><li>Dry neutral</li><li>Absolutely unstable</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4bi}

Question 36

Q

Why doesn't the hadley circulation reach the poles?

Answer

A

The earth's rotation and resultings coriolis force

_{EAE2111 4bj}

Question 37

Q

What are the three main circulating cells?

3 points.

Answer

A

<ul><li>Hadley cell</li><li>Feral cell</li><li>Polar cell</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4bk}

Question 38

Q

What are the general climate zones?

Answer

A

<div>Polar-Cold, dry, easterly winds</div>

<div>Mid-latitude-Cool, wet, fronts, westerly winds, windy</div>

<div>Sub-tropical-Dry year-round, hot, light winds, high pressure</div>

<div>Tropical-Precipitation year-round, warm, humid, convective, ITCZ, easterly winds</div>

_{EAE2111 4bl}

Question 39

Q

Ekman transport direction?

Answer

A

At right angles to the surface winds.

<div>To the left in Sothern Hemisphere </div>

<div>To the right in the Northern Hemisphere.</div>

_{EAE2111 4bm}

Question 40

Q

How is the flow in the upper ocean characterised?

Answer

A

Flow in the upper ocean, off the equator, is largely geostrophic (a balance between PGF and coriolis force).

_{EAE2111 4bn}

Question 41

Q

What does heated air do?

Answer

A

Heated air expand vertically

_{EAE2111 4bo}

Question 42

Q

What causes differences in sensible heating?

Answer

A

<ul> <li>Moisture availability including soil moisture (may influence Rₙ and/or H)</li> <li>Albedo (may influence Rₙ)</li> <li>Vegetation (may influence Rₙ and/or H)</li> <li>Topography (influence Rₙ)</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4bp}

Question 43

Q

What causes thermally induced circulation?

Answer

A

Large differences in Rₙ or H

_{EAE2111 4bq}

Question 44

Q

What are the earth’s boundary conditions:

Answer

A

<ul>Land surface structure <li>Atmospheric composition </li><li>Astronomical parameters</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4br}

Question 45

Q

What is climate variability?

Answer

A

How much the atmosphere varies around a typical value, given fixed boundary conditions

_{EAE2111 4bs}

Question 46

Q

What is climate change?

Answer

A

How the atmosphere varies due to changing boundary conditions

_{EAE2111 4bt}

Question 47

Q

What are the causes surface temperature gradients?

Answer

A

<ul>Existence of land masses, location and composition. <li>Land surface type and topography </li><li>Oceanic conditions</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4bu}

Question 48

Q

What is a mode of variability?

Answer

A

A recurring pattern with similar features in time and space, that we have an understanding of the physical processes underlying._{EAE2111 4bv}

Question 49

Q

What are the major modes of variability?

Answer

A

<ul>Northern Annular Mode (AO/NAM)<li>North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)</li><li>Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)</li><li>El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO)</li><li>Pacific – South America pattern (PSA)</li><li>Southern Annular Mode (SAM)</li><li>Indian Ocean Dipole 0(IOD)</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4bw}

Question 50

Q

What causes El Nino-southern oscillation?

Answer

A

<div>During some years, upwelling along the South American coast is enhanced or suppressed. Which causes, Changes patterns of sea surface temperatures and pressure – changing Walker Circulation causing an Oscillatory east-west movement</div>

<div>When movement is very large, this is called El Niño and La Niña</div>

_{EAE2111 4bx}

Question 51

Q

How do La Nina and El Nino compare?

Answer

A

<div>La Niña enhances normal conditions</div>

<div>El Niño evens out, or reverses, normal conditions</div>

_{EAE2111 4by}

Question 52

Q

What is a Teleconnection?

Answer

A

Knock on or downstream effects of a mode of variability.

_{EAE2111 4bz}

Question 53

Q

Uncertainties in climate models stem from?

Answer

A

<ul>Parameterizations (P) <li>Initial conditions (I) </li><li>Forcings (important for projections!!)</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4ca}

Question 54

Q

10 indicators of a warming world?

Answer

A

<ul> <li>Decreasing glacier volume</li> <li>Increasing temperature over land</li> <li>Decreasing snow cover</li> <li>Increasing sea level</li> <li>Increasing ocean heat content</li> <li>Increasing sea surface temperature</li> <li>Increasing marine air temperature</li> <li>Decreasing sea ice area</li> <li>Increasing water vapour</li> <li>Increasing air temperature</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4cb}

Question 55

Q

10 indicators of a human fingerprint on climate change?

Answer

A

<ul>Less heat escaping to space<li>Cooling stratosphere</li><li>More fossil fuel carbon in the air</li><li>More heat returning to Earth</li><li>Less oxygen in the air</li><li>30 billion tonnes of CO2 per year</li><li>Nights warming faster than days</li><li>More fossil fuel carbon in coral</li><li>Rising tropopause</li><li>Shrinking thermosphere</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4cc}

Question 56

Q

What are the types of climate simulations?

Answer

A

<ul> <li>Control simulations</li> <li>Transient simulations</li> <li>Sensitivity experiments</li> <li>Projections</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4cd}

Question 57

Q

What are control simulations?

Answer

A

Simulations with Boundary parameters kept constant (e.g. GHG concentrations, position of continents)

_{EAE2111 4ce}

Question 58

Q

What are Transient simulations?

Answer

A

<ul>Boundary conditions become variable i.e. observed changes to greenhouse gases and aerosols now included <li>Natural perturbations included (e.g. volcanoes, solar cycles)</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4cf}

Question 59

Q

What are sensitivity experiments?

Answer

A

Boundary parameters kept constant (e.g. GHG concentrations, position of continents) Equilibrium temperature response for double CO2

_{EAE2111 4cg}

Question 60

Q

What are Projections?

Answer

A

Assumes future changes in emissions and associated response in radiative forcing

<div>(i.e. additional energy to the climate system) </div>

_{EAE2111 4ch}

Question 61

Q

What is a prediction?

Answer

A

Prediction uses the past state of information to determine the future state e.g. a weather model

<div>(i.e. based on initial conditions)</div>

_{EAE2111 4ci}

Question 62

Q

What is a Projection?

Answer

A

Projection determines a possible future state based on possibilities of future information e.g. a climate model

<div>(i.e. based on possible future boundary conditions)</div>

_{EAE2111 4cj}

Question 63

Q

What does CO₂ having a long residence time mean?

Answer

A

Even if emission is stopped tomorrow, warming will not stop immediately.

_{EAE2111 4ck}

Question 64

Q

What are the fundamental policy strategies to deal with climate change?

Answer

A

<ul>Adaptation<li>Mitigation</li><li>Geoengineering</li></ul>

_{EAE2111 4cl}

Answer 65

A

Defined by the IPCC as "adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities."

<div>Issues of adaptive capacity and adaptive governance.</div>

_{EAE2111 4cm}

Answer 66

A

Defined by the IPCC as “an intervention to reduce human-caused net emissions of greenhouse gases.”

<div>Issues of the common interest</div>

_{EAE2111 4cn}

Answer 67

A

Defined by the IPCC as “Methods that aim to deliberately alter the climate system to counter climate change .”

<div>Issues of technology and ethics</div>

_{EAE2111 4co}

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EAE2111 - Exam Preparation - 1 Flashcards

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