Foundations of Climate Change

Question 1

describes the long term differences in the statistics of weather patterns measured over multi-decadal periods

Answer 1

climate change

Question 2

refers to the exact state of the atmosphere at a particular location and climate

Answer 2

weather

Question 3

refers to the long term patterns or statistics of the weather

Answer 3

climate

Question 4

what are 6 areas to measure historic climate change

Answer 4

1) surface thermometer 2)satellite temp 3)glacier ice 4)arctic sea extent 5) ocean heat 6)sea level

Question 5

how much has the Earth warmed since the late 19th century

Answer 5

1 degree Celsius

Question 6

what are the two contributing factors to sea level rise

Answer 6

loss of grounded ice and thermal expansion of water

Question 7

Describe how the earth’s climate has changed over long periods of time and

Answer 7

cycling of cooling and warming (difference of 6 degrees over thousands of years) interglacial and ice ages. cooling ended 300 years ago and extreme warming began in the industrial revolution 1800s(too hot too fast)

Question 8

explain different methods for measuring non-anthropogenic climatic changes

Answer 8

1)tree rings, 2)corals, 3)speleothems, 4)ice cores, and 5)ocean sediment

Question 9

what is anthropogenic climate change

Answer 9

greenhouse gases are increasing due to human activity, burning fossil fuels

Question 10

what is energy balance

Answer 10

sunlight (or energy) to the Earth is absorbed by the atmosphere and reflected back to space (through clouds) - this exchange of radiation back to space is energy balance and determines the temperature of the earth

Question 11

what is radiative forcing

Answer 11

when the amount of energy that enters the earth’s atmosphere is different from the amount of heat that leaves

Question 12

what are greenhouse gases and how do they effect the atmosphere

Answer 12

GHGs absorb radiation and reduce the heat reflected back to space. this trapping and warming is the GHG effect.

Question 13

what are the primary greenhouse gases, their sources, and relative contribution to climate change

Answer 13

water vapor (H2O) - evaporation, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) - fossil fuels, Methane (CH4) - agriculture/waste disposal, Nitrious Oxide (N2O) and Halocarbons - agricultural/industrial, and Ozone (O3) - hydrocarbons such as fuel and propane

Question 14

what are aerosols

Answer 14

particles so small that the buoyant forces can be stronger than the forces of gravity and remain suspended in the atmosphere. they reflect radiation and cool the atmosphere

Question 15

what are the natural processes that effect the climate

Answer 15

tectonic shifts, output of the sun, orbit variations, unforced variability

Question 16

Describe extreme-event attribution science and the data and techniques scientists use to connect climate change to extreme events

Answer 16

quantify contribution on climate change on an extreme event: 1)historical analysis 2)physics of the event and 3)GCM models

Question 17

Describe how climate tipping points could disrupt natural systems and harm human well-being.

Answer 17

climate system undergo large rapid shift (disrupted ocean currents cause temperature shift or rapid melting ice to SLR)

Question 18

Explain the different approaches and key considerations of climate change adaptation

Answer 18

infrastructure (sea walls), government influence (water consumption initiative) - large scale coordination and financial implications

Question 19

Discuss trends in the energy system and how energy sources can contribute to or mitigate climate change. Understand relative carbon intensities of energy sources.

Answer 19

reduce emissions with renewable energy: wind solar biomass hydroelectric nuclear or carbon sequestration and storage (CSS)

Question 20

understand geoengineering technologies

Answer 20

sulfur input/radiation management, carbon dioxide removal, BECCS (manipulating our atmosphere)