Global climate change Flashcards
What is climate?
the average conditions experienced in a rejoin over long periods of time
What is the greenhouse effect?
process by which radiation from a planets atmosphere warms the planets surface to a temperature above what it would be without the atmosphere
What is net radiative forcing?
difference of insolation (sunlight) absorbed by the Earth and energy radiated back to space
What does human activity do to greenhouse effect?
Means less heat escapes back out into space
What is the IPCC?
The intergovernmental panel on climate change
When was increase in co2 exchange noticed?
In 1957 by revelle r, noticed increase of atmospheric co2 over few decades had occurred
What is the keeling curve?
Shows CO2 core ppm increase
Where did keeling track CO2?
In the Arctic and mona loa volcano summit
What are the main greenhouse gases?
Co2, methane, nitrous oxide
What is GWP?
Global warming potential, compares the integrated radiative forcing over a specified period, a measure of how much energy the emissions of one ton of a gas will absorb over a given period of time compared to a ton of c02
What are the biogenic sources of methane?
> 70% of global total emissions are from wetlands, rice agriculture, livestock, landfills, forests, oceans and termites
What are the consequences of climate change?
warming, more extreme weather events, changes in population patterns, sea ice loss, melting glaciers, sea level rise, ocean acidification, ecosystem change
