Global climate-vulnerability and resiliance Flashcards
the atmosphere
A mixture of liquids, solids and gases that surrounds the Earth.
the four parts of the atmosphere
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
What layer of the earth do we live in?
Troposphere
Insolation
Incoming solar radiation
How is energy redistributed across the globe?
Wind circulation and ocean currents
What is an open system
An open system is one that accepts input from external sources and produces output. Such as the ocean and the atmosphere.
radiation the sun emits
Short wave - it has a higher energy
radiation the sun emits
Short wave - it has a higher energy
radiation the earth emits
Long wave - it has lower energy
Convection
Transfer of heat by movement of a gas or liquid
Conduction
Transfer of heat by contact
Greenhouse effect
Natural situation in which heat is retained in Earth’s atmosphere by carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and other gases
Enhanced greenhouse effect
Occurs as a result of increased quantities of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere owing to human activities and their impact on these fragile atmospheric systems
What is energy balance?
The balance between incoming energy from the sun and outgoing energy from the atmosphere
Atmospheric energy budget
Balance between incoming and outgoing solar radiation
What % of shortwave radiation reaches the ground?
46%
What % of short-wave radiation is re-radiated to the atmosphere and lost to space?
14%
What happens to the sun’s energy when it reaches the earth?
Some is reflected by clouds, some is absorbed, or scattered by atmosphere, some reflected by the earth, some absorbed by the earth
How does cloud cover affect the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth?
Less clouds and high clouds mean that more radiation reaches the Earth
What affects the amount of insolation?
Latitude, season, cloud cover, cloud type, angle of the sun
Adaptation
measures to reduce the vulnerability of human and natural systems to climate change.
Albedo
The amount of incoming solar energy reflected back into the atmosphere by the Earth’s surface.
Anthropogenic
Human-related processes
Global warming
The increase in temperatures around the world that has been noticed since the 1960s, particularly since the 1980s.
Mitigation
Attempts to reduce the causes of climate change
Resilience
The ability of a population, human or natural system to absorb change without having to make a fundamental change.
Vulnerability
The degree to which a human or natural system is unable to cope with the impacts of climate change.
