Greenhouse Effect Flashcards
What radiation comes from the sun?
Short wavelength UV
What happens to IR radiation?
Absorbed by Long wavelength blackbody radiation from earth’s surface not back out.
What is the filter?
CO2
What is the Eath’s temperature without Greenhouse effect?
-18 degrees
Which molecules enhance greenhouse effect?
CO2, CH4, CFCs, N2O
How much CO2 has risen in 30 years?
40ppm
What is the mean global rise in T in the past century?
0.3 to 0.6 degrees
What does the IPPC model predict?
T will rise 0.2 degrees per decade and sea levels rise 6cm per decade.
Implications of climate change?
Northern movement of rain belt implications for food production and flooding in low areas.
Climate model uncertainties of average temperature predictions
Future emission rates of gases, radiative factors eg. Cloud cover, particulates from volcanic eruptions
General circulation models
Complex computer simulations, interactions between atmosphere, oceans and land
Hadley centre model - motrological office in Bracknell
Allowed for atmospheric sulphate particles, counteracts 25% global warming, back calculate to 1860
21st century models
Flat global warming but over estimated by models
Cause of human activities
Increased gases, enhanced green house effect, need decade or more to establish global warming outside of natural climate
