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Climate Change > Important things > Flashcards

Important things Flashcards

1
Q

Actual Measurement

A

Actual measurements that prove that temperature is increasing over time
-actual measurements are geographically sparse and temporally short

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2
Q

Climate Proxy

A

Used to infere past climate when actual measurements arent available

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3
Q

How do you date something?

A
  • Depth
  • [Gas]
  • Ash layer
  • Varves
  • Isotopes
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4
Q

Emission Scenarios

A

How we behave as humans dictates what the earth will look like

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5
Q

Factors that control emissions?

A

CO2 input to the atmosphere

Technology

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6
Q

RCP

A

Representative Concentration Pathways

-Emissions scenarios based on the radiative forcing caused by humans and that occur naturally

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7
Q

Concept from UNFCCC

A

To stabilize global [GHG] in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system

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8
Q

Commitment

A

What we can expect based on what we’ve already done

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9
Q

Why model?

A
  • Simplify complex system
  • Better understanding of the system
  • Predicting and policy needs
  • Help understand climate change in the future
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10
Q

Why are models simplified

A
  • Dont know enough about the climate system
  • Computer & Time restraints
  • Simplifying a complex system with ought losing important information
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11
Q

GCM

A

Global Circulation Models

-first models used and didnt include ocean component

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12
Q

AOGCM

A

Atmosphere and Ocean Global Circulation Models

-used to understand the dynamics of the physical components of the climate system and make projections for the future

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13
Q

Earth System Coupled Models

A

Include all known components and systems of the earth

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14
Q

Hatching

A

Small changes relative to internal variability

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15
Q

Stippling

A

Large changes relative to the 86-05 mean and model agreement

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16
Q

Climate Surprise

A

A gap between ones expectation about the likely climate and whats actually occurring in the climate

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17
Q

Expectable Climate surprises

A

Events whose probable occurrence and be predicted, calculated and and anticipated

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18
Q

Unexpectable climate surprises

A

Events who’s occurrence is abrupt and result in a sudden change to the climate system

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19
Q

2 kinds of abrupt changes

A

Aburpt change to the climate system itself

Changes occur slowly but leads to a tipping point in another system

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20
Q

Tipping poit

A

Steady changes in climate that “trigger” abrupt shifts in humans and natural systems

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21
Q

2 rates of acceleration

A

non liner

threshold

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22
Q

PETM

A

Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum

  • Temperatures measure from marine sediment isotopes
  • Sudden increase in temperatures caused by fast increase in CO2
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23
Q

Quaternary

A

Fancy word for ice ages

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24
Q

Eccentricity

A

Earth orbit around the sun

-100 000

25
Q

Obliquity

A

The tilt of the earth

-

26
Q

Precession of the Equinoxs

A

Combines the wobble and position in orbit

27
Q

A ______ orbit favours ______

A

Circular

Glacial periods

28
Q

Younger Dryas

A

Fast cooling event ~11-12,000 years ago

29
Q

Consequences of shutting off the THC

A

Changes in moisture availability (Cali)
Extinctions
Atmospheric Transfers across eurasia
Coolin north pacific

30
Q

Chironomid

A

Larval stage of a non bitting midge

-temperature sensitive and can be used as a proxy

31
Q

Diatom

A

Unicellular brown algae with a glass shell

-sensitive to drought

32
Q

Possible explanations for megafauna extinctions 13,000 years ago

A
  • Climate change
  • Over hunting
  • Disease
33
Q

TCH Impacts

A
  • increase in extreme weather
  • decrease in algae=decrease in fish
  • Warming in the tropics
  • Changing rainfall patterns
  • Reduced CO2 uptake from ocean
  • disappearance of permanent sea ice
  • increase climate sensitivity (same []= higher temp)
34
Q

Climate can affect

A

Physical system
Ecosystem
Economics
Social

35
Q

5 Factors that contribute to the collapse of societies

A
  1. Human impacts on the environment
  2. Climate change
  3. Friendly neighbours going
  4. Hostile neighbours coming
  5. Dysfunctional political and cultural practices
36
Q

Thermal Expansion

A

When water heats up, it expands and takes up more room

37
Q

Mean sea level

A

The average height of the oceans surface between high and low tides

38
Q

How do you measure mean sea level

A
  • Sea level is constantly measured through gauging stations

- measure one spot and compare it to a reference point. do this multiple times around the world and average it out

39
Q

Eustatic Change

A

Absolute change in sea level (global)

40
Q

Isostatic Change

A

Change in sea level relative to land (Regional or local)

41
Q

Orogeny

A

mountain building (Eustatic)

42
Q

Ice Shelves

A

Permanently floating sheets of ice attached to a land mass

43
Q

Consequences in florida is sea level rises

A

Loss of ag do to drought
Loss of tourism
Loss of Construction
Salinization of water (limestone)

44
Q

Urban Centres are 3 things in terms of climate change…

A

Drivers
Affected
Sources of response

45
Q

UHI

A

Urban Heat Islands

-form due to the difference in temperature between city and rural areas

46
Q

Causes of UHI to become warmer

A 
Ashfault
Shingles
Tall Buildings
City pollution
Vegetation removal
47
Q

Dirunal Varitaiton

A

heat can escape easier than a rural environment due to city structures

48
Q

Stress to water supply of a city comes from

A
  • increased demand
  • old pipes
  • upgrade in water quality treatment
  • Removing vegetation
49
Q

3 Pillars

A

Environment
Economy
Society

50
Q

Intra-generational justice

A

Everyone should be entitled to the same living conditions and lifestyles

51
Q

Inter-generational justice

A

Thinking about future generations and not leaving the planet in worse shape

52
Q

How to implement mitigation in terms of the law?

A

Carbon tax and cap and trade

-use of GHG emitting substances is internalized

53
Q

how to implement adaptation in terms of the law?

A
  • Local community rights

- Hydro initiatives

54
Q

How to implement remedy through climate litigations?

A

Going to court to get the law to determine fate and implement policies

55
Q

Mitigation

A

Reducing emission

56
Q

Adaptation

A

Preparing for climate change

-action done after the fact

57
Q

Geoengineering

A

Deliberate large scale intervention in earths natural systems to counteract climate change

58
Q

2 forms of geoengineering

A

Carbon cycle modification

Solar radiation management

Climate Change (1 decks)

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