landform effects on climate

Question 1

what modifies latitudinal climate trends? how?

Answer 1

Spatial distribution of land, water and mountains modify the general latitudinal climate trends
a) Alter air flow
b) Change climate

Question 2

what is rainshadow? describe the process

Answer 2

Rainshadows: area of low precipitation on the leeward side of a mountain
- A mountain blocks air flow thus air gets pushed up the slope, is cooled
doesn’t hold the moisture thus rains (warmer air holds moisture). The
BC side of the mountain (leeward) is consequently arid (warmer)
while the Alberta (windward) is moist.

Question 3

effect of rainshadow?

Answer 3

Increase elevation = increase climate shifts = increase diversity
- Multiple biomes on one mountain
- Exposure (aspect) and slope
-sunlight and shade

Question 4

describe albedo

Answer 4

Albedo: proportion of light reflected form the surface
- Affected by the colour of the surface
- Vegetation, snow reflects more light

Question 5

Primary force responsible for the temporal variation in Earth’s
climate?

Answer 5

changes in solar radiation

Question 6

what has the largest effect on orbit

Answer 6

the sun

Question 7

what temporal scales does variation in climate occur at?

Answer 7

a) Long term changes: variations in Earth’s orbit caused ice age b/c change distributions of
weight
b) Interannual change: every 3-7 years for El Nino
c) Short term change: seasons and diurnal cycles

Question 8

what are long term changes due to

Answer 8

Long term changes are mainly due to predictable changes in Earth’s orbit

Question 9

eccentricity?

Answer 9

Eccentricity: degree of ellipticity of Earth’s orbit around the sun (ie.
How round orbit is around the sun; more round = less variation = less
eccentric)

Question 10

obliquity?

Answer 10

Obliquity (tilt): angle between Earth’s axis of rotation relative to plane
of orbit around the sun

Question 11

precession?

Answer 11

Precession (wobbling): Earths axis with respect to stars, determining
the time of year when Earth is closest to the sun
-Factors that affect this: how the moon impacts the tides b/c
its shifts the distribution of weigh

Question 12

why are there changes in milankovitch cycles over time?

Answer 12

Small interactions of earth with other major planets such as Saturn and Jupiter and their
gravitational pull

Question 13

How do we reconstruct past climate to see if our predictions are correct?

Answer 13

1. Ice core sampling - determine the atmosphere conditions in air bubbles
2. Fossil tree rings - representation of the conditions of the environment such as typical
   growth conditions and variables in climate. Ultimately need carbon analysis for exactness
3. Pollen samples in sediment - can determine dominate plants that were producing pollen:
   actual species level. Can compare to plants that exist today.