LEC 9: Climate Change Flashcards
3 main GHG’s responsible for blocking the exit of longwave thermal radiation?
Methane, Nitrous Oxide, CO2
What’s Direct Radiative Forcing?
How GHG’s trap outgoing thermal radiation …
GHG’s increase sharply around the time of the …
Industrial revolution.
What kind of greenhouse effect is the greenhouse effect?
An enhanced greenhouse effect.
CO2 contributes roughly how much to the anthropogenic increase?
55% of the anthropogenic increase
Warming should increase evaporate and then cool the planet (positive feedback) … HOWEVER …
Vapor creates clouds, damnit (often blocks outgoing radiation).
Clouds have 2 effects …
Albedo (reflecting sun back) but also trapping heat in.
Stratospheric vs. Tropospheric Ozone
Stratospheric ozone = negative forcing (good!) … Tropospheric = positive forcing (BAD)
What substances cause the most negative forcing (offsetting the damage, slightly) …
Aerosols (also human-made), like DUST and stuff.
What kind of effect do Aerosols have on direct radiative forcing?
Negative forcing … (which is a good thing).
Indirect cooling
increased cloud coverage (albedo)
Direct cooling
reflection (?) okay.
GHG concentration FIRST began to change when?
8 Kya / rice patties / cattle
What season comes early because C.C.?
Spring
Most highly affected region during C.C.?
Arctic.
Will summers be much warmer?
No. Winters will be.
What GHG is sequestered in Permafrost?
Methane.
Word for decrease in ocean pH
acidification
Acidification is …
decrease in ocean pH
C.C. effects will be uniform around the world.
No.
Greenland’s Jacobshavn Glacier
retreated by 40 KM
Acidification prevents “who” from doing “what”?
Plankton from making protective shells
What are the basis of marine food web?
Plankton
Permafrost is where the ground is frozen for how long …
at least 2 years
Before modern crap, CO2 ranged between …
180-280 PPM
180-280 PPM
The “natural” range of CO2 PPM before human junk
Canada is Temperate and Humid. If Earth warms, what type of climate will come creeping up from the South?
Temperate and Arid
The equator is temperate and arid.
No, it’s warm and humid.
We are in the glacial hot house.
No. We are in the inter-glacial cold house.
If there’s even any snow on the peaks of mountains, that means the Earth is still in what kind of house …
Cold, baby.
What was the negative forcing mechanism that stopped tremendous global warming during the Younger Dryas?
Atlantic glaciers fed the deep ocean currents.
Why is Tutty skeptical about negative forcing mechanisms saving the day?
There are no Atlantic glaciers like there were in the Younger Dryas, my sisbros. Bleak, in’it?
What’s mitigation?
Moderate or postpone C.C.
What’s adaptation?
Respond to C.C. (implies we’re already f*cked). IE., changing sewers to handle flooding better.
What are some variables in “deep time” that would affect temperatures greatly?
Milankovitch variables
Not John Malkovich but …
Milankovitch
Negative forcing from Aerosols and
land cover
What’s “faint young sun” got to do with anything
I’d like to know. ..
Sunspots
Are probably good
Name for all cycles on Earth that could affect climate …
BIOGEOCHEMICAL
If supercontinents @ poles
Greater albedo around equator. Causes cooling / negative forcing.
