Lecture 3 Flashcards
When was the Kyoto Protocol negotiated?
1997
When was the Kyoto Protocol open for signature?
1998
When did the Kyoto Protocol come into force?
February 16, 2005
Under the Kyoto Protocol, industrialized countries will reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by how much compared to the year 1990?
5.2%
The Kyoto Protocol reduces the expected emissions in 2010 by how much?
29%
The Kyoto Protocol’s goal is to reduce overall emissions over what five-year period?
2008-2012
What is the Kyoto’s Protocol reduction target for the European Union?
8%
What is the Kyoto’s Protocol reduction target for the US?
7%
What is the Kyoto’s Protocol reduction target for Japan?
6%
What is the Kyoto’s Protocol reduction target for Russia?
0%
What is the Kyoto’s Protocol reduction target for Australia?
Australia is permitted an 8% increase.
What is the Kyoto’s Protocol reduction target for Iceland?
Iceland is permitted an 10% increase.
What is the limit temperature rise as per the Paris Agreement?
2 degrees Celsius.
The Paris Agreement is the first universal what?
Climate agreement.
The Paris Agreement promises $100 billion a year in climate finance for which types of countries?
Developing nations.
As per the Paris Agreement, 186 countries submitted plans detailing the reduction of what type of pollution?
GHG emissions.
The Paris Agreement seeks carbon neutrality by what year?
2050
By which method is heat transferred from the sun to the earth?
Radiation.
The maximum rate at which heat can be radiated by a body at a given temperature is given by what equation?
The Stefan-Boltzmann equation:
Qmax = σAT^4
Describe the components of the Stefan-Boltzmann equation.
σ is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant (5.67 X 10^-8 W/m^2-K^4), A is the surface area of the body (m^2), and T is the absolute temperature of the body (K).
An object radiating at the maximum possible rate is known as what?
As a black body.
Define heat flux.
The rate of heat transfer per unit of surface area.
What is the relationship between heat flux and the maximum rate of radiation?
q = Qmax/A
Why doesn’t earth’s surface approximate a black body?
Because of the greenhouse effect.
What name is given to the fraction of incoming radiation that is reflected back off the object?
Albedo.
What does the albedo of a surface depend on?
Albedo depends on the properties of a surface.
What is the albedo of Earth’s surface currently estimated to be?
31%
If albedo is denoted by a, and the incoming radiation is denoted by S0, then what equation denotes the rate of energy absorbed (W/m^2)?
S0(1 - a).
Does earth’s estimated 31% albedo consider the effects of GHGs?
No.
The average surface temperature is 15°C. What would it be without greenhouse gases?
-19°C.
If ΔF is radiative forcing, write ΔF in terms of Δqout and Δqin.
Δqout - Δqin
What two phenomena may modify Earth’s ΔF?
Change in the solar input, or changes in Earth’s albedo.
Does positive radiative forcing increase or decrease the radiation absorbed by earth?
Increases.
Does negative radiative forcing increase or decrease the radiation absorbed by earth?
Decreases.
Radiative forcing increases linearly with increase in concentrations of GHGs.
False - there are diminishing returns, meaning the affect of new concentrations depend on the original concentration.
Which equation expresses the total radiative forcing from multiple greenhouse gases as an equivalent CO2 concentration?
Cequiv(ppmvCO2) = Co exp(ΔFtot/6.3), or ΔFtot = 6.3ln(Cequi/Co).
What is the climate sensitivity factor (γ)?
γ is the ratio of the final temperature change (Δte) to the change in radiative forcing ΔFrad.
Write the equation of the climate sensitivity factor γ.
γ = Δte / ΔFrad.
What is earth’s climate sensitivity factor, based on empirical correlations?
γ= 0.65 °C/W-m^2
