Measuring climate change

Question 1

Examples of climate change monitoring systems

Answer 1

Atmospheric, seawater, artic sea ice, measurements from ice itself

Question 2

Deriving temperature from a mineral, based on the d18(O) value (equation 1)

Answer 2

Fractionation factor, alpa(A-B)

See notes

Question 3

Deriving temperature from a mineral, based on the d18(O) value (equation 2)

Answer 3

δ 18Osample (‰), see notes

Question 4

Deriving temperature from a mineral, based on the d18(O) value (equation 3)

Answer 4

1000lnαA−B ≈δA −δB =ΔA−B

Question 5

Seawater Monitoring explanation

Answer 5

More than 3500 Argo floats drift along the world’s ocean currents and measure temperature and salinity

Question 6

Ice Monitoring explanation

Answer 6

Snow traps air bubbles when it falls and is compressed to form ice

The composition from the trapped air is measured

The ice enables historic climate reconstruction

Question 7

Deriving temperature from a mineral, based on the d18(O) value (equation 4)

Answer 7

Finding T, High T (>200dgC) 1000lnαA−B = C1 + C2/T^2

and not squared for below 200dgC

Question 8

What is Rayleigh Distillation (equation 5)

Answer 8

R=R(o)f^(alpha(rw-wv) - 1) , R = isotopic ratio

Question 9

What is Rayleigh Distillation

Answer 9

Showing what R(o) looks like, vs with condensation for R(v)R(o)

Question 10

Calculating rw from wv

Answer 10

See notes (derive equations maybe?, not shown on equations to memorise)

Question 11

Explain the magnitude of temperature increase

Answer 11

Additional effect from industrialisation, cooling reflective aerosol particles. An increase in soot due to increase in sulphate aerosol meant that the albedo increased for our planet, hence reflectivity

Question 12

List some radiative forcing components

Answer 12

Water
Carbon Dioxide
Black Carbon (S)
Methane
Ozone
Nitrous Oxide
Chloromethane
CFCl3
CF2Cl2
CF2ClH
CCl4