Module 13 (Public Health Implications of Climate Change) Flashcards
What are reasons the earth’s climate has changed in the past?
Solar output, greenhouse gas concentration, events such as super volcanoes and asteroid impacts, continental drift (formation of mountains, location of ocean currents), albedo (how light or dark the planet is)
What is albedo?
Albedo is the fraction of light that a surface reflects. If it is all reflected, the albedo is equal to 1. If 30% is reflected, the albedo is 0.3. The albedo of Earth’s surface (atmosphere, ocean, land surfaces) determines how much incoming solar energy, or light, is immediately reflected back to space.
What are the Milankovitch cycles?
The earth’s orbital cycles, including:
- The shape of Earth’s orbit, known as eccentricity;
- The angle Earth’s axis is tilted with respect to Earth’s orbital plane, known as obliquity (tilt)
- The direction Earth’s axis of rotation is pointed, known as precession (wobble)
How long have CO2 and other greenhouse gas levels been increasing?
Since the Industrial Revolution
What are the main greenhouse gases?
Carbon Dioxide
Methane
Nitrous Oxide
Chlorofluorocarbons
Tropospheric Ozone
What other elements can cause a warming effect?
Particulate pollutants that absorb sunlight (e.g. soot)
What is carbon dioxide?
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important heat-trapping gas, also known as a greenhouse gas, that comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas), from wildfires, and natural processes like volcanic eruptions.
Accounts for about 76% of global greenhouse gas emissions
What is methane?
Methane (CH4) is a hydrocarbon that is a primary component of natural gas. Methane is also a greenhouse gas (GHG), so its presence in the atmosphere affects the earth’s temperature and climate system. Methane is emitted from a variety of anthropogenic (human-influenced) and natural sources. Anthropogenic emission sources include landfills, oil and natural gas systems, agricultural activities, coal mining, stationary and mobile combustion, wastewater treatment, and certain industrial processes.
Methane is the second most abundant anthropogenic GHG after carbon dioxide (CO2), accounting for about 16 percent of global emissions. Methane is more than 28 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.
What is nitrous oxide?
In 2021, nitrous oxide (N2O) accounted for 6% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from human activities (such as ?laughing gas anesthesia?). Human activities such as agriculture, fuel combustion, wastewater management, and industrial processes are increasing the amount of N2O in the atmosphere. Nitrous oxide is also naturally present in the atmosphere as part of the Earth’s nitrogen cycle and has a variety of natural sources. Nitrous oxide molecules stay in the atmosphere for an average of 121 years before being removed by a sink or destroyed through chemical reactions. The impact of 1 pound of N2O on warming the atmosphere is 265 times that of 1 pound of carbon dioxide.1
What are CFCs?
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals containing atoms of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. They are used in aerosol sprays, blowing agents for foams and packing materials, as solvents, and as refrigerants.
What is stratospheric ozone
Called stratospheric ozone, good ozone occurs naturally in the upper atmosphere, where it forms a protective layer that shields us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. This beneficial ozone has been partially destroyed by manmade chemicals, causing what is sometimes called a “hole in the ozone.” The good news is, this hole is diminishing
What is tropospheric ozone?
Tropospheric, or ground level ozone, is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). This happens when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, industrial boilers, refineries, chemical plants, and other sources chemically react in the presence of sunlight.
Ozone is most likely to reach unhealthy levels on hot sunny days in urban environments, but can still reach high levels during colder months. Ozone can also be transported long distances by wind, so even rural areas can experience high ozone levels.
What is particle pollution?
Particle pollution can come from two different kinds of sources — primary or secondary. Primary sources cause particle pollution on their own. For example, wood stoves and forest fires are primary sources.
Secondary sources let off gases that can form particles. Power plants and coal fires are examples of secondary sources. Some other common sources of particle pollution can be either primary or secondary — for example, factories, cars and trucks, and construction sites.
Smoke from fires and emissions (releases) from power plants, industrial facilities, and cars and trucks contain PM2.5.
What part does soot pollution play in climate change?
soot particles emitted by diesel engines and other combustion sources may be responsible for 20-30% of anthropogenic climate forcing, but have a much shorter atmospheric lifetime than greenhouse gases
What was the Karachi Heat Wave?
A severe heat wave with temperatures as high as 49 °C (120 °F) struck southern Pakistan in June 2015. It caused the deaths of about 2,000 people from dehydration and heat stroke, mostly in Sindh province and its capital city, Karachi.[1][2][3] The heat wave also claimed the lives of zoo animals[4] and countless agricultural livestock.[5] The event followed a separate heat wave in neighboring India that killed 2,500 people in May 2015.[6]
What was the North American heat wave of 2006?
The Summer 2006 North American heat wave was a severe heat wave that affected most of the United States and Canada, killing at least 225 people and bringing extreme heat to many locations. At least three died in Philadelphia, Arkansas, and Indiana.[4] In Maryland, the state health officials reported that three people died of heat-related causes.[5] Another heat related death was suspected in Chicago.[6]
The most severe death toll was in California, principally in the interior region.[22] By the end of July, the sweltering heat in California subsided, although the number of confirmed or suspected heat-related deaths climbed to 163 as county coroners worked through a backlog of cases.[1] A report from California Climate Change Center published in 2009 determined that the heat caused two to three times the number of deaths estimated by coroners in seven California counties.[23]
By July 25, California authorities documented at least 38 deaths related to the heat in 11 counties. Temperatures reached 110–115 °F (43–46 °C) in the central valley of California July 23–24.[24] State officials said it was the worst heat wave to hit Northern and Southern California simultaneously in 57 years.[25] Front-page newspaper coverage described some individual deaths.[26] By July 29, the mounting death toll left the coroner’s office in Fresno overwhelmed and double-stacking bodies.[27]
There were also widespread animal deaths in California, with a veterinarian reporting 15 heat-related pet deaths as early as July 24.[28] The impact on farm animals and agriculture was also becoming apparent, with the death of more than 25,000 cattle and 700,000 fowl, prompting emergency measures by the state.[29]
What was the European Heat Wave of 2003?
The 2003 European heat wave saw the hottest summer recorded in Europe since at least 1540.[2][3] France was hit especially hard. The heat wave led to health crises in several countries and combined with drought to create a crop shortfall in parts of Southern Europe. The death toll has been estimated at more than 70,000.[4][5]
The predominant heat was recorded in July and August, partly a result of the western European seasonal lag from the maritime influence of the Atlantic warm waters in combination with hot continental air and strong southerly winds.[
What is the heat index?
The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature.
This has important considerations for the human body’s comfort. When the body gets too hot, it begins to perspire or sweat to cool itself off. If the perspiration is not able to evaporate, the body cannot regulate its temperature. Evaporation is a cooling process. When perspiration is evaporated off the body, it effectively reduces the body’s temperature. When the atmospheric moisture content (i.e. relative humidity) is high, the rate of evaporation from the body decreases. In other words, the human body feels warmer in humid conditions. The opposite is true when the relative humidity decreases because the rate of perspiration increases. The body actually feels cooler in arid conditions. There is direct relationship between the air temperature and relative humidity and the heat index, meaning as the air temperature and relative humidity increase (decrease), the heat index increases (decreases).
What is a storm surge?
Storm surge is the abnormal rise in seawater level during a storm, measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted astronomical tide.
Describe the pattern of CO2 emissions since 1960
Describe the history of climate changes via temperature
What are the effects of extreme precipitation?
Describe the potential effect on the world in terms of climate change and extreme precipitation
Describe the recent history of wildfire patterns
Describe potential worldwide heat both if we do / do not begin serious emissions reduction
Describe the general flowchart of climate change in terms of public health
