Natural climate change

Question 1

What is the eruption theory and example?

Answer 1

1. Large volcanic eruptions produce ash and sulphur dioxide gas.
2. form a blanket stopping some solar radiation reaching earth
3. this cools the planet-lowering atmospheric temperatures

Example:1815 Tambora eruption-in 1816 200,000 died in Europe due to poor harvest

Question 2

How often does the eruption theory, how long do the effects last and how many degrees does the temperature reduce by?

Answer 2

• every few centuries
• last 1-4 years
• reduce by 0.5C

Question 3

How does asteroid collisions affect the climate?

Answer 3

1. Large asteroid impact can cool the climate
2. impact blast ash and dust into atmosphere
3. ash and dust block some incoming solar radiation cooling temperatures

Question 4

How often does asteroid collisions happen and how long does the effects last?

Answer 4

• very large ones occur roughly every 500,000 years

- effects last around 5-10 years

Question 5

What is the sunspot theory?

Answer 5

1. Black sunspots on the sun mean more solar radiation towards the earth
2. Earth warms by around 1-2C

Question 6

How often does the sunspot theory happen and does it affect the temperature?

Answer 6

• ii years of high sunspot activity, then 11 years of less

- around 1-2C

Question 7

What is the Milankovitch cycle and examples?

Answer 7

when the earth’s orbit changes a small amount once every 1,000,000years

• wobble
• tilt
• orbit

Question 8

How does the orbit affect the climate?

Answer 8

1. more elliptical the earth is sometimes closer to and further away from the sun-compared to circular orbit
2. earth closer to sun=temperatures are higher

Question 9

How often is the orbit and how does it affect temperatures?

Answer 9

• 100,000 years from circular-ellipse-circular

- about 6C

Question 10

How does the tilt affect the climate?

Answer 10

1. Northern hemisphere tilt towards sun the temperature rise is high than when southern hemisphere tilts towards the sun
2. More land north the equator than below-land heat up faster and keeps heat more than oceans

Question 11

How often is the tilt and how does it affect the temperature?

Answer 11

• 41,000 years to tilt-straighten-tilt

- about 6C

Question 12

How does the wobble affect the climate?

Answer 12

same as the tilt :0

Question 13

How often is the wobble and how does it affect the temperature?

Answer 13

• 26,000 years to wobble-straighten-wobble

- about 6C