Physical Climate Science - SLR and Australian Climate Flashcards
At the ocean surface, temperature has on average increased by _ from 1850-1900
0.88 C and 0.60 C of this warming having occured since 1980
The SST is projected to increase from 1995-2014 to 2081-2100 on average by
0.86 C in SSP1-2.6 and 2.89 C in SSP 5-8.5
Associated warming for low-emission scenarios will likely continue until 2030 because
Slow circulation of the deep ocean
What since the 1980s has doubled in frequency and become more intense and longer?
Marine Heatwaves
GMSL rose faster in the ____ with a ____ rise over the period ____ to ____
20th Century
0.20m
1901-2018
Accelerated since the late 60s - 2.3mm - 3.7mm
Where has sea level rose the fastest and where has it rose the slowest?
Basin Scale
Fastest in the Western Pacific
Slowest in the Eastern Pacific
1993-2018
How much will GMSL rise by 2050 for SSP1-1.9 and SSP5-85
How much will GMSL rise by 2100 for SSP1-1.9 and SSP5-85
0.18m and 0.23m
0.38m and 0.77m
For 0.77m, there is a range of 0.63-1.02
List 5 causes of sea level rise
Ice sheet and shelves
Glaciers
Thermal Expansion
Land Water Storage
Hydrological cycle
What is the Vertical Land Motion relative to sea level rise?
Change in elevation of the Earth’s surface at a place relative to sea level over time
AKA vertical land displacement or subsidence/uplift
The two big ice sheets contributing to sea level rise are located where?
Greenland
Antartica
Greenland has had the greatest change in surface mass balance and sea level contribution
Higher amounts of GMSL rise before 2100 can be caused by 3 things
Earlier-than-projected disintegration of marine ice shelves
Faster-than-projected changes in surface mass balance and dishcarge from Greenland
Abrupt onset of Marine Ice sheet and cliff instability around Antarctica
Beyond 2100, GMSL will continue to rise for centuries due to
Continuing deep ocean heat uptake
Mass loss of Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets
List 3 impacts of Sea Level Rise
Coastal Erosion
Mangrove and Saltmarsh Dieback
Human displacement
11426 km of coastline threatened and 40% of beaches may be lost in Australia
What datasets are required to observe climatic trends?
Long-term datasets
Homogenous datsets
Curated datasets
CSIRO BOM employ sensors ACOR-SAT and rainfall, cloud amount and pan evaporation to track climate change
Australia’s climate and ocean has warmed since
National records began in 1910
Climate warning on average 0.24 C since (1.47 anomaly)
What year was Australia’s warmest year to date
What 8 year range was ranked among the 10 warmest years on record
2019
2013-2020
How much of a decline in NSW winter rainfall since 1990s?
How much of a decline in WA winter rainfall since 1970s?
10%
15%
Where in Australia has there been a shift to drier conditions?
(Below average for these regions 2000-2021)
South East Australia
South West Australia
Where in Australia has it been wetter in the last 2 decades?
Northern Australia
Across all seasons, with high variability
60% of ________ show a declining trend in streamflow
hydrologic reference stations
Increase trend in annual median flows at 50% of gauges across Northern Australia since 1975
T/F: There has been an increase in the number of tropical cyclones since 1982
False
There has been a decrease
Explain the current trend of snowfall since 1950s
Declining in the alpine regions is
snow depth, snow cover and number of snow days
15% by 2030 and 60% by 2070 cover lost
SST risen by _ since 1900
What is extending further south
> 1C
Eastern Australian Current
How much % has global oceans taken up of extra energy stored by the planet and what has this contributed?
91%
Slowing of global warming
