Quiz4 Flashcards
Briefly, why does the Marine West Coast Cfb, Cfc climate enjoy cool but not severely cold winters. Even at relatively high latitudes in which it is found
The Marine West Coast enjoy’s cool but not severely cold winters because of the impact of the oceans that surround the area.
Why do the Polar (E) climates experience very low precipitation amounts
the Polar climates experience very low precipitation amounts because the cold air can’t hold as much water vapor as warm air, and most of the latent heat goes toward melting the frozen tundra in the summer.
Given all things were equal which would climate other than Iowa would you prefer to live in, and why have you chosen to live in this climate with relation to temperature or precipitation.
I would live in the Marine West coast climate, because I don’t enjoy extremely hot summers and freezing cold winters. And because of the impact the ocean has on this climate the temperatures rarely ever get really hot or really cold.
Was the exceptional precipitation in Boulder Colorado on in September 2013 a result of climate change or a rare weather event. Briefly provide a reason to support your answer.
The exceptional precipitation in Boulder Colorado was a rare weather event because it you look at the recurrence interval of the event. Which is the number of years on record plus one all divided by the rank of the event the recurrence of that extreme weather happening again would be in the next 114 years.
Describe general the trend in global average temperatures since 1980 recorded at weather stations on the earth’s surface
The general trend in temperature since 1980 is an increase of about .8 degrees.
What is the proxy evidence of climate change, and provide an example discussed in class
Proxy evidence is when we infer past climatic conditions from observations other than direct evidence. Ice core proxy’s are a good example of this because by drilling into the ice we can collect data on what was in the atmosphere up to 100,000 years ago.
How are wider than average annual growth rings interpreted in terms of temperature
The wider the growth rings on trees means that there was a warmer growing season that year.
Discuss on life threatening hazard highlighted in class that Lonnie Thompson and his students faced during their expedition to core the Huascaran and Quelccaya ice caps in the Andes
Ask Dr. May
Discuss one thing in the atmosphere that affects how much isolation reaches the Earth’s surface
Clouds absorbs some of the insolation that we receive from the sun and this will decrease surface temperatures.
What is one property of the Earth’s surface that affects how much isolation is absorbed by the earth
The albedo of the Earth’s surface affects how much insolation will be absorbed by the earth’s surface. For example the high albedo the ice that covers Greenland has will reflect the insolation back out to space.
What has been the general trend in solar radiation output since 1700.
Solar output really hasn’t changed since 1700 because sun is still following it’s eleven year sun spot cycle.
List in order of their importance to the earth’s overall greenhouse effect from most important to least important 3 green house gasses. Briefly explain a source for each of the gasses you have listed above
Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous oxide, Methane. One source of Carbon Dioxide is from the carbon we burn to supply our power. One source of Nitrous oxide is from the fertilizers that we put on our crops to help them grow. One source of methane is from the bacteria that give it off in rice fields.
Describe all the radiation exchanges involved in Earth’s Greenhouse effect. Be sure to discriminate between long wave radiation and shortwave radiation and to use emitted or radiation and absorbed as appropriate.
We receive short wave radiation from the sun which is absorbed into the earth, and some of it is reflected back to space. The earth then emits its own long wave radiation, and some of this radiation is sent back out to space. However, most of it is absorbed by the surrounding gasses and water in the air, this is then counter radiated back to the earth where it is absorbed by the earth.
Describe all the steps in one positive feedback process illustrated in your textbook that leads to climatic warming
One positive feedback is the melting of permafrost. When the permafrost melts it releases the methane held in that permafrost, which leads to more warming because the methane now in the atmosphere restricts the long wave radiation the earth releases to escape to space
What is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
It is a group of many scientists from almost every country in the world, that prepares reports on climate change
