Reasons for climate change

Question 1

Volcanism (Short term)

Answer 1

-Eruptions put ash in atmosphere, blocking sunlight + reducing global temps

Question 2

Orbital Cycles (Long term)

Answer 2

Axis tilt - Axis tilts causing more extreme summer/ winters

Wobble - Earth wobbles on axis changing seasons

Elliptical/ Circular orbit - Elliptical orbit means Earth further from sun, glacials

Question 2

Solar Variation (Short term)

Answer 2

-Amount of radiation sun produces over time

-Sunspots can cause warming (Little Ice Age possibly due to no sunspots)

-Low solar activity causes glacial, high causes interglacials

Question 3

Milankovitch Cycles (Long term)

Answer 3

21,000 - Wobble of Earth’s axis (Can trigger onset/ end of glacials by changing distribution of solar radiation)

41,000 - Axis tilting/ straightening. More tilt = hotter summer, cooler winter (Extreme seasons)

100,000 - Orbit circular/ elliptical
Associated with causing glacials/ interglacials as Earth farther/ closer to sun

Question 4

Surface Impact (Short term)

Answer 4

Asteroids can hit Earth and cause ash to enter the atmosphere and block sunlight, thus reducing global temp