Variability Flashcards
Why does CO2 concentration vary seasonally
Winter respiration - more atm co2
Summer photosynthesis - draws co2 out of atm
Why does CO2 concentration vary by latitude
Most land is above the equator and also where the emissions are
Large oceans in SH better able to counteract emissions from smaller landmasses
What weather phenomenon can cause inter-annual variability and why
El Niño/La Nina
Normally upwelling in South America moving warm water to Asia, easterly trade winds
El Niño weakens or reverses trade winds, reduces upwelling on the west coast of SA, jet stream moves south
La Niña has opposite effect
What impact does vegetation have on CO2 concentration
Growing/dying seasons and weather patterns leading to vegetation change can impact CO2 absorption by volume
Growth in emissions and atmospheric carbon are different. Why
Carbon sinks removing CO2, but emissions are faster than the rate of removal.
But sinks under threat, rainforest deforestation, ocean acidification, mass land conversion to agriculture (40% land surface)
Approximately 270 gigatonnes of CO2 left in the carbon budget to limit warming to 1.5c, but what is the emission rate of fossil fuels and deforestation
35gt fossil fuels
5gt deforestation
what is radiative forcing
net positive radiative forcing is when incoming energy from Sun is greater than outgoing energy (absorbed by earth or atmosphere)
What impact do aerosols have on temperatures and how
Aerosols have a net cooling effect by supporting cloud formation which reflect energy back into space
