Weather and Climate Flashcards
What are environmental benefit of rapid development
-Potential to invest in technologies-renewable energy
At the equator hot air rises to _km, causing low pressure
15
After the air forms the Hadley cells the cool air sinks at _ degrees north and south of the equator, leading to high pressure. Some of the _ air moves back towards the _ as trade winds. The rest travels towards the , forming the lower part of _ cells.
At _ north and south, the _ air of the cells meets colder _ air. The warmer air rises to form_ cells. This air travels to the _, where it cools and sinks forming areas to _ pressure
30 degrees cooled Equator Poles Ferrel cells 60 degrees warmer Ferrell Polar Polar Poles High
When does the Quaternary cover
2.6 million years
In the last how many years have temperatures significantly risen
250
What is the eccentricity cycle
The Earth’s orbit changes that happen every 100, 000 years. Whether it is more of a circular orbit or more of an ellipse
How often does the tilt of the Earth’s axis change
40 000
What is the precession cycle
The Earth’s ‘wobbles’ on its axis , changing the direction the axis is facing
How often does the precession cycle happen
24 000
What are evidence of natural climate change
- Historical source, such as diaries
- Ice cores trap volcanic ash, microbes, air bubbles. These reveal information on climate when the ice formed
- Preserved pollen
What is the enhanced greenhouse effect
Human activity releases increasing levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect- more warming
What are 4 human causes of climate change
Industry
Energy
Farming
Transport
When was the medieval warm period
950-1100
What caused the medieval warm period
Increased solar radiation
When was the mini ice age
1600-1685
What caused the mini ice age
Increased volcanic activity and less solar radiation
What degree is the UK , in terms of cells
50-60 degrees north
What 5 things have impacts on the Uk’s climate
- Maritime influence
- Prevailing winds
- North atlantic drift
- Atmospheric circulation
- Altitude
What is meant by maritime influence
Most of the air that reaches the UK contains lots of moisture as we are surrounded by sea leading to rainfall all year
When do tropical cyclones from
When the ocean is 26/27+ degrees celsius
Do tropical cyclones have high or low pressure
Low
How high are the tropical cyclones often
10km
How wide are tropical cyclones normally
400 km
Do tropical cyclones happen in June-November or November-April
Both
What are tropical cyclones movement
Prevailing winds and ocean currents
How far can tropical cyclones travel a day
600km
How fast can tropical cyclones travel
40km/h
What are 5 hazards associated with tropical cyclones
- Landslides
- Coastal flooding
- Intense rainfall
- High winds
- Storm surges
How fast are category 1 2 3 4 5 hurricanes in km/h
- 119-153
- 154-177
- 178-208
- 209-251
- 252 +
Where did Hurricane Sandy travel
Across the Caribbean Sea, affecting the island nations of Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti, before moving north to reach the USA
When did Hurricane Sandy reach New Jersey
29th October 2012
With Hurricane Sandy how fast was it when it hit land
129 km/h
Where did Hurricane Sandy impact the USA the most
Eastern coast states
What were social impacts of Hurricane Sandy
- Death toll of 150 people
- Many areas left without electricity
- Homes and businesses damaged
- schools closed for days
What were environmental impacts of Hurricane Sandy
- Storm surge caused significant damage to coastal nature reserves like Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware
- Raw sewage leaked into the waters around New York and New Jersey, damaging habitats
What were economic impacts of Hurricane Sandy
- Estimated property damage: US$65 billion
- Government had to pay for petrol to be brought in as suppliers ran out
- Income from tourism affected by cancellation of New York Marathon
What was the individuals responses to Hurricane Sandy
The Concert for Sandy Relief with artists such as Bon Jovi
What was the organisations responses to Hurricane Sandy
The American Red Cross helped by providing
What were governments responses to hurricane Sandy
Billions of dollars were voted through legislation to help with rebuilding and supporting victims. New York setup a new local government office to support the rebuilding
When did Typhoon haiyan form
2nd November 2013
What ocean did Typhoon Haiyan form in
South pacific Ocean
How fast was Typhoon Haiyan when i reached land
300 km/h
What two islands were impacted the most by Typhoon Haiyan
Samar and Leyte
What are social impacts of Typhoon Haiyan
-An estimated 6 000 people died and many more missing
Significant loss of power
An estimated 600 000 people displaced from their home
Many homes left destroyed
What are environmental impacts of Typhoon Haiyan
- Mangroves damaged across the islands
- Trees uprooted
- Oil spills from a tanker caused sea pollution
What are economic impacts of Typhoon Haiyan
- Estimated damage was US$2 billion
- Damage and disrupted to infrastructure blocked transport across islands, making provision of aid and support difficult and expensive
What were individuals responses to Typhoon Haiyan
People in countries such as the UK and Canada gave money towards the relief money towards the relief methods
What were organisations responses to Typhoon Haiyan
The World Health Organisation coordinated the international responses to help the Philippine government meet the acute need for healthcare services
What were governments responses to Typhoon Haiyan
In order to direct funds to help support the aftermath, the Philippines were put in a ‘state of national calamity’. Aid in the form of loans and grants was provided by countries like the UK, which gave a £10 million package including emergency shelter, water and household items
What is an arid environment like
Dry
Are arid climates high or low pressure
High
Is the Sahara an arid location
Yes
Is the Kalahari an arid location
No, semi- arid
How much rain do arid environments get in mm
10-250
Are arid places cloudy
No
Where are most arid places located
The tropics
What degrees N/S of the equator are arid places found
23.5
In the UK how many days without rainfall is a drought
15
What are the two types of natural causes of drought
Meteorological & hydrological
What is a meteorological drought
An area receives less than average precipitation then normal. This is when an area receives less energy than normal caused by a change in usual weather of an area. El Nino can cause this and so can jet streams.
What is a hydrological drought
Hydrological drought occurs when low water supply becomes evident, especially in streams, reservoirs, and groundwater levels, usually after many months of meteorological drought.
When was the drought in California
2012- present
When was a state of emergency declared in California due to the drought
January 2014
What river was over used in the drought in California
Colorado River
What were the main hazards to the California drought
- Subsidence as groundwater levels dropped, causing land to settle at a lower level
- Contaminated of land and drinking water by the seawater, drawn inland by a lack of pressure
- Wildfires which started and spread quickly, as vegetation was so dry
What area was worst impacted by the California drought?
Central Valley
What were environmental impacts of the drought in California
- Water diverted, so wetlands and rivers get less
- Increased extraction of groundwater/ aquifer causing subsidence- infrastructure and building damage
- 542 000 acres taken out of crop production
- Warm and windy weather causes wildfires
What were economic impacts of the drought in California
- Costsed California US$2.7 billion a year
- 542 000 acres taken out of crop production
How did governments respond the the California drought
- Ran public education campaigns, such as Save our Water
- Brought in State laws requiring a 25% cut in water use across California
How did organisations respond the the California drought
University of California research project for effectively managing ground water
How did individuals respond the the California drought
- Farmers encouraged to use water-efficient irrigation, such as drip irrigation
- Homeowners encouraged to check for water leaks
- Protesters campaigned against companies selling bottled local water
When was the drought in Ethiopia
2015
What % of people in Ethiopia live in rural areas
85%
The 2015 drought ( in Ethiopia) was the worst in _ years
30
What were the 3 main hazards of the drought in Ethiopia
- Reduction in crops yields leading to malnutrition and death for people and livestock
- Longer journeys to find water, taking children out of school and farmers out of fields
- Migration in search for ways to survive, breaking up communities
What were 5 social impacts on the drought in Ethiopia
- Death of livestock causes a food crisis
- loss of crops means maize prices rocket
- People eat less , become weak, malnutrition and vulnerable to disease
- Girls have to walk further to get water, so cannot go to school
- Long grasses used for roofing cannot grow, so homes are unprotected
What were 6 environmental impacts on the drought in Ethiopia
- Loss of habitat for fish and wildlife due to low water in reservoirs, lakes and ponds
- Increase in disease in wild animals, because of reduced food and water supplies
- Migration of wildlife
- loss of 200 000 hectares of forest every year due to forest fires
- Extinction of some species
- Wind and water erosion of soil
What were governments responses to the drought in Ethiopia
Overseas governments have given aid
What were organisations responses to the drought in Ethiopia
- Aid agencies such as Oxfam and UNICEF are helping people to get water supplies
- Education charities are trying to help people get jobs in urban areas
What were individuals responses to the drought in Ethiopia
Large charities like Live Aid have helped raise awareness and money
How much did the repairs of hurricane Sandy come to
$65 billion
How much did the repairs of Typhoon Haiyan come to
$ 2 billion
What category hurricane was Sandy when it hit land
3
What category typhoon was Haiyan when it hit land
5
How many people were impacted by Typhoon Haiyan
13.2 million
Define tropical storm
Large, rotating storms that form over oceans in tropical areas sea temperatures surface above 26 degrees
What 3 things need to happen to form an ice age
- Day the Earth is closest to the sun
- Angle of the Earth’s tilt (23.4 degrees)
- Shape of the Earth’s orbit
Define qualenary
The current geological state
Define interglacial period
In Between ice ages
Define weather
Day-to-day changes in the Earth’s atmosphere
Define climate
The weather over a period of 30 years
How often is an ice age
100,000
Define glacial
A period of time with lower than average temperatures causing widespread glaciation
What is asthenosphere
The semi-molten layer at the top of the mantle which flows due to convection currents, moving the solid lithosphere above
What is atmospheric circulation
The general movements of air around the Earth due to pressure and temperature
Define climate change
A distinct change in global or regional patterns of climate, such as change in temperature or precipitation patterns
What is conservative plate boundary
A plate boundary where two plates are moving alongside each other
What is the continental crust
The thicker, less dense crust that makes up the continents
What is convection current
The movement of a fluid caused by a difference in temperature or density
What is convergent plate boundary
A plate boundary where two plates are moving towards each other
What is coriolis effect
The effect of the Earth’s rotation on wind movements
What is cyclone
A tropical cyclone that hits Oceania or Madagascar.
What is divergent pate boundary
A plate boundary where two plates are moving away from each other
What is eccentricity
The changing of the orbit of the Earth around the Sun from a circular shape to an ellipse
What is the eye
An area of a tropical cyclone with extremely low pressure and calm conditions
What is the eyewall
An area of tropical cyclone with the most intense, powerful winds and torrential rain
What is the ferrel cell
At around 60 degrees either side of the equator, moist air rises, and travels to lower latitudes around 30 degrees where it sinks, along with air travelling from the equator
Define fossil fuels
Fuels made up from the remains of organic material, such as oil, gas and coal
Define geological hazards
A hazard caused by processes on the land
Define greenhouse gases
Gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that tap energy in the Earth’s system and contribute to the greenhouse effect
What is the Hadley cell
At the equator, hot moist air rises, moves to higher latitudes (30 degrees) and sinks
Define hazard risk
The probability that a natural hazard will negatively impact the population
Define hotspot
An area where unusually hot magma breaks through the middle of a plate and travels up to the surface, creating a volcano
Define hurricane
A tropical cyclone that hits the USA, Latin America or the Caribbean
Define ice core
A cylinder of ice extracted from an ice sheet or glacier, which is used to analyse past environmental conditions
Define immediate responses
Actions taken as soon as the hazard happens and in its immediate aftermath
Define inner core
A solid ball of iron/nickel at the Earth’s centre. Radioactive decay within the inner core provides Earth’s internal energy
Define inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ)
An area surrounding the equator where global winds converge, causing an area of low pressure with rainy conditions
Define lithosphere
Solid rock that lies on top of the asthenosphere. The top of the lithosphere is the crust, which is broken up into tectonic plates
Define Long-term responses
Actions taken after the immediate responses when the effect of the hazard have been minimalised
Define magma
Molten rock found beneath the Earth’s surface
Define mantle
The area underneath the crust which contains magma
Define milankovitch cycles
The cyclical variations in the Earth’s orbit around the sun
Define natural hazard
A naturally occurring event that is a threat to the population
What is obliquity (or axil tilt)
The tilt of the Earth’s axis, which changes from 21.5 degrees and 24.5 degrees
What are ocean currents
The predictable, continuous circulation of ocean water which transfers heat around the globe
What is the oceanic crust
The thinner, denser crust that makes up the ocean floor
What is the outer core
A molten layer of iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core and transfers energy by convection current
What is a plate boundary
The point at which two plates meet
What is the polar cell
At 60 degrees north or south of the equator, moist air rises, and travels to the poles (90 degrees), where it sinks
What is procession
The point at which two plates meet
What is a pressure belt
A region of the Earth which is generally under the same pressure
Define primary effects
The effects that are directly caused by the hazard itself
What is the quaternary period
The geological time period that started 2.6 million years ago and extends into the present
What is the Richter scale
A logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes
What is secondary effects
The effects that are a result of the primary effects
Define storm surge
A rise in sea level caused when a tropical cyclone pushes a large amount of sea water onto the shore
Define subduction
A process that occurs at a destructive plate boundary when a plate is pushed below another plate, forcing it to sink into the asthenosphere
Define tectonic hazard
A natural hazard caused by the physical processes and movements of tectonic plates
Define tectonic plates
Large slabs of the Earth’s crust that sit and move on top of the liquid mantle
What is the enhanced greenhouse effect
A process where the Earth’s surface is heated by the greenhouse effect at a higher rate due to increased greenhouse gas emissions from human activities
What is the greenhouse effect
A natural process where greenhouse gases trap the energy from the Sun inside the Earth’s atmosphere, warming the Earth’s surface
Define track
A typical pathway that a tropical cyclone takes which is driven by global wind circulation
What are tree rings
A ring in a tree trunk that grows annually, indicating the conditions in the year it grew
What is a tropical cyclone
A very large, spinning storm with high winds and torrential rain that forms in the tropics
Define tsunami
A large wave caused by a large amount of water being displaced when plates move
What is a typhoon
A tropical cyclone that hits India, Japan or the Philippines
