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AIR QUALITY AND CLIMATE ATMOSPHERE AND CLIMATE • Weather - A description of short-term physical conditions of the atmosphere. • Climate - A description of the long-term weather pattern in a particular area. – Temperature – Humidity – Wind – Rainfall 2 The Atmosphere • Is a thin layer of gases that surrounds the earth • Extends thousands of km above the surface • The reason there is life on Earth – we are protected from most of the sun’s radiation • Allows some light to reach the surface, supplying energy and allowing photosynthesis (O2 and CO2) • 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1%= water vapor, argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium, and other gases HOW PHOTOSYNTHESIS CHANGED THE ATMOSPHERE • The early atmosphere contained little oxygen. • Bacteria appeared about 4 bya and evolved the ability to perform photosynthesis 6CO2 + 6H2O + sun energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2 • When organisms break down food molecules during cellular respiration, CO2 is released into the air. C6H12O6 + O2 → CO2 + H2O + Energy The 5 Layers EXOSPHERE Troposphere – 75–80% of the earth’s air mass – Closest to the earth's surface – 0-11 km above sea level – Chemical composition of air • Nitrogen 78% • Oxygen 21% • H20, CO2, trace amounts of others (Ar) – Weather, climate and all life forms exist here – As altitude increases, temperature decreases Stratosphere • 11-50 km (6-30 miles) above Earth's surface – Similar composition to the troposphere, with 2 exceptions • Much less water (1/1000) • O3, ozone layer • As altitude increases, temperature increases • Air motion is horizontal • Airplanes fly here THE OZONE LAYER • O3 • Located in the stratosphere • Absorbs most of the UV light from the sun – UV light can cause genetic damage to living organisms- can cause skin cancer, faster aging, and cataracts, can kill one-celled organisms (phytoplankton) that live in the surface of the ocean, and interfere with photosynthesis, resulting in lower crop yields • The ozone in the stratosphere acts as a sunscreen for Earth and its inhabitants. Mesosphere 50-80 km (30-50 miles) Middle atmosphere – Air thin, pressure low, Need oxygen to live in this region. Air quite cold -90°C (-130°F) near the top of mesosphere Thermosphere 80-500 km (50-310 miles) Very few atoms and molecules in this region. Intense UV – breaks O2 and N2 bonds International Space Station is here Greenhouse Effect • Greenhouse effect – the trapping of infrared radiation from the sun by gases in earth’s atmosphere which warms the planet • Raises earth’s temp to an average of 59 ⁰F. Without the greenhouse effect, the average temp would be 0⁰F. Global Warming • Global warming – increase in Earth’s average surface temp. caused by an increase in greenhouse gases EVIDENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING • Earth’s average temperature has risen 1 ° F in last 100 years. • Some argue natural fluctuation; however, corresponds w/ rising greenhouse gases. • According to the EPA, the global surface temperature has increased 0.9°F since 1880. – The Earth’s surface is currently warming at a rate of about 0.29ºF/decade or 2.9°F/century EVIDENCE OF GLOBAL WARMING – The eight warmest years on record (since 1880) have all occurred since 2001, with the warmest years being 2005 and 2010. – Arctic temperatures have increased twice as fast as the rest of the Earth. Greenhouse Gases Methane (CH4) – 21 times more warming effect than CO2 and increasing at 8 times the rate. • Methane production is faster than broken down • Main sources are wetlands, rice fields, fossil fuels, livestock, and landfills • Remains in the air about 12 years Greenhouse Gases • Nitrous oxides – slow to breakdown (120 yrs) – Sources are fossil fuels, fertilizers, deforestation • CFCs– slow breakdown; absorb 10,000 X more infrared than CO2 (100 + years) – Sources are foams, aerosols, refrigerants, solvents • Water vapor – Warmed by CO2, the atmosphere is thus able to absorb more water vapor. And that water vapor, in turn, causes further warming—it amplifies the effects of carbon dioxide. CFCs • CFCs that are released in the troposphere can take 10-20 years to float into the stratosphere. • One single chlorine atom can destroy 10,000 + ozone molecules and remain in the stratosphere 65-385 years! The Ozone Hole • Depletion of the ozone layer allows more UV light to reach the Earth’s surface STOPPING THE OZONE EATERS 75-85% of the ozone loss was from CFCs and other ozone depleting chemicals • The Montreal Protocol – 1987 • The Copenhagen Protocol - 1992 – Nations agreed to reduce their production of CFCs – US pledged to ban all substances that posed a danger to the ozone layer by 2000 – Developed countries agreed to set up a fund to help developing countries switch to CFC substitutes • CFCs remain active for more than 30 years, so it will take decades for the layer to recover. THE NUMBER 1 SOURCE OF CFCs ARE LEAKING AIR CONDITIONERS! CFCs • A greenhouse gas AND an ozone-depleting chemical. Melanoma cancer Basal cell carcinoma Over 1 million new diagnosis each year. • About 90% of non-melanoma skin cancer is caused by ultra-violet exposure. • The UV rays of the sun are responsible for most non-melanoma skin cancers. Unprotected exposure to these rays can come from being outdoors, lying in tanning beds, and even having exposure through your car or home windows. • Skin cancer accounts for nearly 50% of all cancers. • It is the most common type of cancer in men over 50. Greenhouse Gases CO2 – most abundant greenhouse gas (GHG) Sources: burning fossil fuels, deforestation Ice cores have shown that CO2 increasing in atmosphere – 35% higher than pre-Industrial Rev. • Natural cycling of CO2 levels • Seasonal shift in CO2 production; high fall; low spring • 1 kg burned fossil fuels = 3 kg CO2 Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Largest Emitters of Carbon Dioxide Bill Nye Climate Change 101 (4 min) • http://www.smithsonianmag.com/videos/cate gory/3play_1/climate-change-101-with-billnye-the-science/?no-ist= CO2 - DiD you know… • Burning 1 gallon of gasoline produces 9 kg of carbon dioxide? • Using one kWh of electricity from a coal-fired generating plant produces 1 kg of carbon dioxide? • Burning 100 cubic feet of natural gas produces 5.5 kg of carbon dioxide? • 1 kg= 2.2 pounds So 1 gallon produces almost 20 pounds of CO2 Measuring Carbon Dioxide in the Measuring Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere Atmosphere There is a carbon dioxide detector in Mauna Loa in Hawaii. This allows measurements far away from cities and forests. The winds over Mauna Loa have come thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean, swirling and mixing as they traveled. Measuring Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere • Charles Keeling’s took the first measurement, in March of 1958, it was 0.0314 percent. – Slightly higher in the winter. – Slightly lower in the summer. – Why? Photosynthesis • These levels have rose steadily over the last 50 years. http://www.weather.com/video/a-first-in-800000-years-for-atmosphere46863?collid=/news/top-stories Video (1 min) ICE CORE SAMPLING • Russian Vostok Station EPICA- European Project in East Antartica for Ice Coring in In January 1998, the collaborative iceAntarctica drilling project between Russia, the United States, and France at the Russian Vostok station in East Antarctica yielded the deepest ice core ever recovered, reaching a depth of 3,623 m (11,886 feet- a little more than 2 miles deep) • Preliminary data indicate the Vostok ice-core record extends through four climate cycles, with ice slightly older than 400,000 years before present. • In 2004 EPICA drilled deeper than Vostok did and were able to measure the carbon dioxide levels over the past 650,000 years. Older Climate Data? • The data presented only goes back about 650,000 years. – Limited by the age and extent of the Antarctic glaciers. • Deep sea cores have also been measured: 30 Average surface temperature (°C) Average Global Temperature over the Past 900,000 Years 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 800 700 600 500 400 300 Thousands of years ago 200 100 Pres 900 Fig. 16-2a, p. 369 Temperature Changes Over Past 22,000 Years Temperature change (°C) 2 Agricultural Revolution 1 Medieval warming period 0 –1 –2 –3 End of last ice age Little ice age –4 –5 20,000 10,000 2,000 1,000 Years ago 200 100 Now Fig. 16-2b, p. 369 Temperature Changes Over Past 1,000 Years Temperature change (°C) 1.0 0.5 0.0 –0.5 –1.0 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2101 Year Fig. 16-2c, p. 369 CO2 in the ice core record video (3min) • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHzADlXID8 Medieval Warming Period • Occurred sometime between 800-1300 A.D. • This produced milder winters and longer summers throughout Europe. – Western Europe thrived with abundant crops and overall healthy populations. – Viking explorers were able to colonize Greenland and Labrador. • Much of North America, South America, and Asia experienced severe droughts. – May have been a major cause of the downfall of the Mayan empire. 35 • Causes are unknown. Little Ice Age Period of cooling lasted from the about 1300-1800 A.D. • • Effects of this cooling period: – Colder winters in North America and Europe. – Severe food shortages and famines were commonplace. • The Viking colony in Greenland died out. • Causes of this “little ice age”? – Decreased solar activity – Increased volcanic activity – Ocean conveyor was disrupted – possibly by melting glaciers. 36 Average surface temperature (°C) Average Global Temperature Over Past 130 Years 15.0 14.8 14.6 14.4 14.2 14.0 13.8 13.6 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 Year Fig. 16-2d, p. 369 Hurricane Katrina • Formed over the Atlantic in August of 2005. – Crossed Southern Florida as a category 1 hurricane. – Strengthened very quickly over warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico • Made landfall over Louisiana as a Category 3 hurricane. 38 New Orleans • Parts of New Orleans are below sea level. • The levees holding back the Mississippi river and the shoreline were not maintained properly. •Immediate connections were made between global warming, the unusually warm Gulf of Mexico, and the hurricane. 39 Global Warming and Hurricanes? • No evidence to link climate change and frequency of hurricanes and typhoons. • Studies do show evidence between ocean surface temperatures and hurricane intensity and duration. – Duration and strength of hurricanes has increased about 50% over the last 30 years. – Previous models showed a 5% increase for every 1°C. 40 El Niño/ La Niña Weather Patterns • El Niño and La Niña – are oscillations in the Pacific’s ocean-atmosphere system that dramatically affect weather patterns. (usually occur every 3 to 5 years) • A sudden change in El Niño behavior occurred between 1976-77. • There have been more frequent El Niño years than in prior history. • Relation to global warming is unknown. 41 Global Warming Effects on Poles • 99% of sheet ice is located in Antarctica and Greenland • Ice is melting worldwide, but especially quickly at the poles. – As a result… • Ocean levels have risen about 3.0mm per year in the 10 years. • Adelle penguin population is down to 1/3 its normal level. • Multiple populations of polar bears are declining. 42 Flawed Predictions • The 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report predicted a complete loss of the Himalayan glaciers by 2035. • This was later retracted, as it was based on a single interview of a scientist who denied making the prediction. • This rate of melting would require global warming to be occurring at 2-3x the rate it is currently. • This error damaged the 43 credibility of the report. Scientific Consensus? • • Survey was taken in 2004 of 928 abstracts of peer-reviewed papers relating to climate change. • None disagreed with the IPCC conclusion. Survey taken in 2009 of 3,146 Earth Scientists (defined as publishing more than half of their peer-reviewed papers on climate change) • 44 97% agree with the IPCC conclusion. Predicted Results Of Global Warming • Weather patterns will change - more hurricanes, typhoons, flooding and droughts • Agriculture – weather patterns will move farther north, shifting farmland • Sea Levels - polar regions warm, icebergs melt, sea levels rise. Warming water also expands. • Coastal areas may flood Melting of Alaska’s Muir Glacier between 1948 and 2004 Predicted Results Of Global Warming • Human health will be affected – Heat index, more ground level ozone, more infectious diseases. – Diseases that normally occur near the equator will move northward. Diseases spread by mosquitoes and other insects due to warmer/wetter climates. – Malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and encephalitis Predicted Results Of Global Warming • Plant and animal species may migrate to maintain their preferred habitats • Not all plants can adapt- some cannot disperse their seeds adequately • Certain birds/fishes may migrate • Not all can adapt- ponds will dry up, land-locked fish cannot seek colder rivers • Those that cannot adapt/migrate may experience regional extinction Blue winged teal Evidence of Climate Change with Walruses • http://news.discovery.com/earth/videos/glob al-warming-videos.htm Global Cooling • Global cooling: natural • Planetary albedo – low, thick clouds reflect sunlight, prevent warming • Volcanoes – dust reflect radiation • Sulfate aerosols – from pollutants, create haze, reflecting sunlight Kyoto Protocol • The Kyoto Protocol is the first international agreement (UN) to fight global warming. • It set targets for nations to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions . – 5% decrease against 1990 levels over the fiveyear period 2008-2012. • It was signed by 141 nations, including all European and all other developed industrial nations except the U.S. and Australia. – Went into effect on February 16, 2005, and expires in 2012. • Pres. Clinton supported • Pres. Bush did not sign Cap and Trade System –A limit on the amount of carbon dioxide any specific factory or power plant can produce. –Permits (or credits) are required depending on how much carbon dioxide is emitted. • An organization can purchase additional credits from other organizations that do not need them. CARBON SINK • A carbon sink is anything that absorbs more carbon that it releases, while a carbon source is anything that releases more carbon than is absorb. • Forests, soils, oceans and the atmosphere all store carbon and this carbon moves between them in a continuous cycle. This constant movement of carbon means that forests act as sources or sinks at different times. Solutions to Global Warming Solutions Global Warming Prevention Cut fossil fuel use (especially coal) Cleanup Remove CO2 from smokestack and vehicle emissions Shift from coal to natural gas Improve energy efficiency Store (sequester) CO2 by planting trees Shift to renewable energy resources Sequester CO2 deep underground Transfer energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies to developing countries Sequester CO2 in soil by using no-till cultivation and taking crop land out of production Reduce deforestation Use more sustainable agriculture Limit urban sprawl Reduce poverty Slow population growth Sequester CO2 in the deep ocean Repair leaky natural gas pipelines and facilities Use feeds that reduce CH4 emissions by belching cows Fig. 16-13, p. 379 Other Ideas? • The StratoShield is an idea developed to combat global warming by blocking some of the sunlight entering the Earth’s atmosphere. • Inject sulfur dioxide or particulate pollutants into the stratosphere. – This would be too high in the atmosphere to be directly breathed or cause acid rain. – Blocks out just enough sunlight to bring global temperatures down to acceptable ranges. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrimZzgqwdo Video of how a StratoShield works Other Ideas? Geoengineering • http://news.discovery.com/earth/videos/glob al-warming-videos.htm Fifteen Ways to Cut CO2 Emissions We Can Prepare for the Harmful Effects of Climate Change • • • • • • • • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible Move people from low-lying coastal areas Limit coastal building Remove hazardous material storage tanks away from the coast Genetically engineer crops more tolerant to drought Stockpile 1–5 years of key foods Waste less water Connect wildlife reserves with corridors What the Dominican Republic is doing to fight climate change. • http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/542529. htm Haiti Dominican Republic The Most Terrifying Video You Will Ever See (9 min) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zORv8wwi adQ • (Fill in the chart in your notes) Is Global Warming Real? (8 min) • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r78bZfy8oU Bill Nye discusses Global Warming • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm05Mc ah0i8 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuuZBaM u_4I (4min) (6min) REVIEW 1. Name the 5 greenhouse gases. 2. What is the main greenhouse gas? 3. Why is the greenhouse effect good for our planet? Why is it harmful? 4. Name 3 sources of both CO2 and CH4. 5. Name 2 sinks for CO2. 6. List 5 effects of global warming. 7. List 5 things you can do to reduce global warming. 8. How can we prepare for global warming? 9. Name the treaty that dealt with reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 10. Name 3 sources of global cooling. REVIEW 1. In what layer of the earth’s atmosphere is the ozone layer? 2. Why is the ozone layer beneficial? 3. What is the main chemical that affects the ozone layer? 4. Why was this chemical used in so many products? 5. Name the treaty that was signed to decrease ozone depleting chemicals. 6. What is the main source of CFC emissions? • The average amount of CO2 per capita produced in America is 19.8 tons, which is 39, 600 pounds!