Download ESS15 Winter 2016 supplementary study guide by Dianne Sanchez

ESS15 Winter 2016 supplementary study guide by Dianne Sanchez
Climate Change Final Exam Study Guide
Winter 2016
I. Energy
-What is energy?
-What are the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics and what do these mean in terms of the Earth
system?
-Understand energy flow (e.g. nuclear fission in the sun -> -> -> gasoline in a car)
-Define temperature
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𝐹 = 5 𝐶 + 32
𝐾 = 𝐶 + 273
-Energy transfer processes:
 conduction
 convection
 radiation
 latent heat
Conversions of different kinds of energy power all that happens in the climate
-Define latent heat
“Rule of thumb” when matter switches to a denser phase, energy will be released
-Units of Energy
J
Joules
W
Watts
Kcal = 4184 J
𝐽
1 𝑊 = 1𝑠
-Specific heat capacity C
[𝐽]
Units C: [𝑘𝑔 𝐾]
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 = 𝐶 × 𝑚 × ∆𝑇
-Latent heat of vaporization L
[𝐽]
Units L: [𝑘𝑔 ]
𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 = 𝐿 × 𝑚
**Understand how and when to use the equations above**
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ESS15 Winter 2016 supplementary study guide by Dianne Sanchez
-Define radiation
-Understand the electromagnetic spectrum and relative wavelengths
(e.g. λγ < λxrays < λIR < λAM
[𝑐𝑚]
𝜆 [𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒] =



𝑐𝑚
]
𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒
[𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒]
[𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑]
𝑐[
𝑣
Radiation dictates the energy balance of the Earth and total energy balance available to
power the climate system
All matter with temperature glows radiation energy!
Hotter objects glow at shorter wavelengths
-What is blackbody radiation?
-What is a blackbody?
𝐹𝐵𝐵 = 𝜎 𝑇 4
𝑊
𝜎 = 5.67 × 10−8 𝑚2 𝐾4
Earth and Sun are almost perfect blackbodies
-What type of radiation does the Earth emit? The Sun?
-Define albedo
Energy in = Energy out
𝑆(1− 𝛼)
“Bare Rock” climate model: 4 = 𝜎𝑇 4
-Why isn’t this an appropriate model to describe the Earth’s climate? What is it missing?
-What is the “Greenhouse gas effect”?
Kinetic energy of molecules is proportional to temperature
Absorption of IR energy:
Diatomic moleules (2 atoms) < Triatomic molecules (3 atoms)
(e.g. O2, N2)
(e.g. CO2, H2O)
CO2 is a strong absorber!
II. Energy Imbalances
Different solar radiation is absorbed at different latitudes
-Understand coordinate system (latitude/longitude)
-What are the latitudinal patterns of deserts? Of the tropics?
-What are the three real forces and 3 apparent forces that govern surface wind circulation?
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ESS15 Winter 2016 supplementary study guide by Dianne Sanchez
-Describe the Coriolis “force”
-What is the Coriolis force felt by a person standing at the North pole? At the equator?
-In what direction does the Coriolis deflect in the northern hemisphere vs. the southern
hemisphere?
Circulation cells move heat from hotter places to colder places.
-Define differential heating on local and planetary scales.
Air moves from areas of high pressure to low pressure at the surface.
-Understand thermal circulation cells (e.g. ocean and land breezes during the day vs. night)
-Be able to draw and understand the global atmospheric circulation (i.e. Hadley cells, trade
winds, etc.)
-Describe the four forces that contribute to ocean circulation
Surface ocean currents go 45 degrees to the right of wind direction (NH)
Net motion of water in the upper ocean in 90 degrees to the right of wind direction (NH)
-Describe Ekman transport, convergence, and divergence.
-Describe the pattern of global gyres
-What conditions in the ocean and atmosphere contribute to El Niño?
-Describe thermohaline circulation
-How does it contribute to vertical ocean mixing?
-On what timescale does the mixing occur?
III. Climate and Weather
Weather
 Quick timescale
 Changes
o Day to day
o Season to season
o Place to place
 More difficult to predict
Climate
 Slow timescale
 Changes by location
o Latitude
o Altitude
o What is upwind
 Predictable
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ESS15 Winter 2016 supplementary study guide by Dianne Sanchez
-Be able to draw positive and negative feedback loops
When drawing the arrows, a positive sign means the change in the previous element is in the
same direction as the change of the latter element. Negative sign means the changes are in the
opposite direction.
-What is climate sensitivity?
Bare rock climate model: 0.27 K/Wm2
Current value: 0.75 K/Wm2
-How do these processes “force” changes in the climate (change the Watts absorbed by the
climate system)
 Changing greenhouse gases
 Changing sun
 Volcanic aerosols
 Changing pollution aerosols
-What is the orbital theory of ice ages?
-How did rock weathering and volcanoes stabilize the climate on large timescales?
Carbon Cycles
-How long does CO2 stay in the atmosphere?
-How large are land, atmosphere, and ocean reservoirs of carbon (GtC)? Which is the largest?
-Describe the solubility pump in the ocean
-Describe the biological pump in the ocean
-Describe the CO2 fertilization effect
-Describe the nutrient fertilization effect
III. Climate change
Uncertainties in future human emissions and the response of global biogeochemistry to the
changing climate are among the leading sources of uncertainty in prediction of 21st century
climate
-Describe what lead up to the “climate optimum”
-What characterized the medieval warm period? (temperatures, time, etc.)
-What characterized the Little Ice age?
Ice ages were forced by orbital changes and amplified by feedbacks.
-What is a climate model?
 Must be given emissions information
 Answer “what if” scenarios
-Describe what the IPCC RCP pathways represent.
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ESS15 Winter 2016 supplementary study guide by Dianne Sanchez
-Describe some of the potential global consequences of climate change
Kaya Identity
𝐶𝑂2 =
𝐶𝑂2
𝐸 𝐺
×
× × 𝑃
𝐸
𝐺 𝑃
-Describe what each variable in the Kaya Identity represents
-What are the units for each variable?
-Understand how to manipulate the equation to solve for its variables
-We usually will use this equation for understanding changes in CO2 emissions, e.g.
Fossil Fuels
-List and describe the 6 reasons fossil fuels are great
-List and describe the human barriers that impede solving global warming
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