* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Introduction to The Earth`s Atmosphere
Low-carbon economy wikipedia , lookup
2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference wikipedia , lookup
Climate governance wikipedia , lookup
Climate sensitivity wikipedia , lookup
Citizens' Climate Lobby wikipedia , lookup
Climate change and agriculture wikipedia , lookup
Scientific opinion on climate change wikipedia , lookup
Global warming hiatus wikipedia , lookup
Mitigation of global warming in Australia wikipedia , lookup
Fred Singer wikipedia , lookup
Climate engineering wikipedia , lookup
Surveys of scientists' views on climate change wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming on human health wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in Tuvalu wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming on humans wikipedia , lookup
Future sea level wikipedia , lookup
General circulation model wikipedia , lookup
Views on the Kyoto Protocol wikipedia , lookup
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme wikipedia , lookup
Public opinion on global warming wikipedia , lookup
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change wikipedia , lookup
Climate change and poverty wikipedia , lookup
Attribution of recent climate change wikipedia , lookup
Years of Living Dangerously wikipedia , lookup
Climate change in the United States wikipedia , lookup
Climate change, industry and society wikipedia , lookup
Global warming wikipedia , lookup
Politics of global warming wikipedia , lookup
Instrumental temperature record wikipedia , lookup
Effects of global warming on oceans wikipedia , lookup
Physical impacts of climate change wikipedia , lookup
Climate change feedback wikipedia , lookup
Weather, Climate, and Climate Change The earth's atmosphere is a very thin layer wrapped around a very large planet. Two gases make up the bulk of the earth's atmosphere: nitrogen (N2), which comprises 78% of the atmosphere, and oxygen (O2), which accounts for 21 %. Various trace gases make up the remainder. Trace gases (1%) Based on temperature, the atmosphere is divided into four layers: the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. Energy is transferred between the earth's surface and the atmosphere via conduction, convection, and radiation. URBAN HEAT ISLANDS!!! Weather and Climate The earth's climate is generally defined as the average weather over a long period of time. How does climate differ from weather? Weather - is the current atmospheric conditions, including temperature, rainfall, wind, and humidity at a given place. Climate - is the general weather conditions over a long period of time. Climates are usually classified by annual temperature and precipitation values, (Arid, Humid, Polar, Tropical) Ocean currents and global winds play a significant role in transferring heat around the planet. Paleoclimates (Ancient Climates) Studying past climates and climate changes help us to better understand our current climate and what may happen in the future. Several techniques are used for measuring past climates, including: Extracting deep ice cores from glaciers and the polar ice caps, examining growth rings on trees, coral reef cores, sediment cores can all reveal clues to past climates. Tree Ring (Giant Sequoia) Core Coral Core Sediment Ice Core • Examining fossil and pollen records Neogloboquadrina pachyderma – coils to the left when ocean water is cooler Vostok Ice Core – deep ice core drilled into Antarctica (10,230 feet) What Does the Paleoclimate Data Suggest From Vostok? What About the Historical Record? Why the Increasing Trend in Temperature? (highest level recorded in Vostok over the past 400,000 years ~325 ppm) What Causes Climate Change? - Greenhouse Gases – Gases present in the atmosphere that absorb infrared radiation given off by the Earth’s Surface causing atmospheric temperature to rise. They include: Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Water Vapor, CFC’s - Ice House gases – Gases or particulates in the atmosphere that reflect sunlight back into space, causing temperatures to decrease. They include: Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) and Dust The Greenhouse Effect – Incoming short wave, visible light radiation from the sun penetrates the atmosphere and heats the Earth’s surface. The surface then reradiates this energy as long wave, infrared radiation which is absorbed by gases in the atmosphere, causing temperatures to rise. Thus the Earth’s atmosphere acts like the glass in a greenhouse. What Can Result if the Earth’s Temperature Rises? Climate Shift – Change in the location and area of world Biomes. Sea-Level Rise – Melting glacial ice will add water to the ocean, and the increase in ocean temperature will also cause thermal expansion of the oceans. East Coast ~20,000 years ago (400 foot drop in sea level) Complete Melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (~17 foot sea level rise) Complete Melting of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (~170 foot sea level rise) Climate Change and NY State Summer Temperatures Average temperatures have risen in the Northeast 1.5 degrees F since 1970. In NY, winters are 4 degrees F warmer since 1970. Avg. temps are expected to rise by 4-9 degrees F by 2080. Precipitation may increase by 5-15% by 2080, mostly during winter months as rain. Forests – loss of Spruce/Fir Forests Winter Recreation – less snow Energy – increased demand for cooling Agriculture – longer growing season, periodic drought, new crop potential, heat stress for dairy cows. Global Cooling – Melting glacial ice may interrupt warm ocean currents causing changes in local climates. Cool, low density fresh water may cap warm, more dense salt water in the Gulf Stream. This may lead to cooling the climate of Europe. THE KYOTO PROTOCOL As part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Kyoto Protocol is a binding agreement that is directed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. The agreement was adopted on December 11, 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, and creates a 5.2 percent total reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by industrialized nations that signed the agreement. The time period for the reductions takes place between 2008 and 2012, and is based on levels of greenhouse gases produced in 1990. Industrialized nations bound by the protocol have specific target emission standards, and developing nations are excluded from emission controls. Currently 163 countries have ratified the protocol. The United States, which is the world’s largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, signed the Kyoto Protocol in 1998, but withdrew its signature in 2001. The President and Congress felt that both developing and industrialized nations should reduce their emissions, and did not want to sign into an international agreement that might harm the economy. Bali Conference/ United Nations Climate Change Talks – December 2007 – talks aimed at reducing industrial nations carbon emissions by 20 to 40% by 2020, and the world emissions by 50% in 2050. The Lieberman/Warner Climate bill to address it was killed by the Senate. New Zealand (2025), Norway (2050) and Costa Rica (2021) declare they will be carbon neutral. Global Warming and Disease- changes in climate could also lead to the spread of disease to new areas. Migration and increasing populations of insects, higher temperatures, increased moisture. Ozone Depletion Ozone – Ozone is an unstable form of oxygen (O3) that naturally exists high in the stratosphere. When high energy, ultraviolet radiation from the sun strikes the ozone molecule, it absorbs the radiation, and therefore acts as a shield that prevents deadly UV radiation from striking the Earth’s surface. This is called the ozone layer. Ozone Destruction – Human created gases used as refrigerants like chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), commonly known as Freon and Methyl Bromide a soil fumigant, have escaped into the atmosphere and have risen up into the stratosphere. It is there that the Sun’s radiation destroys the CFC molecule, therefore freeing up reactive chlorine molecules. The chlorine then bonds with the free oxygen atoms that make up the ozone layer, and therefore decreases the amount of ozone in the stratosphere. The Ozone Hole – The loss of ozone over the poles has created very thin or no areas of ozone. The formation of the ozone hole is linked to the formation of polar stratospheric clouds. 2006 2010 Negative Effects of Stratospheric Ozone Depletion – the loss of ozone causes more UV radiation to reach the Earth’s surface. This can damage cells leading to cancer. In humans the result is an increased risk of Melanoma, or skin cancer. THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL On September 16, 1987, The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was adopted at a conference in Montreal, Canada, which was attended by more than 29 countries. This international agreement between industrial and developing nations sets reductions and phase-out timelines for stratospheric ozonedestroying compounds. Human-created gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), methyl chloroform, Hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFCs), and methyl bromide have all been targeted for elimination. The results of this international agreement have been recently observed by scientists monitoring the ozone layer. Researchers from NASA and the World Meteorological Organization have recorded a reduction in the concentration of ozonedestroying chemicals in the atmosphere, and a decline in the size of the Antarctic ozone hole over the past 10 years. The Montreal Protocol is now being hailed as a successful example of the importance of international agreements in reducing environmental degradation. El Niño and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO event) – A change in the temperature of equatorial ocean water off the western coast of South America that effects world climate. The Southern Oscillation – Changes in precipitation patterns of the South Pacific that are related to moving atmospheric pressure centers. “Normal” conditions – The Trade Winds drive warm equatorial surface water of the Pacific Ocean westward. This causes cool, nutrient rich ocean water to rise up along the western edge of South America in a process known as upwelling. El Nino Conditions – Trade Winds decrease causing a build-up of warm water off the coast of South America. La Niña Conditions – Increasing velocity of Trade winds causes excess upwelling Effects of El Nino Reduced upwelling can affect the productivity of the coastal ocean, reducing fish populations. The Southern Oscillation affects global wind and precipitation patterns, resulting in droughts or floods. Changing precipitation patterns may also cause the spread of disease. El Nino and Global Warming Coral Bleaching – a recent phenomenon believed to be the result of climate change and pollution. Coral and Coral Reef Systems – corals are small marine organisms that live in large colonies located in warm shallow seawater. Corals build protective shells out of calcium carbonate, which lead to the formation of large structures known as coral reefs. Coral reef systems are often referred to as the “rainforest of the sea”, due to the high amount of biodiversity they support. Coral Bleaching – recent phenomenon where corals begin to lose their colors and appear bleached. The bleaching is the result of the die off of the symbiotic algae that reside within the coral. Coral bleaching has been observed in many coral reef systems worldwide. Carysfort Reef System, Florida Keys Causes of Coral Bleaching – coral bleaching is believed to be the result of many different environmental stresses, which include: - changing water temperature - increased exposure to UV radiation - sediment pollution - water pollution (toxic chemicals, oils, wastewater, infectious agents) Ocean Acidification – decrease in the pH value of the water in the ocean from carbon dioxide dissolving into the water. Carbonic Acid forming from excess carbon dioxide.