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EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE: A Primer on Earth Systems Science IPCC NASA NASA Dr. Jeffrey R. Corney, Managing Director of the University of Minnesota’s Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY The Concern! IPCC IPCC ENERGY FLOW NASA Where It All Begins… ENERGY FLOW Photons Are Generated ENERGY FLOW A Long Journey from the Sun’s Core ENERGY FLOW Then, On to Earth… European Space Agency (93 Million Miles in about 8 Minutes) 1-A) The fact that we have seasons—Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer—in the Northern Hemisphere (and Southern for that matter), but not on the Equator is because: a. Earth is closer to the Sun during Summer, farther from it during Winter b. The Equator is always under a low pressure air mass c. Earth’s axis is tilted, tipping the Hemispheres away or toward the Sun as it orbits d. The Northern and Southern Hemispheres move slower than the Equator 1-B) The fact that it is considerably warmer throughout the year at the Equator than in the Arctic and Antarctic regions of Earth is because: a. The Arctic and Antarctic are always covered in ice and snow b. The Equator is always under a low pressure air mass c. The Equator is covered with tropical rain forests that retain heat d. The Sun’s rays strike the Equator more directly throughout the year than the Poles ENERGY FLOW Earth’s Tilt, Orbit and the Seasons ENERGY FLOW Univ. of Idaho Earth’s Sphere Intercepting Energy ENERGY FLOW Latitudinal Solar Energy per Area 100% TROPICAL (0o Lat.) 75% TEMPERATE (45o Lat.) 50% ARCTIC (60o Lat.) EIU ENERGY FLOW Earth’s Gross Solar Insolation Annual Mean Solar Insolation intercepting top of Earth’s atmosphere Wikipedia ENERGY FLOW How Much Energy Makes It to Us? ENERGY FLOW Net Solar Insolation at Surface Annual Mean Solar Insolation intercepting surface of Earth Wikipedia ENERGY FLOW Energy Measured as Temperature ENERGY FLOW Earth’s “Heat Engine” EO Earth ENERGY FLOW Oceans Transport Energy & Moisture ENERGY FLOW Water Absorbs a Lot of Solar Energy NASA Water has a high specific heat index—it absorbs a lot of heat before it begins to get hot. Pearson Education ENERGY FLOW Oceans Absorb then Transport Energy ENERGY FLOW Solar Energy Drives the Water Cycle ENERGY FLOW Where Water Ends Up on Land ENERGY FLOW MSU Energy Enters the “Life” Cycle ENERGY FLOW Solar Energy Builds Cells & Organisms How Stuff Works with Water Drives… Carbon, Oxygen & Mineral Cycles ENERGY FLOW Energy & Water Affect Productivity NASA 1-C) Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, retain heat within the Earth’s atmosphere. At what level of the atmosphere is most of the heat retention occurring? a. Thermosphere (near edge of space) b. Stratosphere (where most cloud layers are) c. Troposphere (near surface where we live) 1-D) The ultimate source of heat in Earth’s atmosphere is solar energy. How exactly does the warming of Earth’s atmosphere occur? a. Ultraviolet rays from the Sun directly hit atmospheric molecules and excite them b. Ultraviolet rays from the Sun directly hit Earth’s surface and bounce back up c. Earth’s surface absorbs ultraviolet energy that slowly warms up Earth’s core d. Earth’s surface absorbs ultraviolet energy and reradiates it as infrared energy ENERGY FLOW Earth’s Energy Budget 49% REFLECTED 51% RE-RADIATED 51% ABSORBED Jason Project ENERGY FLOW Atmospheric Layers ENERGY FLOW Surface to Atmosphere Energy Transfer ENERGY FLOW Earlham TAMU Energy Forms Air Masses ENERGY FLOW Air Masses Form Cells & Streams NOAA NOAA ENERGY FLOW Cells & Earth’s Rotation Produce Prevailing Winds ENERGY FLOW Air Masses Over Ocean & Land Produce Climates ENERGY FLOW Climate Close to Home Wikipedia 1-F) The Earth’s major tropical rain forest and temperate rain forest biomes are both characterized by having a lot of trees and other plants, though they do not share the same types of trees and plants. The primary factor these two biomes have in common that allows for so many trees and plants to grow successfully in both is: a. b. c. d. The same general latitude Direct sunlight throughout the year High average annual temperature High average annual precipitation 1-E) Heat energy from the Sun is first absorbed by Earth by slowly transferring the heat to the ground (soil, rocks, plants and parking lots). The heat then re-radiates out of the ground and begins to warm the air near the surface of Earth. What happens to that air as it warms up: a. The air gets more dense and sinks, causing an area of low pressure beneath it b. The air gets more dense and sinks, causing an area of high pressure beneath it c. The air becomes less dense and rises, causing an area of low pressure beneath it d. The air becomes less dense and rises, causing an area of high pressure beneath it 1-G) The Earth’s major desert biomes all tend to form along the 30th Parallels (latitude) in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres primarily because: a. Cool, dry air masses descend, causing a high pressure area b. Warm, moist air masses rise and cool, causing a low pressure area c. Cool and warm air masses are meeting, alternating high and low pressure areas d. Earth’s axis is tilted, tipping the Hemispheres away or toward the Sun as it orbits 1-H) The Earth’s major temperate grassland and temperate deciduous forest biomes all tend to form in the Northern Hemisphere between 30 and 60 degrees latitude primarily because: a. Cool, dry air masses descend, causing a high pressure area b. Warm, moist air masses rise and cool, causing a low pressure area c. Cool and warm air masses are meeting, alternating high and low pressure areas d. Earth’s axis is tilted, tipping the Hemispheres away or toward the Sun as it orbits ENERGY FLOW Earth’s Energy Budget 49% REFLECTED 51% RE-RADIATED 51% ABSORBED Jason Project ENERGY FLOW Energy Moves Back thru Atmosphere ENERGY FLOW Atmospheric Composition NITROUS OXIDE WATER Windows2Universe CARBON DIOXIDE METHANE ENERGY FLOW Atomic Absorption of Energy Skeptical Science ENERGY FLOW Molecular Transfer of Energy ENERGY FLOW Windows2Universe Energy Absorbed & Re-absorbed ENERGY FLOW Energy “Held” in the Atmosphere Eventually, all energy flows back out of Earth’s system and into Space. ENERGY FLOW Energy’s Full Circle...Lost in Space! Digital Recordings ENERGY FLOW ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY The Concern! IPCC IPCC ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY The TheCarbon CarbonCycle Cycle(pre-Industrial) (pre-Industrial) U.S. Dept. of Energy ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY CCESR Carbon Stored & Cycled in the Present How Stuff Works 2-A) Where is most of Earth’s actively cycling carbon stored; i.e. most effective carbon “sink”? a. b. c. d. In the atmosphere In the plants and animals In the coal, oil and natural gas In the oceans 2-B) Which of the following describes the most abundant active cycling or “flow” of carbon in to and out of Earth’s atmosphere? a. Between the plants, soil and the atmosphere b. Between the ocean surfaces and the atmosphere c. Between the coal, oil and natural gas sources and the atmosphere d. Between outer space and the atmosphere ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY Global Flows of Carbon (pre-Industrial) Gigatons 120 120 90 90 ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY Carbon Stored 300 Million Years Ago (Released Today) ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY The Carbon Cycle Today U.S. Dept. of Energy ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY Global Flows of Carbon Today Gigatons 120 + 2* 7 4 120 + 3 90 + 2 90 Net increase of 2 ppm Carbon in atmosphere per year ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY Ocean Acidification Impacts ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY Chemistry of Ocean Acidification 2-C) How exactly does an increase in carbon dioxide actually contribute to warming Earth’s atmosphere? a. Thickens the layer of molecules in the upper atmosphere that block heat from escaping, similar to how glass works in a greenhouse b. Increases the odds that outgoing heat is recaptured and retained by the molecules for a bit longer c. Erodes the ozone layer so the Sun’s energy can enter the atmosphere directly through the ozone hole d. Actually, heat generated from all of the combustion engine and deforestation burning is slowly warming the atmosphere, not the carbon dioxide directly ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY More Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere B C Windows2Universe A Same timeframe for each scenario. ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY Energy “Held” Near Surface Longer Net global increase: of 1.5 W/m2 Energy or 0.5oC Temperature ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY RADIATIVE FORCING CHANGES “Warming” Sources (W/m2) Greenhouse Gases Ozone Water Vapor Solar Irradiance Misc. TOTAL 2.4 0.3 0.07 0.12 0.1 2.9 “Cooling” Sources (W/m2) Land Use (albedo) Aerosols Cloud Albedo TOTAL 0.2 0.5 0.7 1.4 IPCC NET Radiative Forcing 1.5 CLIMATE SENSITIVITY = ~0.5oC/(W/m2 ) or ~0.9oF/(W/m2) “Radiative forcing is a measure of the influence a factor has in altering the balance of incoming and outgoing energy in the Earth-atmosphere system and is an index of the importance of the factor as a potential climate change mechanism. In this report radiative forcing values are for changes relative to preindustrial conditions defined at 1750 and are expressed in watts per square meter (W/m2).” - IPCC ESNERGY FLOW ISSUES USTAINABILITY Natural vs. Man Made Influences Best Match! ENERGY FLOW Dr. Jeffrey R. Corney, Managing Director University of Minnesota Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve 2660 Fawn Lake Dr NE East Bethel, MN 55005 (763) 434-5131 www.cbs.umn.edu/cedarcreek [email protected]