Consider the following questions on the carbon cycle:
[2 pts] Assume that the atmospheric reservoir of CO2 contains 830 Gt of carbon, and the rate at which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere is 180 Gt of carbon per year. What is the residence time of CO2 in the atmosphere? (Give units)
The residence time of CO2 in this atmospheric reservoir is 4.61 years.
[6 pts] Using the concepts we’ve discussed in class, explain two temporal patterns that you observe in the figure below and the processes that govern them.
Seasonality is exemplified by the red line spiking above and below the black line. Seasonality is representative of the Earth’s revolution around the Sun paired with the Earth’s tilt, which allows various amounts of sunlight depending the time of year and latitude.
The exponential increase of CO2 due to human activity is …show more content…
This graph would look very similar, as everyone on Earth shares the same atmosphere that regularly circulates; however the patterns associated with seasonality would be opposite because season cycles are opposite in the different hemispheres of our planet.
Consider the following questions on climate forcings and feedbacks:
[6 pts] What are two ways that clouds affect Earth’s radiation balance? Be sure to indicate whether they impact radiative flux in or out in each case. Clouds effect Earth’s radiation balance going in and out of the system. Radiative flux is moving in when the Sun’s radiation reaches the clouds some energy is reflected while the rest passes through the cloud to the Earth’s surface, more radiation is reflected by lower clouds. Radiative flux is moving out when the Earth’s radiation reaches the clouds some energy is reflected back to the surface while the rest passes through the cloud headed further into the atmosphere, more radiation is trapped by lower clouds.
[4 pts] Explain why water vapor changes are considered a feedback and not a
[2 pts] Assume that the atmospheric reservoir of CO2 contains 830 Gt of carbon, and the rate at which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere is 180 Gt of carbon per year. What is the residence time of CO2 in the atmosphere? (Give units)
The residence time of CO2 in this atmospheric reservoir is 4.61 years.
[6 pts] Using the concepts we’ve discussed in class, explain two temporal patterns that you observe in the figure below and the processes that govern them.
Seasonality is exemplified by the red line spiking above and below the black line. Seasonality is representative of the Earth’s revolution around the Sun paired with the Earth’s tilt, which allows various amounts of sunlight depending the time of year and latitude.
The exponential increase of CO2 due to human activity is …show more content…
This graph would look very similar, as everyone on Earth shares the same atmosphere that regularly circulates; however the patterns associated with seasonality would be opposite because season cycles are opposite in the different hemispheres of our planet.
Consider the following questions on climate forcings and feedbacks:
[6 pts] What are two ways that clouds affect Earth’s radiation balance? Be sure to indicate whether they impact radiative flux in or out in each case. Clouds effect Earth’s radiation balance going in and out of the system. Radiative flux is moving in when the Sun’s radiation reaches the clouds some energy is reflected while the rest passes through the cloud to the Earth’s surface, more radiation is reflected by lower clouds. Radiative flux is moving out when the Earth’s radiation reaches the clouds some energy is reflected back to the surface while the rest passes through the cloud headed further into the atmosphere, more radiation is trapped by lower clouds.
[4 pts] Explain why water vapor changes are considered a feedback and not a