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55 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Layers of the Atmosphere |
Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Exosphere |
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Troposphere Temperature |
55 degrees celsius |
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Stratosphere Temperature |
0 degrees celsius |
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Mesosphere Temperature |
-100 degrees celsius |
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Thermosphere Temperature |
130 degrees celsius |
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Exosphere Temperature |
1000 degrees celsius |
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Greenhouse Gases |
Nitrogen - 78% Oxygen - 21% Argon - 0.9% Carbon Dioxide - 0.035% |
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The Greenhouse Effect |
The process of retaining heat in the atmosphere. |
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Major Atmospheric Gases |
Nitrogen - 78% Oxygen - 21% Argon - .9% Carbon Dioxide - .035 |
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Major Atmospheric Gases |
Nitrogen - 78% Oxygen - 21% Argon - .9% Carbon Dioxide - .035% |
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Water Vapour Atmospheric Concentration |
1-4% |
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Solar Cycles |
The cycle of the sun includes solar maximums and solar minimums, which occur roughly every 11 years. Although solar cycles do not to contribute to global warming, they can alter water and air circulations on Earth as well as effect the Earths magnetic fields and ozone concentrations. |
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Carbon Sequestration |
Carbon is sequested or stored in all of the Earths major systems - biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere - Forests and oceans are among the worlds most effective carbon sink, although increased water temperatures have slowed down the ocean carbon sequestration process. |
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Milankovitch Cycles |
Eccentricity Obliquity Precession |
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Eccentricity |
Eccentricity refers to the Earths distance to the sun. Perihelion refers to the Earth closest orbit where it is 3% closer to the sun than during aphelion. When it is most ellipitical, the Earth receives 20% to 30% more solar radiation. |
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Obliquity |
Obliquity refers to the Earths tilt ranging from 21.5 to 24.5 degrees. A slight tilt causes the seasons, but the severity of it fluctuates over 41,000 years and if the axial tilt is less, it allows for warmer winters and cooler summers. |
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Precession |
Gravitational effects from the Sun and Moon lead the Earth to wobble on its axis, drawing a full circle over 23,000 years. This effects the amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth. |
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Albedo |
Albedo is the amount of solar energy reflected on the Earth’s surface back into space. Albedo Value 0 (no reflection) to 1 (full reflection) |
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Enhanced Greenhouse Effect |
Higher concentrations of greenhouse gases caused by human activities leads to more heat energy being absorbed into the atmosphere and the gradual warming of the Earths surface temperature. |
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Main Contributors to the EGE |
- The increased combustion of fossil fuels and the release of greenhouse gases - The loss of vegetation cover/carbon sinks - The manafacturing of artificial gases such as CFC’s and HCFC’s |
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Global Warming Potential |
GWP is a measure of how much heat a specific greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere over a set period of time as opposed to carbon. Carbon sets the value of 1 |
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Lifespan of the Greenhouse Gases (Years) |
CO2 - 50 to 20 CH4 - 43,070 N2O - 120 to 150
CFC’s and halons - 102 HCFC’s - 12 PFC’s - 50,000 SH6 - 11,000 |
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The Sun |
-Surface Temperature - 5,800 C - Short end of electromagnetic spectrum - 38% of radiation is visible light - 53% is infrared radiation - 9% is UV radiation |
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The Sun |
-Surface Temperature - 5,800 C - Short end of electromagnetic spectrum - 38% of radiation is visible light - 53% is infrared radiation - 9% is UV radiation |
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Solar Radiation |
- Water vapour and CO2 absorb some solar radiation - Ozone absorbs most UV radiation - Most remaining radiation is infrared or visible light - Approximately 45% of solar radiation reaches the Earths surface - Albedo effect reflects a third of radiation - Remaining radiation is reradiated into the atmosphere as heat - Some escapes into the atmosphere while the rest is absorbed by greenhouse gases; contributing to the GE |
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Carbon Dioxide |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 20-50 years - GWP: 1 - Comes from organic matter combustion, respiration, volcanic outgassing, fossil fuels, transport |
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Carbon Dioxide |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 20-50 years - GWP: 1 - Comes from organic matter combustion, respiration, volcanic outgassing, fossil fuels, transport |
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Methane |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 43,070 years - GWP: 21 - Comes from decomposing organisms, extraction of fossil fuels |
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Carbon Dioxide |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 20-50 years - GWP: 1 - Comes from organic matter combustion, respiration, volcanic outgassing, fossil fuels, transport |
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Methane |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 43,070 years - GWP: 21 - Comes from decomposing organisms, extraction of fossil fuels |
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Nitrous Oxide |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 120-150 years - GWP: 310 years - Comes from the atmosphere, chemical manufacturing, fertilisers and cars |
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Carbon Dioxide |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 20-50 years - GWP: 1 - Comes from organic matter combustion, respiration, volcanic outgassing, fossil fuels, transport |
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Methane |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 43,070 years - GWP: 21 - Comes from decomposing organisms, extraction of fossil fuels |
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Nitrous Oxide |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 120-150 years - GWP: 310 years - Comes from the atmosphere, chemical manufacturing, fertilisers and cars |
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Chloroflurocarbons |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 102 years - GWP: 125 - Comes from refrigerators: Antropogenic compound |
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Carbon Dioxide |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 20-50 years - GWP: 1 - Comes from organic matter combustion, respiration, volcanic outgassing, fossil fuels, transport |
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Methane |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 43,070 years - GWP: 21 - Comes from decomposing organisms, extraction of fossil fuels |
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Nitrous Oxide |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 120-150 years - GWP: 310 years - Comes from the atmosphere, chemical manufacturing, fertilisers and cars |
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Chloroflurocarbons |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 102 years - GWP: 125 to 152 - Comes from refrigerators: Antropogenic compound |
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Hydrochloroflurocarbons |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 12 years - GWP: 125 - Comes from air conditioners and refrigerators: Anthropogenic compounds |
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Perflurocarbons |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 50,000 years - GWP: 6,500 - Comes from refrigerators and the production of aluminium; Anthropogenic compounds |
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Sulfur Hexafluride |
- Atmospheric Lifetime: 11,000 years - GWP: 23,900 - Comes from the production of magnesium: anthropogenic compounds |
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GWP of Major Gases |
CO2 - 1 CH4 - 21 N2O - 310 CFCs - 125-152 HCFC - 125 PFCs - 6,500 SH6 - 23,900 |
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Methods of Measuring Climate Change |
- Analysis of ancient climate change - Ice core samples - Paleobotany - Ocean and atmospheric temperatures - Climate models |
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Ice Core Samples |
Air bubbles in cylinders of ice from ice sheets and glaciers contain gases such as CO2 and CH4 that can help detirmine atmospheric concentrations from 123000 to 800000 years ago. |
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Ice Core Samples |
Air bubbles in cylinders of ice from ice sheets and glaciers contain gases such as CO2 and CH4 that can help detirmine atmospheric concentrations from 123000 to 800000 years ago. |
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Paleobotany |
Plant fossils can be billions of years old, which can help scientists detirmine the climate of a location based on the plant species preferences. |
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Ice Core Samples |
Air bubbles in cylinders of ice from ice sheets and glaciers contain gases such as CO2 and CH4 that can help detirmine atmospheric concentrations from 123000 to 800000 years ago. |
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Paleobotany |
Plant fossils can be billions of years old, which can help scientists detirmine the climate of a location based on the plant species preferences. |
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Atmospheric and Ocean Temperatures |
Direct, microwave imaging and thermal measurements of temperature allow scientists to understand vital patterns of climate change. |
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Ice Core Samples |
Air bubbles in cylinders of ice from ice sheets and glaciers contain gases such as CO2 and CH4 that can help detirmine atmospheric concentrations from 123000 to 800000 years ago. |
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Paleobotany |
Plant fossils can be billions of years old, which can help scientists detirmine the climate of a location based on the plant species preferences. |
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Atmospheric and Ocean Temperatures |
Direct, microwave imaging and thermal measurements of temperature allow scientists to understand vital patterns of climate change. |
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Climate Models |
Sophisticated mathmatical representations of the climate that simulate the important drivers of climate including processes in the atmosphere and oceans and on the land surface and ice sheets. They allow scientists to predict future outcomes and understand global climate change. |
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International Panel on Climate Change |
Review the most current and widely accepted scientific evidence of climate change. IPCC degree of certainty - - Very High Certainty - High Certainty - Medium Certainty - Low Certainty - Very Low Certainty |
