1. The Arctic, Climate Change & the Earth System Douglas “Dr. Doug” Williams, PhD Oceanographer & Arctic Scientist University of South Carolina Paula Keener-Chavis, Director Education Program, Ocean Exploration Program, NOAA NSTA Symposium (March 29, 2007): Polar Climates, How are they Changing?

2. July 2003: Dr Doug at the edge of the Laptev Sea, Russian Arctic http://www.bluemarblescience.com

3. Paula Keener-Chavis, NOAA

4. Sea ice in the Antarctic aboard Polarstern; G. Chapelle - © Alfred Wegener Institut / IPF Our goals today: Brief (very) Overview of Earth as a System Arctic as a system Nature of “change” Hands-on activities Nature of Changes in the Arctic

5. Group of self-regulating, interacting “subsystems” - governed by the Laws of Thermodynamics Subsystems are inter- connected: a change in one part of the system produces change(s) in other parts Over the last 10,000 years, humans have become geological agents of change affecting major parts of the Earth System The Earth System

6. Burning Question: Is the Earth Heating up?

8. Cryosphere Humanity (Biosphere)

9. Role of the sun in “fueling” the Earth System (climate change)

10. Dynamics of the Global Atmosphere

11. Wonderous - Chaotic - Responsive - Fragile Life-changing…

12. “Good” Greenhouse - “Bad” Greenhouse It may be thin but it is certainly influential!

13. The “miracle molecule” - where would we be without it?

14. Distribution of Water in the Hydrosphere Cryosphere “Water, water everywhere, nary a drop to drink”

15. Dynamics of the Global Hydrosphere makes the Blue Marble the Blue Marble Commotion in the Ocean

16. Wind-driven Currents @ Surface gyres

17. The Gulf Stream Meandering Transporting The Gulf Stream Meandering Transporting Heat Salt Plankton Dissolved ions..

18. Density-driven Current Systems

19. The Global Ocean Conveyor FRESH WATER How the deep oceans are ventilated:

20. Experimenting with thermohaline circulation!!

21. Density-driven Circulation in the Ocean

22. The Biosphere Fueled by the sun’s energy, in turn changing the atmosphere & climate

23. Boreal Forests of the Northern Hemisphere

24. Dynamics of the Biosphere, Global Carbon Cycle & Climate Pivotal “Keeling” Curve from Mauna Loa

25. Breathing of the Biosphere “bad greenhouse?”

26. Biosphere in the Oceans: Biodiversity & Productivity

27. SeaWiFS (ocean color, productivity) and Global Warming September to November 1997 June to August 1998

28. Can’t forget the Lithosphere !!

29. Plate Tectonics

30. Origin & Evolution of Life Can’t forget Time !! Shaping of the Biosphere

31. Key Science in the quest to understand the past, present and future of our planet Earth System Science Today?

32. Summary Group of self-regulating, interacting “subsystems” Subsystems are interconnected “We” (humankind) are part of the system

33. Change - NOT a four-letter word!(6) Change is a natural part of the Earth System

34. Earth System has been changing & evolving, on different time and spatial scales, in response to external and internal forces for 4.5 billion years !!

35. Nature of Change at the Poles a five letter word! Rapid

36. Ice-core records of abrupt climate change Bubbles of ancient atmospheres

37. Critical thresholds, tipping points, that can lead to abrupt changes from one state to another Earth’s Climate

38. Ice-core records from Greenland last 10,000 years much colder

39.  30 o F ! very abrupt too! Ice-core records from Greenland

40. Last 10,000 years much much colder! Last Glacial Maximum Ice-core records from Greenland

41. The Cryosphere during LGM A very different world

42. Climate-induced change in the Cryosphere Land ice sheetsYear-round sea iceSeasonal sea ice

43. LGM Ice Extent and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Climate-changes, Cryosphere-changes, SST-changes Ocean Circulation Changes

44. Climate-changes, Cryosphere-changes, Biosphere-changes

45. -150m -10 to 30m Climate-changes, Cryosphere-changes, Sea level-changes

46. Complexities of the Earth System Earth Rise from the moon Overwhelming or … an invitation to Invite & Excite?

47. Now, let’s put our thinking caps on… If we don’t invite and excite, if we don’t inspire them… Afterall, our students are dependent on us! WHO will??

48. Now…the Arctic System