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CLIMATE An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for United States National Security (Pentagon Report, 2003). Global warming “should be elevated beyond a scientific debate to a US national security concern... future wars will be fought over the issue of survival rather than religion, ideology or national honour.” Understanding climate matters...
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CLIMATE I. Large Scale Determinants A. Solar Radiation 1. Average Radiation Budget - Solar Constant = 2 calories/cm 2 /min - 50% is reflected, absorbed, reradiated (Most ultraviolet light is reflected/absorbed) by the atmosphere - on average, 1 cal/cm 2 /min strikes earth. (but this varies dramatically, as we will see…)
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- 50% is reflected, absorbed, reradiated (Most ultraviolet light is reflected/absorbed)
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Greenhouse effect ABSORBANCE CO 2 fills ‘window’ in H 2 O absorbance YAY OZONE!
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A. Solar Radiation 1. Average Radiation Budget 2. Local Radiation Budget – Angle of incidence (latitude and season) 3) More is reflected off surface; a lower percentage of what strikes/unit area is absorbed 1)Goes through more atmosphere 2)Less energystrikes/unit area (since it is spread over more area)
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A. Solar Radiation 1. Average Radiation Budget 2. Local Radiation Budget – Angle of incidence (latitude and season)
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HIGH ENERGYLOW ENERGY B. Effects on Atmospheric Circulation
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HIGH ENERGYLOW ENERGY
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As air rises: - decrease pressure - increase volume - decrease energy/unit volume - decrease temperature
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As air rises: - decrease pressure - increase volume - decrease energy/unit volume - decrease temperature Decrease temp, increase tendancy of water vapor to condense “Adiabatic cooling”
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PV = nRT As air rises: - decrease pressure - increase volume - decrease energy/unit volume - decrease temperature Decrease temp, increase tendancy of water vapor to condense “Adiabatic cooling”
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As dry cold air falls: - increase pressure - decrease volume - increase energy/unit volume - increase temperature “Adiabatic warming”
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Increase temp of this dry air, evaporate water off surface As dry cold air falls: - increase pressure - decrease volume - increase energy/unit volume - increase temperature “Adiabatic warming” 30 o N 30 o S
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30 o N 30 o S TROPICAL RAINS at solar equator HOT, DRY, DESERTS
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30 N 30 S
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Latitude of solar equator drive seasonal rainy seasons in tropics Latitude of solar equator
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Three cycles in each hemisphere: Hadley temperate (Ferrel), polar
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Transfer of energy from equator to poles (“Why are global warming’s greatest effects at the poles, not in raising the temperature of the tropics?)
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- Pattern of air movement along the surface of the earth… C. The Coriolis Effect
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-Pattern of air movement along the surface of the earth… - conservation of momentum east - speed relative to Earth changes (treadmill analogy) C. The Coriolis Effect
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D. Effects on Ocean Circulation
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E. Long-Term Effects 1. ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation)
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E. Long-Term Effects 1. ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation)
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E. Long-Term Effects 1. ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation)
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2. Younger Dryas - Dramatic cooling of northern Europe 11,000-13,000 years ago, correlating with the melting of the Laurentian Ice Sheet in North America. - Fresh water formed a lens on surface; deflecting Gulf Stream to the east at a much lower latitude, starving Europe of the heat transferred by the Gulf Stream. E. Long-Term Effects
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F. Difficulties in Modeling Global Climate 1. Positive Feedback Loops
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F. Difficulties in Modeling Global Climate 1. Positive Feedback Loops
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F. Difficulties in Modeling Global Climate 1. Negative Feedback Loops
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II. Determinants of Local Climate A. Topography 1. mountains
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Merriam’s Life Zones in the southwestern U.S.
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Valleys - Day II. Determinants of Local Climate A. Topography 1. mountains 2. valleys
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Valleys - Night II. Determinants of Local Climate A. Topography 1. mountains 2. valleys
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II. Determinants of Local Climate A. Topography 1. mountains 2. valleys 3. slope face
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B. Water Bodies - act as heat sink/source as temp changes more slowly than air SPRING to SUMMER Land warms more rapidly than water body; heat transfers to cold water...increase in temp is buffered
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B. Water Bodies - act as heat sink/source as temp changes more slowly than air FALL to WINTER Land cools more rapidly than water body; heat transfers to cold land...decrease in temp is buffered
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B. Water Bodies - act as heat sink/source as temp changes more slowly than air Continental climateMaritime climate focus on temp (red) and NOTE scales differ!! CONTINENTAL CLIMATE MARITIME CLIMATE
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B. Water Bodies - also a source of moisture
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B. Water Bodies - also a source of moisture Maritime climate
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B. Water Bodies also a source of moisture Continental climate (max 100)Maritime climate (max 160) focus on precip (blue)
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B. Water Bodies -also a source of moisture - depends on onshore vs. offshore winds/currents Vancouver, 49N Boston, 42 N Note differences in scale
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C. Additive Effects - Atacama Desert
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D. Seasonality in Temperate Lakes
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