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Our Planet’s Changing Climate

Our Planet’s Changing Climate. Forcing and Feedbacks. Our Climate Has Changed Throughout History…. GREEN HOUSE EFFECT. Climate Forcing. Several Factors Naturally Change Climate (Climate Forcers) Tectonic Processes Strength of the Sun Orbit Changes Humans also Impact Climate

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Our Planet’s Changing Climate

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  1. Our Planet’s Changing Climate Forcing and Feedbacks

  2. Our Climate Has Changed Throughout History…

  3. GREEN HOUSE EFFECT

  4. Climate Forcing • Several Factors Naturally Change Climate (Climate Forcers) • Tectonic Processes • Strength of the Sun • Orbit Changes • Humans also Impact Climate • Anthropogenic Impacts

  5. Milankovitch Cycles • Three properties impact insolation from the sun: (This is an external forcing) • 1) ECCENTRICITY (SHAPE) • 2) OBLIQUITY (TILT) • 3)PRECESSION (WOBBLE)

  6. ECCENTRICY: ORBIT SHAPE • Describes changes in distance from the sun as the shape of the elipse changes. • Cycles every 100,000 years

  7. OBLIQUITY: TILT OF THE AXIS • The earth’s tilt is the most dramatic influence on seasons because it results in dramatic differences in the amount of solar radiation in each hemisphere throughout the year. • Cycles every 41,000 years

  8. PRECESSION: EARTH’S WOBBLE • Due to the gravitational pull of the sun and moon • Think of a spinning top • Impacts strength of seasons when shape is elliptical • Cycles every 23,000 years

  9. FEEDBACK LOOPS • Positive---Amplifies the Impact • Negative—Regulatory---Controls the Impact

  10. FEEDBACKS: INTERNAL FORCING • Feedbacks can be • positive or negative • Natural or Anthropogenic • Example of Positive Feedback (Melting of the Permafrost) • Melting Permafrost

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