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Observed Global Climate Change

Observed Global Climate Change. Review of last lecture. Air pollution. 2 categories 6 types of major pollutants: particulates, carbon oxides, sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, ozone

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Observed Global Climate Change

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  1. Observed Global Climate Change

  2. Review of last lecture • Air pollution. 2 categories • 6 types of major pollutants: particulates, carbon oxides, sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, ozone • Dispersion of air pollution. Dependence on wind speed, stability (name of 3 types) and inversion (name of 2 types) • Air quality index • History of air pollution: The Medieval pollution, The 16th-19th centuries, The 20th century, The 21st century

  3. How do human activities change the global climate? Human beings are changing the global climate system in three different ways: • Change land cover (deforestation and urbanization) • Release or cleanse pollutants (aerosols) • Release or cleanse greenhouse gases

  4. How is scientific consensus achieved on global warming? • The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is organized by the World Meteorological Organization, and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly. • This is a worldwide enterprise that includes literally thousands of scientists that are involved in producing and critiquing a definitive statement on climate change. The political controversies have centered around condensed summaries produced for policy makers. • We have had 5 assessments by IPCC so far. • First Assessment Report (1990) • Second Assessment Report (1995) • Third Assessment Report (2001) • Fourth Assessment Report (2007): Nobel Peace Prize • Fifth Assessment Report (2013-2014)

  5. The most common atmospheric circulation structure H L Radiation Convection Conduction Spiritual Social Health Economy Cooling or No Heating Heating Greenhouse Gases Pollution Clouds Precipitation (Latent heat) Latent/Sensible H L Biosphere Land/Ocean/Ice/Stratosphere Feedback • Imbalance of heating • Imbalance of temperature • Imbalance of pressure •  Wind

  6. Observed change of greenhouse gases Global atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and CH4 have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 and now far exceed pre-industrial values determined from ice core measurements spanning the last 650,000 years!

  7. Radiativeheating of greenhouse gases

  8. Video: Climate Change 2013 Working Group I: The Physical Science Basis • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yiTZm0y1YA

  9. Observed Change in Global Temperature: Significant warming

  10. Global map of temperature change: Largest warming in Arctic (“Arctic amplification”)Larger warming over land than ocean

  11. Global map of snow/ice cover

  12. Observed Melting of Arctic Sea Ice http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/multiyear.ice.quikscat.mov

  13. Melting of Greenland Ice Sheet – A huge contributor to sea level rise today Greenland is responsible for about 10% of the observed global sea level rise and accelerating. Greenland holds 7 m of sea level equivalent.

  14. Observed Changes in Snow Cover: Significant melting

  15. Melting of Mountain Glaciers: a major contributor to sea level rise Glacier retreat is a world-wide phenomena. • Will affect water supply for millions: • Kenya/Tanzania • Northern India • Andes Mountains IPCC (2001)

  16. 1917 2008 Pedersen Glacier, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska 1978 2004 Qori Kalis Glacier, Peru 1875 2004 Pasterze Glacier, Austria

  17. Observed Changes in Global Sea Level

  18. Observed Changes in Sea Level Largest in the western part of ocean basin

  19. Summary: Observed significant changes

  20. Change in Mean vs Change in Extremes

  21. Observed changes in precipitation extremes: Increased contribution from very wet days

  22. Summary: Observed significant changes in extreme weather

  23. Summary • Rapid increase of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) since 1750: far exceed pre-industrial values determined from ice core measurements spanning the last 650,000 years. Lead to strong radiative heating. • Observed change of mean: air temperature, ocean temperature, melting of arctic sea ice, Greenland ice sheet, snow and glaciers, rising of sea level. • Observed change of extreme events: extreme precipitation events, heat waves, strongest hurricanes

  24. Works cited • http://www.earthtimes.org/environment/greenhouse-gases/ • National Snow & Ice Data Center • http://sciencewithme.com/learn-about-global-warming/ • http://www.chemistryland.com/CHM107Lab/Exp04_biodiesel/BiodieselLab/Exp4Biodiesel.html • http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/greenland-ice-sheet/greenland-ice-sheet-assessment-published • http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/ • http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/yahoos-5-stunning-before-and-after-pictures-of-melting-glaciers.html • http://www.detectingdesign.com/ancientice.html • http://nca2009.globalchange.gov/human-health • http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2012/10/30/hurricane-sandy-floods-new-york-city-photos-show-devastation/ • http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-sea-level-rise/ • http://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/smcd/emb/snow/HTML/multisensor_global_snow_ice.html

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