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Climate Change

Climate Change. Advanced Placement Conference Augusta, ME October 30, 2009. Disparity in location. Sun. Solar Energy. Solar Energy. Earth’s Temperature. Sun. Solar Energy. Radiative Cooling. Earth’s Temperature. Sun. Solar Energy. Radiative Cooling. Earth’s Temperature. Sun.

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Climate Change

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  1. Climate Change Advanced Placement Conference Augusta, ME October 30, 2009

  2. Disparity in location

  3. Sun Solar Energy Solar Energy Earth’s Temperature

  4. Sun Solar Energy Radiative Cooling Earth’s Temperature

  5. Sun Solar Energy Radiative Cooling Earth’s Temperature

  6. Sun Solar Energy Radiative Cooling Earth’s Temperature

  7. Sun Greenhouse Effect

  8. Energy Budget(incoming)

  9. Surface Energy Balance

  10. Atmosphere Energy Balance

  11. Greenhouse Gases • Certain molecules within the atmosphere absorb some of the radiation emitted by the surface. This raises their temperature • Asymmetry – mass – bond strength • Once the energy is absorbed, it is re-radiated in all directions, some of it returns to the surface • This return of heat energy to the surface, increases its temperature by ~ 15oC

  12. Nitrogen (N2) Oxygen (O2) Argon (Ar) Water (H2O) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Methane (CH4) Earth’s Atmospheric Gases Non-Greenhouse Gases >99% Greenhouse Gases <1%

  13. Sun Venus Runaway Greenhouse Effect • 97% carbon dioxide • 3% nitrogen • Water & sulfuric acid clouds • Temperature:860°F

  14. The Water-Vapor Window • Water vapor is strong absorber of infrared radiation, but not at all frequencies • Infrared radiation at particular frequencies is “invisible” to water vapor. • These are the water vapor windows and radiation emitted at these frequencies escapes freely into space (Most important is the 10µ m window) • Unless a different atmospheric molecule can absorb these radiations and partially “close” the water-vapor window

  15. Closing the Window

  16. Carbon Dioxide Levels Muana Loa Readings CO2 Levels Since 1958 370 350 CO2 (ppm) 330 310 40 30 20 10 0 420 370 320 CO2 (ppm) 270 220 Dome Concordia Vostok Ice Core 170 600000 400000 200000 0 Time (YBP)

  17. Worldwide Carbon Emissions Total Liquid fuel Solid fuel Gas fuel 8 7 6 5 Carbon (109 metric tons) 4 3 2 1 0 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 Year

  18. Variable & Increasing Gases Figure 1.3 Nitrogen and oxygen concentrations experience little change, but carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, and chlorofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases experiencing discernable increases in concentration. CO2 has risen more than 18% since 1958. Fossil fuels are the biggest problem!

  19. Temperature History of the Earth • For the past 3 million years, the earth has been experiencing ~100,000 year cycles of glaciation followed by ~10,000 year interglacial periods • These climate periods are largely the result of cycles in the earth’s orbit – precession, obliquity, and eccentricity

  20. Orbital Parameters: Precession Perihelion Apehelion

  21. 22.5° 24.5° Orbital Parameters: Obliquity

  22. Apehelion Apehelion Perihelion Orbital Parameters: Eccentricity Maximum: 0.061 Minimum: 0.005 Not to scale! To Scale!

  23. Precession(22 ky) Obliquity(41 ky) Eccentricity(100 ky) Temperature Orbital Parameters & Earth’s Climate 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Age (kya)

  24. YoungerDryas Medieval Warm Ice Age Little Ice Age Younger Dryas Event -25 0.35 -30 0.30 -35 0.25 Snow Accumulation (m/yr) -40 0.20 Temperature (°C) -45 0.15 -50 0.10 -55 0.05 20 15 10 5 0 Age (kya)

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