Causes of Climate Change
- Created by: Emma
- Created on: 27-12-12 20:01
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- Causes of climate change
- Global Warming - enhanced greenhouse effect
- GHG Emissions e.g; CO2, Methane, Ozone, Water Vapour, Nitrous Oxide
- Burning fossil fuels releases CO2
- Causes an increase in global temperatures
- Burning fossil fuels releases CO2
- Too much GHG emissions = too much energy trapped = planet warms
- Industrial Revoloution from 1750 - Caused increase in atmospheric CO2 from 280ppm -380ppm
- GHG Emissions e.g; CO2, Methane, Ozone, Water Vapour, Nitrous Oxide
- Variations in solar output
- Sunspots increase solar energy output
- The no. of sunspots fluctuates over an 11 year cycle
- Very Low sunspot activity
- Cooling in the late 17th Century - 'little ice age'
- Volcanic Eruptions
- Major eruptions eject large quantities of material into atmosphere - ash, SO2
- Creates phase of sulphate aerosols reflecting radiation
- Krakatoa - 1883 - global temps fell by 1 degree
- Creates phase of sulphate aerosols reflecting radiation
- Major eruptions eject large quantities of material into atmosphere - ash, SO2
- Variations in Orbits
- Molankovitch Cycle
- Stretch
- Change from circular orbit to an eliptical orbit and back again about every 96000 years
- Changes amount of energy from sun at different times of the year
- Eliptical Orbit currently which means it is closer to the sun in Jan and further away in July
- Changes amount of energy from sun at different times of the year
- Change from circular orbit to an eliptical orbit and back again about every 96000 years
- Tilt
- Changes between 21.8 and 24.4 degrees over a cycle of 41000 years
- Currently at 23.5
- Tilt changed = different amounts of energy at different latitudes = change in global climate
- Currently at 23.5
- Changes between 21.8 and 24.4 degrees over a cycle of 41000 years
- Wobble
- Cycle of 22000 years
- Earth closer to sun in jan, winter in N.Hemisphere is mild and summer is cool
- Seasons eventually swap over
- Earth closer to sun in jan, winter in N.Hemisphere is mild and summer is cool
- Cycle of 22000 years
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Greenhouse effect is when the gases absorb outgoing energy to warm the planet
- Global Warming - enhanced greenhouse effect
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