Natural Forcing and Climate Change in the Geological Past
- Created by: Eleanor_kittle
- Created on: 10-02-19 11:51
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- Natural Forces and Climate Change in the Past
- Milankovitch Cycles
- Changes in the Earth's axis, orbit and the procession of the exquinoxes
- Affect the amount of solar radiation reaching the planet's surface and its spatial and temporal distribution
- Operate on time scales that vary from 10,000 to 100,000 years
- Milankovitch identified cycles at 100,000, 43,000, 24,000 and 19,000
- Long glacial periods followed by shorter inter-glacials
- Milankovitch identified cycles at 100,000, 43,000, 24,000 and 19,000
- Operate on time scales that vary from 10,000 to 100,000 years
- Affect the amount of solar radiation reaching the planet's surface and its spatial and temporal distribution
- Changes in the Earth's axis, orbit and the procession of the exquinoxes
- Volcanic Eruptions
- Explosive eruptions pump huge amounts of volcanic ash and sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere
- Have the potential to change the global climate, at least in the short term
- Volcanic ash is quickly removed, but sulphur dioxide is more persistent and has a cooling effect
- Is converted into sulphuric acid which forms sulphate aerolsols
- Reflect solar radiation back into spaced and lower the temperature in the troposphere
- Mount Pinatubo: Ref. Case Study
- Reflect solar radiation back into spaced and lower the temperature in the troposphere
- Is converted into sulphuric acid which forms sulphate aerolsols
- Volcanic ash is quickly removed, but sulphur dioxide is more persistent and has a cooling effect
- Have the potential to change the global climate, at least in the short term
- Explosive eruptions pump huge amounts of volcanic ash and sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere
- Ocean Circulation
- Ocean currents are a vital component of the global energy budget, transferring surplus energy from the tropics to the poles
- Continental drift can modify ocean circulation and energy transfer
- Ocean currents are a vital component of the global energy budget, transferring surplus energy from the tropics to the poles
- Natural Greenhouse Gases
- There is a close relationship between atmospheric CO2 levels and the average global temperatures
- Periods of ice house correspond with with low levels of CO2 in the atmosphere which reduce the Earth's natural greenhouse effect
- There is a close relationship between atmospheric CO2 levels and the average global temperatures
- Solar Output
- The Sun's output is not constant but varies over time
- There is a positive correlation between the number of sunspots and solar energy output
- A decrease in sunspots from 0.1% to almost 0 can be seen to be accountable for 'The Little Ice Age' in Europe
- Recently there have been more sunspot activity, which coincides with recent warming of the global climate
- A decrease in sunspots from 0.1% to almost 0 can be seen to be accountable for 'The Little Ice Age' in Europe
- There is a positive correlation between the number of sunspots and solar energy output
- The Sun's output is not constant but varies over time
- Milankovitch Cycles
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