Global Climate Change http www msss comearth gif

Global Climate Change http: //www. msss. com/earth. gif

Global Climate Change: Pictures taken from same location during same time of year over a number of years… Grinnell Glacier in Glacier National Park, http: //www. nrmsc. usgs. gov/repeatphoto/Pairs/Grinnell_Mt_Gould/ Grinnellquad_fr. Mt. Gould_c-t. jpg

The Greenhouse Effect: • The greenhouse effect is the process by which the atmosphere warms the Earth. • First discovered in the early 1800 s, the greenhouse effect describes both the natural process of heating Earth and the added effect of human action.

The Science Behind the Greenhouse Effect: • Solar radiation from the Sun passes through Earth’s atmosphere. • This light is absorbed by land water and heats Earth’s surface. • Some of that heat is emitted back into space as radiant heat. • Some of this radiant heat is absorbed by gases in the atmosphere. • These greenhouse gases re-emit the heat to lower parts of the atmosphere and to the surface of Earth.

The Greenhouse Effect: http: //www. crystalinks. com/green house 2. gif

Greenhouse Gases: The gases found in the atmosphere that can absorb the radiant heat from Earth’s surface are called greenhouse gases: These are produced naturally and by human activities: – Carbon Dioxide, CO 2 – Nitrous Oxide, N 2 O – Methane, CH 4 – Ground-level Ozone, O 3 – Water Vapor, H 2 O

Greenhouse Gases Continued: These greenhouse gases are produced solely by human-activity: – Halocarbons – Chlorine and Bromine containing substances (examples: chlorofluorocarbons, CFCs) – Sulfur hexafluoride, SF 6 – Hydrofluorocarbons, HFCs – Perfluorocarbons, PFCs

Human Influence on Greenhouse Gases: 1. Burning fossil fuels • • Gasoline in vehicles and natural gas and coal in electricity generation THIS GENERATES THE MOST GREENHOUSE GASES! (primarily http: //longislandnn. org/images/smog. jpg CO 2, some CH 4 from mining and natural gas) http: //www. sciencenewsforkids. org/articles/20041208/a 610_3857. jpg

Human Influence on Greenhouse Gases Continued … 2. Removing and burning vegetation - Leads to fewer plants so that means less CO 2 can be pulled from the air. http: //www. plu. edu/~hoodbs/img/deforestation-2. jpg

Human Influence on Greenhouse Gases Continued … 3. Industrial actions - Release CO 2 directly (coolants, combustion, etc. ) or use LOTS of energy (which is primarily generated by burning fossil fuels). http: //www. reliablebiopharm. com/images/ manufacturing-biotech-center. gif http: //www. workforceboardsmetro chicago. org/upload/manufacturing _pic. jpg http: //www. speedrack. net/mill. jpg

How do scientists gather data about CO 2 levels? • Current and recent data collection occurs worldwide – on land, in oceans and via satellite. Map showing locations of current LAND measurements: http: //oceanworld. tamu. edu/resources/oceanography-book/evidenceforwarming. htm

How do scientists determine the temperature and CO 2 levels of the past? For information before 150 years ago, scientists gather indirect data from many climatic indicators: 1. Ice cores from thick ice sheets in Greenland, Antarctica, and mountain glaciers worldwide. http: //oceanworld. tamu. edu/resources/oceanography-book/evidenceforwarming. htm Air bubbles trapped in the ice give atmospheric gas content (concentration of CO 2)

2. Mud cores of ocean floor – showing climate variability over millions of years 3. Dendrochronology (using measurements of tree rings) – showing climate variability over hundreds of years 4. Pollen analysis (deposited in sediments) – showing climate variability over thousands of years http: //www. whackyscience. co. uk/bbs/WScms. nsf/0/A 0 B 10 BA 0 CBA 71640 C 1257230004 FBBE 2/$file/dendrochronology. jpg? Open. Element Gathering Past CO 2 Data:

Modeling our Future Climate http: //www. google. com/imgres? q=global+climate+change&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&sa=N&biw=1024&bih=661&tbm=isch&tbnid=d_N 11 S 3 yj. NKi. BM: &imgrefurl=http: //www. nasa. g ov/vision/earth/everydaylife/climate_class. html&docid=_w. OGkbfm 3 AUTc. M&imgurl=http: //www. nasa. gov/images/content/105582 main_Global. Warming_2060_lg. jpg&w=600&h=390 &ei=z 6 bz. Tv 78 DYyltwf. As. JTQBg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=267&sig=106526677276316862996&page=2&tbnh=112&tbnw=173&start=13&ndsp=15&ved=1 t: 429, r: 9, s: 13&tx=75&ty=61& surl=1

Greenhouse Gas Levels (Last 1000 years) http: //www. research. noaa. gov/climate/images/obse rving 3. gif

Worldwide Temperature (Over the same time period) http: //www. washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2006/06/23/GR 2006062300505. html? referrer=emaillink

How long does CO 2 remain in the atmosphere? • CO 2 remains in the atmosphere for 50 -200 years. Compare that with how long other greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere: • CH 4 remains in the atmosphere for 10 -15 years. • H 2 O remains in the atmosphere for days. • CFCs and HFCs remain in the atmosphere for 100 years.

Evidence of Climate Change: Pasterze, Austria’s longest glacier (lost 2 km in the last century): 1. Glacier reduction! Locations of Glaciers Worldwide (in white): 1875: 2004: Video Clip of North Pole Ice Breaking Up Video Clip of Effects of Glacier Reduction http: //www. worldviewofglobalwarming. org/pages/glaciers. html

Evidence of Climate Change … 2. Sea Level Rising! - Over the past 100 years, the global sea level has risen by about 10 -25 cm. Coastal erosion is even faster http: //news. bbc. co. uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/04/sci_nat_climate_change___evidence_and_ than sea level rise – which can predictions/img/3. jpg destroy near-ocean structures. Video Clip showing effects of rising sea level in an Indian coastal village Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA

Evidence of Climate Change … 3. Spread of Tropical Diseases into new territory! http: //www. idph. state. il. us/images/wnv_spread_time. jpg

Evidence of Climate Change … 4. Coral Reef Bleaching! Coral Reefs are some of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. -Higher water temperature causes coral to lose its symbiotic algae (which provide nutrition and color to the coral) http: //www. reeffutures. org Coral Reef Bleaching Video Clip - When the algae die, coral appears white or “bleached”

Evidence of Climate Change … 5. Changing ranges of world’s species! Mosquitoes have an increasing range: Polar bears have a decreasing range: http: //www. michigan. gov/images/mosquito_65147_7. jpg Hawksbill turtles have a decreasing range: http: //www. panda. org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_ch ange/problems/impacts/species/polar_bears/index. cfm - Ranges may be increasing or decreasing depending on the environmental needs of the species! http: //www. panda. org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/problems/impacts/species/turtles/ind ex. cfm