Earth’s energy balance Earth’s climate system Glacial cycles Natural variability Volcanic eruptions.

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Introduction to Climate Change

Part I: Earth’s Climate System

Contents

Earth’s energy balance

Earth’s climate system

Glacial cycles

Natural variability

Volcanic eruptions

Earth’s Energy Balance

Incoming vs. Outgoing

Imbalance in the Balance

Energy Excess and Deficit

Incoming Radiation

Outgoing Radiation

Incoming – Outgoing Radiation

Average Temperature

Earth’s Energy Balance

• Key terms:– Radiation (long wave vs. short wave)– Albedo– Convection, conduction, latent heat– Greenhouse effect

The Earth’s Climate System

Earth’s Energy Balance

Atmospheric Layers

Troposphere

Stratosphere

Mesosphere

Thermosphere

Exosphere

0-15km

50-85km

15-50km

100-400km

>400km

Equator

30˚S

60˚S

HadleyCell

FerrelCell

Polar Cell

Oceanic Circulation

The Earth’s Climate System

• Key Terms– Atmospheric layers (e.g. Troposphere and

Stratosphere)– Hadley cell– Oceanic currents

Glacial and Solar Cycles

The Earth’s Climate System

Earth’s Energy Balance

Milankovitch Cycles

AphelionPerihelion

Milankovitch Cycles

23.5˚N

23.5˚S

22.1˚-24.2˚

Milankovitch Cycles

13,000 years13,000 years

PolarisVega

A Cyclical Pattern

Click to edit Master title styleSolar Variability

Sunspot

Plage

Glacial and Solar Cycles

• Key terms:– Milankovitch cycles

• Eccentricity– Aphelion– Perihelion

• Obliquity• Precession

– Sunspots• Plages

Natural Variability

Glacial and Solar Cycles

The Earth’s Climate System

Earth’s Energy Balance

What is the difference between weather & climate?

100 108

1010

104

104

Meters

Se

con

ds 106

(Week)

(Hour)

108

(Year)

102

(Minute) Turbulence

Tornadoes

Thunderstorms

TropicalCyclones

El Niño-Southern Oscillation

El Niño-Southern Oscillation

Neutral

El Niño-Southern Oscillation

El Niño /Warm event

El Niño-Southern Oscillation

La Niña /Cool event

El Niño-Southern Oscillation

Natural Variability

• Key terms:– Weather vs. Climate– El Niño-Southern Oscillation– Scales: time and spatial

Climate and Volcanoes

Natural Variability

Glacial and Solar Cycles

The Earth’s Climate System

Earth’s Energy Balance

Volcanic Eruptions

H2OCO2 SO2 H2

COH2S

HClHF

Volcanic Eruptions

Global Temperatures and Volcanic Eruptions

NOAA ESRL

Let’s recap…

Key lessons and processes

Earth’s radiation is balanced through incoming (solar) and outgoing (longwave) radiation

The atmosphere plays a role through greenhouse gases

Earth’s climate can be affected by changes in the chemical composition of the atmosphere and changes in solar radiation

References and additional resources

• Broecker, Wallace S. 1991. The great ocean conveyor. Oceanography 4(2): 79-89.

• Broecker, Wallace S. 1982. Glacial to interglacial changes in ocean chemistry. Progress in Oceanography 11(2): 151-197.

• Kump, Lee R., James F. Kasting, and Robert G. Crane. 2010. The earth system. Prentice Hall, San Francisco, U.S.A.

• McCormick, M. Patrick, Larry W. Thomason, and Charles R. Trepte. 1995. Atmospheric effects of the Mt Pinatubo eruption. Nature 373.6513: 399-404.

• [USGS] Unites States Geological Survey. Volcanic Gases and Their Effects. Available from: http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hazards/gas/index.php (accessed February 20, 2014).

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