Transcript Global Warming and Its Effect on the Arctic

Global Warming and Its Effect
on the Arctic
By Megan Ware
What is Climate? What is Climate
Change?
• Climate is the weather in one location that
is averaged over a long period of time.
• Climate Vs. Weather: Weather is used to
denote a short time span in the
atmosphere while climate is a
generalization of weather.
• Climate change is the unpredictable
adjustment from one climate condition to
another.
What is Global Warming?
What proof is there of Global
Warming?
What is it?
• Global Warming is the
gradual heating of the
Earth’s troposphere; a
state of change in
which the surface
temperature rises.
• What proof is there?
• Scientists world-wide are
sharing their observations
• Measurements from
around the world record a
1 degree Fahrenheit
increase in temperature
• Science magazine,
published on May 12,
2006 evidence that Earth
is taking in in more
energy from the sun than
it is emitting due to the
greenhouse effect.
The Greenhouse Effect
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•
•
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The Greenhouse Effect is the
result of abnormal amounts of
C02, methane, and nitrous oxide
being pumped into the
atmosphere due to energy
production from fossil fuels.
These gases allow short-wave
radiation to hit the Earth and
radiate off the surface in the form
of long wave radiation (infrared)
The long way radiation is then
trapped in the atmosphere by the
fossil fuel burning gases that are
causing a rise in surface
temperature.
Note: The cycle of C02 is natural
but with the rise of the industrial
age, humans have overwhelmed
the atmosphere with C02, causing
an enhanced greenhouse effect.
Causes of Global Warming
• Emission of fossil fuels
• Deforestation- As trees are cut down, they are
unable to recycle C02 and actually emit C02 as
they die.
• Industrial manufacturing
• All these things combine to create the amplified
Greenhouse Effect
• C02 content in the atmosphere has been stable
at 280ppm since the end of the last ice age
10,000 years ago but it is now 380ppm and
rising. This rise has occurred since the Industrial
Revolution and the widespread burning of fossil
fuels by humanity.
Global Warming and the Arctic
• The Arctic is a region
inside the Arctic Circle
that centers around the
North Pole
• As surface temperatures
rise, the ice located in the
Arctic has started to melt.
• According to the Hadley
Center 10% of the ice has
already melted which is
approximately 2.01million
square miles.
Global Warming and The Arctic:
The Hydrosphere
• As ice melts, more fresh water is lost into the salty
oceans
• The oceans density, currently at 1.03*10^3, is expected
to decrease which could shut down the deep ocean
currents, such as the Thermohaline Circulation. Since
this current modifies Europe's weather, if it shuts down,
Europe could go into an ice age.
• With more water in liquid state, more water will be
evaporated and more severe storms will occur
• Sea level has risen 19.5 cm in the past 34 years due to
ice melting and thermal expansion
• The temperature of the ocean is increasing in
correspondence to a warmer planet
Global Warming and The Arctic:
The Geosphere
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With less ice, the albedo, or
reflectivity of Earth decreases s-o
more solar energy is absorbed,
increasing temperatures. With no
ice the Earth will absorb 30% more
solar energy
With higher sea levels, coastal
habitats will flood, erode, and be
destroyed
Once protective sea ice will melt
and new lands will be exposed to
erosion. Sea ice is melting at 9%
per decade.
With flooded lands, forests will be
unable to root themselves and
have already started to rapidly
disappear
Global Warming and The Arctic:
The Atmosphere
• As temperatures increase
and oceans are warmer,
more severe weather in
the troposphere is
occurring
• Scientist Dr. Emmanuel
has reported that the
number of 4 and 5
category hurricanes has
doubled over the last 35
years using his powerdissipation index.
Global Warming and The Arctic:
The Biosphere
• With coastal habitats gone, birds such as the
Cormorants will have to find a new environment or they
will go extinct
• Polar bears who live on the Arctic ice are rapidly going
extinct and are expected to die out in less than 100
years
• With warmer temperatures, more insects will breed
further north, eating vegetation and spreading disease
• With more severe storms, there are more opportunities
for humans to die
• Note: Death tolls in hurricanes are on the rise not
necessarily because of severe storms but because more
people are inhabiting the coast
Global Warming and The Earth
• As one small section of the Earth changes
(such as the Arctic) it can be seen that all
the spheres of Earth are affected and
changing
• Earth mechanics are intertwined creating a
fragile balance that can be easily broken
• Global Warming is remodeling how the
Earth works
What to do about Global Warming
• C02 emissions have to drastically drop in order
to preserve life as we know it on Earth
• Locally: recycle, plant trees, use renewable
energy such as solar or wind power, buy fuelsmart cars
• Governmentally: Kyoto Protocol- a document
uniting the world to prevent Global warming.
Unfortunately the USA has not yet ratified it.
Review Questions
• What is the difference between weather and
climate?
• How are C02 emissions creating the
Greenhouse effect?
• What changes are happening due to Global
Warming and how will they effect humanity?
• How does Global Warming illustrate the
fragile balance of intertwined components on
Earth?
• What can individuals do to help stop Global
Warming?
Bibliography
1)Hadley Center on Climate Change
www.met-office.gov.uk/index.html
Updated daily
6/3/06=date of access
2)Kyoto Protocol
www.unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.html
Opened for signature 12/11/97
6/3/06=date of access
3) National Aeronautics and Space Administration
www.nasa.gov/home/index.html
Updated daily
6/3/06=date of access
Bibliography Con’t.
4) Science News
The Wind and The Fury
By Naila Moreira
Vol. 168
September 17, 2005
6/3/06= date of access
5) Science Magazine
No Doubt About it, The World is Warming
By Richard A. Kerr
May 12, 2006
Vol. 312. no. 5775, p825
6/3/06= date of access
Picture Bibliography
1)University of Michigan
www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/greenhouse.htm
6/3/06=date accessed
No date of revise given
2) National Aeronautic and Space Administration: Earth Observatory
www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
Updated daily
6/3/06=Date of Access
3) World Wildlife Fund
www.panda.org/.../climate_change/index.cfm
January 17, 2006= last update
6/3/06= date of access
4) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
http://ngs.woc.noaa,gov/Katrina/
September 2005= last update
6/3/06= date of access