The document discusses several topics related to the greenhouse effect and global warming:
1. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane absorb infrared radiation, trapping heat in the lower atmosphere and causing the greenhouse effect.
2. An increase in greenhouse gases leads to an enhanced greenhouse effect and global warming as the Earth's surface temperature rises.
3. While climate varies naturally, determining if changes in things like precipitation and temperature are due to natural variability or climate change caused by human activity is challenging for scientists.
Earth's energy budget refers to the tracking of how much energy is flowing into and out of the Earth's climate, where the energy is going, and if the energy coming in balances with the energy going out. The Earth receives energy from the Sun, and it also reflects and radiates energy back into space. All of the energy that warms the atmosphere, oceans and land must be radiated back into space in order to maintain our current climate. If the amount of energy radiating back into space is decreased by even a very small amount, it can lead to warming. It is believed that increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has a 'greenhouse effect' of reducing the amount of energy radiated into space.
Earth's energy budget refers to the tracking of how much energy is flowing into and out of the Earth's climate, where the energy is going, and if the energy coming in balances with the energy going out. The Earth receives energy from the Sun, and it also reflects and radiates energy back into space. All of the energy that warms the atmosphere, oceans and land must be radiated back into space in order to maintain our current climate. If the amount of energy radiating back into space is decreased by even a very small amount, it can lead to warming. It is believed that increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has a 'greenhouse effect' of reducing the amount of energy radiated into space.
Extent of climate change over India & its projected impact on Indian agricult...India Water Portal
This special address by Dr Y E A Raj, Director General, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai made at the Kerala Enviroment Congress, Trivandrum organised by the Centre for Environment and Development discusses the impact of climate change on Indian agriculture
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The first climate and weather presentation I\'ve given for 2012. Went over well, especially since I\'ve included video and improved the narrative (thanks to Stephan and John and their Debunking Handbook for that).
1. Last Class
How does variability in the earth’s physical structure affect
the transformations of energy?
- albedo of different “spheres”; clouds
What is the physical structure of the atmosphere?
- multi-layered, with little chemical interaction
- most of the mass is near the surface
What is the chemical structure of the atmosphere?
- nitrogen by far the most common element
- oxygen is second most common
- greenhouse gasses are small in amount, but important!
2.
3. Structure of the Atmosphere
Thermosphere
Mesosphere
Ozone Maximum
Stratosphere
Troposphere
Temperature
4. How does energy input to the earth surface vary across the globe?
http://www.ems.psu.edu/Courses/earth002/0402G_M.htm
5. This Class - The Green House Effect and Global Warming
How is energy distributed to the earth’s surface?
What are greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect?
Impact of an increase in atmospheric CO2
on greenhouse effect
Recent changes in greenhouse gas concentrations
Relationship between the greenhouse effect and global
warming
6. The “Greenhouse Effect”
The Earth’s surface thus receives energy
from two sources: the sun & the
atmosphere
– As a result the Earth’s surface is ~33°C warmer
than it would be without an atmosphere
Greenhouse gases are transparent to
shortwave but absorb longwave radiation
– Thus the atmosphere stores energy
8. 1. Shorter, high
Energy wavelengths
Hit the earths
Surface
2. Incoming energy
Is converted to heat
9. 3. Longer, infrared
Wavelengths hit
Greenhouse gas
Molecules in the
atmosphere
4. Greenhouse gas
Molecules in the
Atmosphere emit
Infrared radiation
Back towards earth
11. Absorption Spectra of Atmospheric Gases
Visible
UV Infrared
CH4
N2O
O2 & O3
CO2
H2O
atmosphere
WAVELENGTH (micrometers)
Anthes, p. 55
12.
13.
14. Selected Greenhouse Gases
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
– Source: Fossil fuel burning, deforestation
Anthropogenic increase: 30%
Average atmospheric residence time: 500 years
Methane (CH4)
– Source: Rice cultivation, cattle & sheep ranching, decay
from landfills, mining
Anthropogenic increase: 145%
Average atmospheric residence time: 7-10 years
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
– Source: Industry and agriculture (fertilizers)
Anthropogenic increase: 15%
Average atmospheric residence time: 140-190 years
15. Summary
Greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation and prevent it
from escaping to space.
Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are very good
at capturing energy at wavelengths that other compounds
miss
16. Greenhouse Effect & Global Warming
• The “greenhouse effect” & global
warming are not the same thing.
– Global warming refers to a rise in the
temperature of the surface of the earth
• An increase in the concentration of
greenhouse gases leads to an
increase in the the magnitude of the
greenhouse effect. (Called enhanced
greenhouse effect)
– This results in global warming
18. Climate Change vs. Variability
Climate variability is natural.
Even in a stable climate regime, there will always
be some variation (wet/dry years, warm/cold
years) A year with completely “average” or
“normal” climate conditions is rare
The challenge for scientists is to determine
whether any increase/decrease in precipitation,
temperature, frequency of storms, sea level, etc.
is due to climate variability or climate change.
20. Radiation is not evenly distributed over the
Surface of the earth. The northern latitudes have an
energy deficit and the low latitude/ equator has an excess.
But the low latitudes don’t indefinitely get hotter and the
northern latitudes don’t get colder.
Why?
The atmosphere and ocean transfer energy from low
latitudes to high
21. Atmospheric
Pressure
Decreases
With Height
Above 99%
Most of the
energy is
captured
close to the Above 90%
surface
That energy Above 50%
drives climate
and weather
Pressure (mb)
50 percent of mass of the atmosphere is within 6 km of the surface
22. Atmospheric Feedbacks
POSITIVE NEGATIVE
Increased CO2 More water
vapor & other
+ changes
Higher temperature
+ Increased cloud cover
More water vapor
More reflected solar radiation
–
More absorbed infrared radiation
Lower temperature
+
+
Higher temperature Less water vapor
+
More water vapor
Editor's Notes
Review and preview
Lets break it down for the earth and look a little more closely at the energy coming in.