Ocean and Atmosphere
Weather Cycles
Geologic Climate Change
The Sun
Greenhouse Gases
Extraterrestrial Climates
100
Where did most of the gas that formed the Earth’s atmosphere originate?
Outgassing from volcanism.
Also accept - moon forming impact/impact events vaporizing rocks.
100
What causes seasonal variations on Earth?
The Earth's Axial Tilt changing which hemisphere is closest to the Sun as it travels around its orbit.
100
The geological process that moves the continents slowly over time is called….
Plate Tectonics
100
How long are sun spot cycles?
11 years
100
Name three greenhouse gases.
Methane, Carbon Dioxide, Water Vapor, Ozone, CFCs, Nitrous Oxide
100
What is an exoplanet?
A planet outside our solar system.
200
Name an example of a time when Life directly influenced the Earth’s atmosphere.
Great Oxidation Event, Late Devonian Mass Extinction, now...
200
El Nino years mean what kind of surface water is pooled near the coast of South America?
Warm Water
200
How might plate tectonics effect the climate on a continent over geologic time?
The climate would change as the continent moved North/South through different climate zones.
Changes in Ocean circulation caused by continent movements could cause dryer, or cooler conditions regionally and globally.
Mountain building from plate tectonics could cause rain shadows.
200
Name one amplifier that might increase the effect of the slight variations in insolation associated with Sun Spot cycles?
Pacific Coupled Air-Sea Response,
Positive and negative forcing of clouds
200
Name two natural sources of methane.
Wetlands, wildfires, permafrost, termites, oceans, guts of wild herbivores (e.g. wild bison)
200
Why is the surface of Venus so hot?
Dense, carbon dioxide rich atmosphere causes an intense Greenhouse Effect on Venus
300
What is the Thermocline?
The transition layer between the warmer mixed water at the surface and the cooler deep water below.
300
Where is the Pacific Decadal Oscillation usually detected?
The northern Pacific Ocean (North of 20 degrees)
300
If there were more clouds covering most of the Earth, how would that effect Earth's overall albedo?
Earth's albedo would be increased (clouds reflect sunlight).
300
How has the energy from the sun changes over the last 4 billion years?
It has gotten "hotter", insolation increased 33%
300
Where is the helpful Ozone layer located?
Stratosphere
300
What is the name of the rover currently searching for Ancient Life on the Martian surface?
Perseverance
400
How does the Coriolis Effect influence atmospheric circulation near the surface of the Earth?
Due to the rotation of the Earth, circulating air is deflected toward the right in the Northern Hemisphere and toward the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
400
Which of the climate cycles we discussed in class would have the most effect on Arctic sea ice
North American Oscillation & Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation
400
What general effect do aerosols have on Earth’s climate?
Cooling effect.
400
Name the three orbital parameters that influence the amount and distribution of solar radiation that hits Earth.
Axial Tilt (obliquity), Precession (wobble), Eccentricity
400
What is one way water vapour amplifies global warming?
Hotter air hold more water vapor, which is a greenhouse gass and in turn heats the Earth further. Also, overall warmer atmosphere may mean less condensation occurs, which could lead to fewer clouds - clouds have a cooling effect, so fewer would mean more warming.
400
Name the gases that can form clouds on Mars.
Water & Carbon Dioxide
500
What is deep ocean circulation also known as?
Thermohaline Circulation - Global Conveyor Belt
500
What is an atmospheric river?
Atmospheric rivers are relatively long, narrow regions in the atmosphere – like rivers in the sky – that transport most of the water vapor outside of the tropics.
500
What produces the Urban Heat Islands effect?
The urban heat island effect happens because the closely packed buildings and paved surfaces that make up cities amplify and trap heat more than natural ecosystems and rural areas
500
How can the time of perihelion impact Earth’s climate?
When Perihelion happens during summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the summers are slightly warmer and winters are slightly colder in that hemisphere (and in the Southern Hemisphere summers would be slightly colder and winter slightly warmer). Though it only increases/decreases of solar energy reaching the Earth by about 7%.
500
Why do Carbon Dioxide levels sometimes lag behind temperature increases in ice cores by 800 years?
The initial change in global temperature was driven by orbital parameters (Milankovitch Cycles), and then that warming released Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere from melting ice, increased biomass/productivity, warmer oceans, which further intensified warming.
500
What is the "goldilocks zone" in a solar system?
The distance away from a sun where liquid water might be possible on a planets surface. (aka Habitable Zone)