Global warming: What is the controversy?

1. Global warming: What is the controversy? http://www.junkscience.com/GMT/index.htm Interesting NPR story on recently rejected coal power plant in Kansas http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15546026

2. http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/EDDOCS/images/Erb/components2.gifhttp://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/EDDOCS/images/Erb/components2.gif

3. Spectrum of Solar radiation at the Earth’s surface H&K fig 6.2 Absorption bands due to gasses like CO2, H2O, CH4 etc. These are the so-called green-house gasses. O3 In the stratosphere

4. Absorption by the Atmosphere http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Atmospheric_Transmission.png

5. These number differ slightly From those in your text http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas

6. Carbon Cycle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_cycle

7. Sediments and sedimentary Rocks could account for another 6x107 Petagrams! (www.physicalgeography.net/9r.html) http://www.whrc.org/carbon/ (Woods Hole Research Center)

8. http://www.whrc.org/carbon/ (Woods Hole Research Center)

9. H&K Fig. 9.6:Feedback(positiveand Negative) “Butterfly effect” in complex systems

10. Note that total temperature change across several ice ages was only about 12oC or about 22oF. CO2 Concentrations and Temperature Change

11. Another way to look at it: These doctors say yes the warming is there, but claim that there is no evidence that the warming is anthropogenic. Why might you be skeptical of this article? Robinson et al. J. Phys. Surg. 12, 79-90 (2007)

12. 10 ppm ozone at ~ 50 km compared to 40 ppb ozone in the troposphere! http://www.mardiros.net/atmosphere/atmosphere_structure.html

13. Ozone levels at Halley Bay station (Antarctica) http://www.atm.ch.cam.ac.uk/tour/part2.html

14. TOMS Satellite movie(Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) http://www.atm.ch.cam.ac.uk/tour/anim_toms.html

15. TOMS Satellite movie(Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) http://www.atm.ch.cam.ac.uk/tour/part2.html

16. Carbon Cycle http://www.bigelow.org/foodweb/carbon_cycle.jpg

17. Exam II Review • 115 points again (translated to 100 for course total) • 23 questions • 5 or so are numeric. Bring a calculator! • Covers Solar Energy through global warming and biofuels. • Chapters 6, 17, 7, 8, 9 (thru 9.B). • Cover sheet is up on ONCOURSE (blue font identifies additions since the first exam). • OFFICE HOURS: T 11:00-12:00, 1:00-2:30; W 2:45 to 3:45, Thurs 8:00 to 9:00

18. Solar Energy • Active/passive systems: basics of design • Direct, indirect, diffuse • Basic system design (components, features) • Solar constant and insolation • Flat panel vs. focusing systems • How much energy is available • Advantages/disadvantages

19. Fossil Fuels • Resources vs. reserves (proven, inferred…) • Attractive features vs. problems associated with them. • Exploration, refining, production,… • Natural gas: what is it? Where is it? • Alternative sources: oil sands/shale, clathrates, etc. • Coal: Impurities, types • Societal use, sector use • Physical differences between grades

20. Biomass • What is it? • Landfill design • Sources of various types (ethanol, biogas, methanol, municipal waste) • Anaerobic digestion (input and output) • Energy/carbon balance • Wood • Societal distribution • Advantages/disadvantages

21. Air Pollution • Pascal’s and Archemedes’ principles • What is pollution (sources, types, regulations) • Effects of CO, SOx, NOx, VOC, TSP, O3 • Interactions between various types (SMOG) • Acid rain (sources, consequences) • Emission controls: • Precipitators/collectors vs. scrubbers for power plants • PCV, EGR valves, catalytic converters etc. for cars • Profiles for various sources (power plants vs. cars, coal vs. natural gas etc.) and societies.

22. Climate Change • What is the greenhouse effect? • What are some common green house gases? • Where is the carbon and how much gets exchanged per year? • Why do we not have a definitive answer about how hot we will get? • Behaviour of complex systems (tipping points etc.)