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Natural Mechanisms of Climate Change

Natural Mechanisms of Climate Change. How do we know about past climates?. Paleoclimatology - the study of the history of the earth’s climate Using: ice cores, tree rings, and lake bottom sediment. External Forces – beyond earth. Solar Energy- changes in 3 ways:

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Natural Mechanisms of Climate Change

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  1. Natural Mechanisms of Climate Change

  2. How do we know about past climates? • Paleoclimatology- the study of the history of the earth’s climate • Using: ice cores, tree rings, and lake bottom sediment

  3. External Forces – beyond earth • Solar Energy- changes in 3 ways: • 1. Shape of earth’s orbit – sometimes circular, sometimes elliptical • 2. Changes in earth’s tilt – currently at 23.5 degrees • Varies from 22-25 degrees over 41,00 yr cycle • Smaller the tilt means less seasonal variation.

  4. 3. Changes in earth’s spin – it wobbles sometimes.

  5. Ocean, Atmosphere and Land Forces of Climate Change

  6. Ocean Causes Changes • Change climates along the coasts theyu flow • Change in temp • Change in the Great Ocean Conveyor

  7. Volcanic Activity • Releases SO2 which forms sulfic acid and reflects sunlight • Releases huge amounts of ash and dust -blocks the sun • Short tem

  8. Atmospheric Albedo • The reflective property of the atmosphere (amount of sunlight atmosphere reflects) • An ↑ in clouds means an ↑ in reflection • A ↓ in clouds means a ↓ in reflection • The more sunlight that reaches Earth the temp ↑

  9. Surface Albedo • Earth’s reflective capacity • Includes land, snow, water, and ice • Ice and snow reflect, land absorbs • As ice and snow melt, less sunlight is reflected, more is absorbed, temp ↑

  10. Asteroids and Meteoroids • If huge ones impact Earth, large amounts of dust and debris in atmosphere • May block out the sun • Leading theory on what killed the dinosaurs

  11. Plate tectonics • Changes where glaciers can form • Changes the flow of currents • Changes the climates on different continents • Redistributes the areas of absorption of solar radiation

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