Week 9
Climate Effects and Extraterrestrial Climates
The filling of the atmospheric reservoir with carbon from the burning of fossil fuels is the reason the planet is heating right now. If this is the case, how did it warm in the past and what would it be doing right now without our input? How have the climates of other planets progressed over the lifespan of our Solar System? Does this give us clues to what the patterns we see today are trying to tell us?
Day 1
This graphic shows the changes in global circulation seasonally. By making the blue or red areas bigger or smaller we see changes that could be interpreted as global climate shifts. These changes would functionally shorten or lengthen certain seasons at any one point on the globe and prompt species to migrate toward their preferred average temperature pattern.
Mangroves are migrating north as warmer temperatures and stronger storms make it favorable.
Lobsters moving north over time.
Cherry blossom peak bloom moving earlier in the year.
Answer questions in Google Classroom.
Day 2
Snow and ice reflect light to space whereas dark ocean absorbs light from the sun and heats up the oceans.
Physical laws show that all heat goes into the changing of state until all of the initial state is gone. When all ocean ice is gone then temperatures will rise drastically since no more heat is absorbed by the change in state.
World population doubles in 2100 if high projections are correct.
By increasing our population we may be destroying some of the capacity of the planet to harbor our kind of life.
Even if no changes are made to current policies there will be no more than a 3 degrees Celsius change in global average temperature.
In areas where there is already food insecurity and starvation, climate fluctuations may make it impossible for populations to survive. They will migrate to places that are less food insecure causing massive migrations similar to those seen at the US and European southern borders in recent years.
Warming will cause difficulties in food production and huge reductions in food availability may cause mass migration and local, regional, or global conflict.
Look at the differences in rainfall distribution if we reduce emissions or if we continue with current CO2 emissions.
Higher CO2, enhanced rainfall, and higher temperatures may set up greenhouse conditions favorable for plant life.
Day 3
Watch this video to see an overview of climate science. After watching read the rest of this paragraph. This video is from 2010. Did you think it was from today? Climate is difficult to predict because of all of the positive and negative feedbacks that interact to average the climate.
Enhanced mixing can be due to high differentials in temperature.
Zoom in to specific time frames and see how CO2 has fluctuated (review this viewer as well). Look at the fact that over the past 800,000, 10,000, and 100 years there have been periods of relative stability that end with the current increase in CO2 and temperature that we see today. This is why it is widely assumed that climate change is human induced. As the planet changes temperature, mixing of the oceans and atmosphere increase. Ocean and atmospheric circulation cycles are difficult to model and are complex which makes it difficult for scientists to know much about what the increase in temperature will do to global circulation over time.
The Last 4.6 Billion Years
The Last 500,000,000 years
The Last 800,000 years
The Last 400,000 years
The last 10,000 years
The last 1000 years
The last 150 years
Optional videos for more information below.
Complete the Natural Climate Cycles (Milankovitch Cycles) Lab
Day 4
Extraterrestrial Climate Effects
Climate Change Study Guide
Recognize glacial and interglacial periods from graphs of CO2 and/or temperature over the last 800 thousand years.
Recognize and describe the pattern of warming across the planet over the last 100 years.
Know what things can happen when light from the sun hits the Earth and how the earth is affected.
Understand how the Greenhouse Effect works.
Know what kind of ice melt contributes to sea level rise.
Know why we should keep CO2 within recent historically normal levels.
Know the physical and social effects of global warming with regard to sea level, population, and food production.
Know the effects of Milankovitch Cycles on climate.
Know the effects of albedo.
Day 5
Your energy and atoms have traveled across space expanding with the Universe. They have lived within stars and been involved in supernova explosions. They may have been gravitationally bound to planets before ours or hovered quietly in space for eons. You are a link in the chain of events that has formed the Universe we see today. You are directly related to the original ancestor of all living things that diverged from the inorganic rocks and space dust shortly after formation of our planet. Every one of your many ancestors has survived every part of Earth's turbulent history in a continual unbroken chain leading directly to you. You ARE the Universe and the Universe is you. It is a special moment in our history when we can actually be aware of all of these facts. Use your atoms wisely and make the Universe a better place. Good luck in the future and thanks for being in my class.
-Mr. Becker
Take the Climate Change Quiz in Google Classroom.
Take the Semester 1 Final in Google Classroom (extra credit; can only help your grade).
