WWS 350 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Ocean Acidification, Cold Days, Radiative Forcing
5 Mar 2019
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Document Summary
Observations models test mechanisms or make predictions. If the concentration of greenhouse gases is increasing, the planet should be warming. Very likely since 1950 around the world: Fewer cold days and nights (very likely due to human actions) Likely in parts of europe, asia, australia: More frequent and/or longer-lasting heat waves (likely due to human actions) Likely that more places show increases rather than decreases in heavy precipitation events. Increasing frequency, intensity of cyclones less certain. Earth gets warmer ocean gets warmer accelerating loss of mass from ice sheets. Arctic summer sea ice has been decreasing since 1979. But antarctic sea ice has been increasing since 1979 according to some models (not all) Melting glaciers and ice sheets + warming oceans rise in sea levels. Many observations are consistent with the idea of a warming planet. Scientists can estimate the greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities. Fossil fuel combustions and cement production: 375 gtc (gigatons of carbon)
