GEOG 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Ocean Heat Content, Climatology, Sea Ice
Document Summary
Annual cycle; there is a trend of increasing co2. 400 parts/million of co2 in atmosphere; this is the first time in human history that we"ve lived in this type of climate. Increase concentration in greenhouse gases (co2, h2o or water vapor, ch4, cfcs, and aerosols) thanks to the industrial revolution. If concentration of greenhouse gases are increased it will increase the atmosphere"s capacity to absorb, it will absorb more, and its temperature will increase, and it will emit more to earth and back to space. Co2 absorbs between 8 and 10 microns of wavelength (which cannot be absorbed by any other gas) H2o is a very efficient greenhouse gas absorber. The earth is made of water; if it gets warmer, this water will evaporate. The concentrations of ghgs are increasing at rates beyond that which the environment (. e. g ocean and forests) can absorb/consume/sequester at the moment. Consequence: average warming of earth"s surface, including the tropics, and associated side effects.
