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Long and short term changes in climate

This document explores long and short-term climate changes, highlighting key factors influencing Earth's climate. It covers processes such as continental drift, climate cycles, and feedback loops, alongside the impact of volcanic eruptions, ocean currents, and solar radiation variations. It discusses the significance of Earth's orbital changes and how ice ages transition to warmer periods through the Albedo effect. Additionally, it details methods for investigating past climates, including ice cores, tree rings, coral reefs, and sediment layers, illustrating the complex interactions within our climate system.

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Long and short term changes in climate

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  1. Long and short term changes in climate

  2. Long term changes • Continental Drift • When continents move, ocean currents and wind patterns change which affects heat transfer • Also affects the distribution of land • More ocean south of equator – more moderate climate • New mountain ranges, weathering of old mountain rangers

  3. Climate cycles • Earth’s climate cycles between freezing ice ages and warmer interglacial periods • Earth’s last ice age was 20 000 years ago • Average temp was 10 degrees less • Ice sheets 3km thick covered most of Canada

  4. Why Climate cycles? • Earth’s orbit! • Eccentricity: shape of the orbit varies from being circular to elliptical (cycles every 100,000 years) • Tilt: rangers from 22.1 -24.5 degrees (cycle is every 41,000 years) • Wobble: As Earth spins it wobbles on it’s axis, angle remains the same but direction changes

  5. Short Term Variations in Climate • Volcanic Eruptions • clouds cause shading and cool Earth • Changes in Air and Ocean Currents • El Nino – Air/Water in pacific ocean changes direction every 3-7 years • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FVZrw7bk1w • Changes in Sun’s Radiation • Small changes make a big difference in Earth’s temperature

  6. Feedback loops and climate (8.10)

  7. FeeDBack loop • Positive Feedback Loop: the effect increases the original cause • A small change can have a big effect! • Negative Feedback Loop: the effect decreases the original cause

  8. The water vapour feedback loop • Heat increase water vapour increase heat (greenhouse gas) • Cool  less water vapour  Earth cools down even more

  9. The Albedo EFfect • Albedo: the amount of radiation reflected by a surface • Different surfaces have different albedos • Ex: • Ice and snow have high albedos • grass and trees have low albedos • Albedo Effect: Positive feedback loop between ice on Earth’s surface and Earth’s temperature • Colder  more ice  more reflection  cools more • Warmer  less ice  less reflection  heats up more • Earth shifts from ice age to warm period fairly quickly because of this effect

  10. Homework! • Read pg. 348-357 • Questions • Pg. 353 #1, 4 • Pg. 357 #1-4, 6, 7

  11. How do we know what Past Climates Were Like?? • Ice Cores – test air bubbles to determine make up of atmosphere, can also help determine temperature • Tree Rings – the thicker the rings, the better the conditions (warm, wet) • Coral Reefs – Add layers of growth each year, determine water temperature • Rock – layers contain pollen or fossils • Ocean Sediment – layers contain fossils • Caves – dripping minerals solidify, grow faster in rainy weather

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