Global Climate ChangeChapter 16Mr. Martino

Our Dynamic ClimateEnergy From the

Sun◦ Greenhouse effect

Certain gases in the atmosphere retain some of the Sun’s heat energy

Greenhouse gases Water vapor, carbon

dioxide, ozone, nitrous oxide, and ozone

Essential for the maintenance of Earth’s temp.

Sunlight is converted to heat then retained.

◦ The Effect of Latitude Latitude – the

measurement of a place’s distance from the equator

The farther away a place is from the equator, the colder it will be. 610N = cold; Alaska 100S = warm; Brazil

The Sun’s rays strike the Earth at different angles, at different latitudes.

Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the Sun; summer.

Wind Patterns in the AtmosphereWinds and Heat

◦ Warm air rises, cool air falls Rise at the equator Fall at the poles

◦ Prevailing winds – rising of equatorial air and the falling of polar air Move in huge

masses around the earth

Winds and Moisture◦ Water vapor in the

air enters through evaporation from surface water or from plants through transpiration

◦ Warm air carries more water vapor

◦ Winds push clouds over long distances, redistributing the Earth’s water

The Oceans and ClimateOcean Circulation

◦ Currents absorb carbon dioxide and transport heat

◦ Thermohaline Circulation – warmer, less saltier water moves along the surface; colder, saltier water moves along the bottom Warm water flows from

the equator to the poles

El Nino & La Nina◦ Change of pressure,

wind patterns, ocean temperature, and ocean circulation

◦ El Nino – eastern pacific ocean becomes warmer, weakening the equatorial winds; no upwelling occurs along the coast

◦ La Nina – opposite of El Nino

Ocean absorption of carbon dioxide◦ By absorbing

carbon dioxide, ocean temperature decreases

◦ Problem: carbon dioxide is being produced faster than it is being absorbed