vocab ch.4

• Atmosphere

  The gases surrounding the Earth.

  Different layers are characterised by their temperature, density, turbulence and composition
• Carbon sequestration

  Any process which removes carbon dioxide from the Atmosphere such as afforestation or carbon capture
• Cirrus clouds

  Thin, wispy clouds usually found at altitudes above 6000m. They can reflect infrared energy emitted by the earths surface and emit infrared produced from absorbed sunlight
• Cryosphere


  All the frozen water on earth
• Thermal stratification

  The changing temperatures in different layers of the atmospher
• Ozone depleting substance

  Chemicals that destroy the earths protective ozone layer -> includes CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons)
• Secondary oil recovery

  the extraction of crude oil where pressure is maintained by pumping water or natural gas into the oil reservoir
• Montreal protocol

  The international agreement that controlled the manufacture and use of CFCs and other ozone depleting substances
• Polar vortex winds

  Winds that blow around the north and south poles in a circular manner which reduce the mixing of polar air masses with the rest of the atmosphere
• La Nina

  the name given to events when the wind and ocean currents in the equatorial Pacific Ocean increase in strength
• Greenhouse Gas

  a gas that absorbs infra-red radiation emitted by the earths surface and causes atmospheric heating.

  -> e.g carbon dioxide and water vapour
• El Nino

  the name given to events when the wind and ocean currents in the equatorial pacific ocean slow significantly or reverse

  -> this alters heat distribution and weather patterns around the pacific area

  -> these are caused by natural processes