SCIENCE

• 3 kinds of general climatic zones with regards to latitude

  • Arctic/Polar Zone - Located within the Arctic and Antarctic circles. Extends from 66.5 degrees north and south to the poles. Characterized by permafrost, short cool summers, and long bitterly cold winters. 2. Tropical Zone - Stretches from the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north) to the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 degrees south). Features high temperatures, active vertical uplift, and frequent thunderstorms. Includes subtypes like equatorial (hot and wet throughout the year), tropical continental (high temperatures with greater annual range), and hot deserts (arid conditions). 3. Temperate Zone - Extends from the southern edge of the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere, and the northern edge of the Antarctic Circle to the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. Experiences warm to hot summers and cool winters. Two main types are marine (cool summers, mild winters, influenced by oceans) and continental (large temperature variations, found in interiors away from oceans)
• Types of ocean circulation

  • Wind-Driven Circulation - Winds push surface water, subject to Coriolis Effect. 2. Thermohaline Circulation - Overturning circulation, driven by temperature and salt density. Initiates the global conveyor belt
• Oceans cover 71% of the Earth, and absorb solar radiation
• Ocean currents are continuous movements driven by gravity, wind, and water density. Two types: horizontal currents (currents) and vertical changes (upwellings, downwellings). Forces causing ocean circulation: tidal forces, wind stress, density differences
• Human activities and land use changes release greenhouse gases, impacting climate
• Arctic sea ice is decreasing
• Climate change leads to an overall increase in Earth's surface temperature
• Natural processes, overwhelmed by human activities, can also contribute to climate change, including internal variability and external forcings
• Natural variations, global warming, and specific geographical factors contribute to climate change
• Factors affecting climate

  • Elevation
  • Relief
  • Proximity to water
  • Latitude
  • Land Use Change
  • Topography
  • Ocean Currents
  • Prevailing Winds
• Observations on Earth's changing climate: The average air temperature is rising, hot waves and droughts are increasing, and Arctic sea ice is decreasing
• Since the middle of the 20th century, human activity has been responsible for changes in Earth's climate
• Air temperatures over oceans are increasing
• Climate change results from both human activities, like burning fossil fuels, and natural factors such as volcanic activity and ocean cycles
• Burning fossil fuels has increased the amount of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, raising the planet's average surface temperature
• Forces causing ocean circulation

  • Tidal forces
  • Wind stress
  • Density differences
• Climate change stems from both human and natural factors
• Decline rate of Arctic sea ice in the early twenty-first century
• Impact of air temperature rise on oceans

  More water evaporates from the oceans, leading to more severe precipitation events, hurricanes, and floods
• Sea surface temperature has increased as the amount of heat absorbed by the oceans has surged in the past few decades
• Hotter air above oceans

  May have a significant impact on the climate system
• Average sea levels have swelled over 8 inches (about 23 cm) since 1880, with about three of those inches gained in the last 25 years. Sea level rise is accelerating and is projected to rise by a foot by 2050
• The lowest layer of the atmosphere, the troposphere, is warming as greenhouse gases build up and trap heat that radiates from the Earth
• Arctic sea ice extent is shrinking by 12.2% per decade due to warmer temperatures
• Increase in hot waves and droughts

  Can cause damaging wildfires, reduced water supplies, and other related issues
• 10 Indicators of Climate Change

  • Glaciers are melting
  • Sea levels are rising
  • Humidity is increasing
  • Ocean heat content is increasing
  • Sea surface temperature is increasing
  • Snow is decreasing
  • Earth’s lower atmosphere temperature is increasing
• The depth of snowpack can decrease due to high winds causing snow to evaporate and increasing temperatures causing snow to melt
• Sea ice in the Arctic has been shrinking for the past 30 years
• More humidity means more water vapor is in the air, making it feel stickier in hot weather. Water vapor contributes to the earth’s natural greenhouse effect and can lead to increased energy use by air conditioners, contributing to more climate change
• Carbon dioxide levels have increased about 40 percent since the Industrial Revolution began in 1750
• Preparation for the worst and adjustment are necessary actions to combat climate change
• The lowest layer of the atmosphere, called the troposphere, is where we live and where our weather occurs
• The main issue facing our global society is climate change and global warming
• Factors causing small climate changes over long periods

  • Earth's orbit
  • Solar activity
  • Ocean cycles
• Human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, has caused an increase in atmospheric temperatures
• Ways to adapt to climate change

  • Flood prevention through flood control structures
  • Reforestation
  • Infrastructure projects
• Factors releasing greenhouse gases

  • Burning fossil fuels
  • Deforestation
  • Agriculture
• Ways to mitigate climate change

  • Using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar
  • Sustainable and eco-friendly transportation like public transportation
  • 5Rs: Refuse single-use plastics, Reduce waste, Reuse, Recycle, Let rot perishables
• Satellite measurements show that the lowest layer of the atmosphere is warming as greenhouse gases build up and trap heat radiating from the Earth's surface
• Financing for the development of affordable and clean energy generation must be expanded