CLIMATE

CHANGE

D I FF E R E N T D

A T A DI F

F E R E N T PE R S P E C T I V

E S

CLIMATE• Definitions• Climate change history• Controversy• Natural Cycles• Human activity

VOCABULARYClimateGeologic Time Scale Pre-Cambrian Paleozoic Mesozoic Cenozoic

Teriary Quaternary

Ice core samplingLogarithmicAnomalyEl NinoLa NinaENSOSunspot CyclesMaunder MinimumMilankovitch Cycles

CLIMATE - DEFINITIONDefinition: The patterns of

temperature and precipitation in a region over time (from 30 years to millions of years)

How Researched: gas bubbles in layers of ice cores (obtained by drilling into glaciers and ice sheets) reveal time periods of atmospheric disturbance such as volcanic eruptions, CO2 concentration, and temperature variations

CLIMATE CHANGE HISTORY / CONTROVERSYOnce considered unquestionable, arguments are reasoned from different perspectives depending on:• TIME FRAME• METHODOLOGY• DATA INTERPRETATION• CAUSES• MOTIVATION

4.5 BILLION YEARS

600 MILLION YEARS

100 MILLION YEARS – LOGARITHMIC REPRESENT-ATION

600,000 YEARS

460,000 YEARS

400,000 YEARS

5000 YEARS

5000 YEARS

1000 YEARS – ANOMALY METHOD

PAST 150 YEARS – “HOCKEY STICK”

SUNSPOT CYCLE – AND ARCTIC AIR TEMP.There is also debate about the effects of sunspots on various

aspects of climate

CORRELATION TO MAGNETIC STORMS

15 YEARS

SUNSPOTS AND HURRICANES

SUNSPOTS AND CLIMATE

The “Maunder Minimum” from mid-1600s to 1700 correlates to the “Little Ice Age” experienced in Europe. Astronomers have noted that the current solar cycle shows fewer sunspots than the prior solar cycle.

MILANKOVITCH CYCLES THEORY STATES:Changes in Earth’s axis disturb the distribution and intensity of solar energy reaching Earth

ENSO – 3-5 YEAR EL NINO SOUTHERN OSCILLATION CYCLEEl Nino is the familiar name for a disturbance in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the Pacific Ocean, is named for the December phenomenon occurring along the west coast of South America. ENSO is a 3-5 year cycle that includes both warming and cooling in tropical oceans.

EL NINO YEARDuring an El Nino year, SSTs along the coast are warmer than usual. This prevents the upwelling of nutrient rich deep ocean water that is required to feed the fish population that reproduces there. . Warm waters mean greater rainfall in the southern hemisphere. But the northern hemisphere experiences a warmer, drier year as moist air is pulled westward by the Jet Stream. Climate effects ripple throughout the global climate system. Data for 2013 show only a relatively small increase in temperatures.

LA NINADuring a La Nina year, SSTs along the coast are colder than usual in the Eastern Pacific (southern Hemisphere). This allows upwelling, but the effects ripple throughout the global climate system. Trade winds intensify. South American experiences drought. Wetter years occur in North America and storms increase in intensity in Asia.

HUMAN IMPACT

HUMAN IMPACT ON THE ATMOSPHERE

Human activity Gases emitted Impact on atmosphere / climateBurning Fossil fuels

Agriculture

Deforestation

Industrial processes

Look it up!

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONSLook it up! See these articles and continue searching!

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INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE TREATIES / TALKShttp://news.yahoo.com/climate-science-alarming-irrefutable-kerry-093106799.

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACTIONhttp://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/21/world/europe/bloomberg-why-

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