The Physics of Climate Michael Wiescher

Transcription

1 The Physics of Climate Michael Wiescher NSH

2 Additional speakers to be identified! Bryce Frentz Michael Wiescher NSH 181 MacKenzie Warren

3 24 class participants 24 students & 17 projects 2/3 students per project

4 Drastic Climate Change

5 determined by : energy absorption, emission, and reflection Earth Climate Cloud formation, precipitation, and ice energy exchange through convective and radiative processes Ocean currents salinity and circulation

6 The Sun Solar energy production Energy emission Sunspot activities Luminosity variations The dim long term future

7 Energy absorption Spectral absorption Energy reflection Energy trapping December-January-February Earth s energy budget June-July-August

8 Spectral absorption

9 Atmosphere Characteristics of atmospheric layers Thermal structure of atmosphere Chemical composition of atmosphere Chemistry of atmosphere Radiation trapping Greenhouse effect

10 Condensation and Cloud Formation Cumulus clouds Cumulonibus clouds Cirrus clouds Stratus clouds

11 Chemistry of the atmosphere

12 Dust and Aerosols Scattering of sun light Absorption of energy Chemical modification 20% natural sources (volcanoes, hot sulphuric springs) 80% anthropogenic sources (traffic, industrial pollution) Historic evidence of sulfuric acid emission in Greenland and Antarctic ice cores Krakatau eruption AD According to ancient records Pustaka Raya Purwa splitting Sumatra and Java! There was a sign from the sun, the likes of which have never be seen or reported before. The sun became dark and the darkness lasted for 18 months. Each day it shown for about 4 hours and still this light was only a feeble shadow. John of Ephesus, Bishop of Syria

13 Volcanoes Eyjafjallajökull March-June 2010 Iceland Philippines 350 Mtons of ash Into Troposphere 9-10 km high Air traffic shut down SO2 OH 3H2O H2SO4 2H2O Conversion of ejected gaseous SO 2 into H 2 SO 4 within six months Increase of stratosphere temperature by ~4 o, decrease of temperature in hemisphere by ~0.2 o.

14 Atmospheric Motion Origin and role of trade winds and jet cycles Winds Storms Tornados

15 Ocean and Climate Heat storage Heat transport Salinity Hydrological cycle Carbon cycle Coupling ocean atmosphere

16 The Ocean Conveyor Belt

17 Ocean Currents Wind driven surface water currents Primary Forces Solar heating Wind Gravity Coriolis

18 Thermohaline circulation

19 Motors of the conveyor belt 10 o C 3 o C Why does water with high salinity sink? Why is Atlantic salinity locally higher than the salinity of other oceans? Salinity in grams of salt per kg of water

20 Green House effect

21 Radiation Loss Imaging (Atmospheric Infra-Red Sounder AIRS)

22 Heat Absorption Mechanism

23 The Carbon Cycle

24 The CO 2 Distribution

25 The Milanković cycle periodic natural variability Periodic warm and cool periods (ice ages) are explained by Milancović as collective effects of eccentricity, tilt and precession of earth s axis!

26 Non-periodic changes: the little ice age

27 Climate Records in Corals and Tree Rings Rings provide isotope & geochemical tracers of climate and human impact! Low salinity

28 Climate Records in Ice Cores Greenland Ice Core Project (GRIP) is a European funded initiative, which obtained a 3029m deep ice core (down to the bedrock) covering about 100,000 years of climate past! Byrd Station refers to a research station established by the United States in Antarctica, the Byrd core was 2164m to the bedrock. Analysis of isotope ratios 18 O, 13 C etc Molecules SO 2 CO 2 Dust, particles, ashes

29 Climate History and paleoclimates

30 Climate Modeling

31 Climate change and climate engineering Climate change indicators Increase in greenhouse gas emission Increase in CO 2 concentration Global temperature increase Increase in heat waves and drought Change of precipitation rate Decline of arctic sea ice area Decline of high altitude glaciers Carbon sequestration CO 2 capture Ocean iron fertilization Solar radiation management Stratospheric sulfur aerosols Space mirrors Cloud reflectivity enhancements phytoplankton

32 Summary of class topics 1. Solar radiation and the earth's energy budget 2. Radiative and convective energy transfer 3. Atmosphere and climate 4. Clouds and aerosols 5. Ocean and climate 6. Greenhouse effect 7. Ozone layer 8. History of the earth climate 9. Climate observations 10. Climate models 11. Climate change and climate engineering 12. Consequences of climate change

33 Projected Class Schedule Day Date Topic Tuesday 01/13/15 Overview Thursday 01/15/15 Project description Tuesday 01/20/15 Solar Energy 1 Thursday 01/22/15 Solar Energy 2 Tuesday 01/27/15 Absorption 1 Thursday 01/29/15 Absorption 2 Tuesday 02/03/15 Absorption 3 Thursday 02/05/15 Energy Balance 1 Tuesday 02/10/15 Energy Balance 2 Thursday 02/12/15 Atmosphere 1 Tuesday 02/17/15 Atmosphere 2 Thursday 02/19/15 Clouds and Aerosols 1 Tuesday 02/24/15 Clouds and Aerosols 2 Thursday 02/26/15 Clouds and Aerosols 3 Tuesday 03/03/15 Repetition Thursday 03/05/15 Mid-Term Exam Tuesday 03/10/15 Springbreak Thursday 03/12/15 Springbreak Tuesday 03/17/15 Ocean and Climate 1 Thursday 03/19/15 Ocean and Climate 2 Tuesday 03/24/15 Ociean and Climate 3 Thursday 03/26/15 Climate Fluctuations Tuesday 03/31/15 Climata Proxy 1 Thursday 04/02/15 Climate Proxy 2 Tuesday 04/07/15 Climate Proxy 3 Thursday 04/09/15 Paleo Climate 1 Tuesday 04/14/15 Paleo Climate 2 Thursday 04/16/15 Greenhouse Effect 1 Tuesday 04/21/15 Greenhouse Effect 2 Thursday 04/23/15 Presentations Tuesday 04/28/15 Presentations

34 Syllabus Class Prerequisites Math or 10560, & Physics concepts Class Content The course will focus on the description and analysis of the underlying physical and chemical processes that define the earth climate. The course will present a short overview of the climate history of our planet as indicated by modern techniques of climate recording. Climate depends critically on the overall energy budget, which is balanced by solar energy and the physical and chemical absorption and reflection processes in our oceans and atmosphere. The physics and chemistry of these processes and the impact on climate balance and weather patterns will be discussed. Global climate predictions require extensive mathematic modeling techniques. The underlying principles will be presented. The course will address questions related to observational evidence and possible consequences for natural and anthropogenic climate change. This part will be discussed in student presentations. Honor Code All students should familiarize themselves with the Honor Code on the University s website and observe its provisions in all written and oral work, including oral presentations, quizzes and exams, and drafts and final versions of essays.

35 Class Projects Anthropogenic Climate Changes 1. The economic consequences and opportunities of climate change 2. The Gilgamesh epos or agriculture in early Mesopotamian cultures 3. Ecological reasons for the abandonment of Maya cities 4. The ecological impact of the large Midwest forest clearing 5. Industrial revolution and the impact on global climate 6. Nuclear testing in the ies and the impact on the atmosphere 7. Consequences of tropical deforestation (Amazon, Indonesia, Congo Basin) 8. Reason and consequence of the ecological disaster of the Aral lake 9. Urban heat islands Natural Climate Changes 10. Isotope Geology and the mapping of Earth s climate 11. Chicxulub and the death of dinosaurs 12. Volcano eruptions and the consequences for global temperature 13. Sahara in pre-historic times 14. The role of the Amazon jungle for global climate 15. Noah s Flood and the possible implications for Indo-Germanic migration 16. The little ice age and consequences for medieval life 17. The expansion of the Sahel zone

36 Textbook & grade information Textbook F. W. Taylor, Elementary Climate Physics, Oxford University Press, 2005, ISBN D. Archer, Global Warming, Understanding the Forecast, Wiley, 2011, ASIN B00M3UMKGC Supplementary Reading Material J. Marshall & R. A. Plumb, Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics, Elsevier, 2008, ISBN N. Mason & P. Hughes, Introduction to Environmental Physics, Taylor & Francis, 2002, ISBN J. P. Peixoto & A.H. Oort, Physics of Climate, AIP & Springer Verlag, 1992, ISBN K. E. Trenberth, Climate System Modeling, Cambridge University Press, reprint 2009, ISBN Class Grades Weekly quizzes 10%; Homework 25%; Midterm Exam 20%; Final Exam 20%; class project 15%;participation 10%