Physics of Climate Change

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 1 Physics of Climate Change Scott Willenbrock Department of Physics University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Saturday Physics for Everyone October 1, 2011

Some good reading Physics for Future Presidents (R. Muller) Beyond Smoke and Mirrors (B. Richter) Sustainable Energy (D. MacKay) - online Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 2

Phys 150 Physics of Societal Issues Next offered Spring 2012 Satisfies Physics Sciences requirement and Quantitative Reasoning II requirement Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 3

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 4 Question How does your body get rid of heat?

Question How does your body get rid of heat? Conduction Convection Evaporation Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 5

Question Heated ball How does the Earth get rid of heat? Conduction? Convection? Evaporation? Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 6

Question How does the Earth get rid of heat? Conduction? No Convection? No Evaporation? No Radiation! Your body also uses radiation to get rid of heat! Light bulb Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 7

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 8 Infrared Radiation Prism The Earth (and your body) emit Infrared Radiation. Infrared

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 9 Infrared Radiation Prism The Earth (and your body) emit Infrared Radiation. Infrared Infrared Thermography

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 10 Sun and Earth The Sun and Earth are just like the torch and metal ball. Infrared radiation

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 11 Sun and Earth The Sun and Earth are just like the torch and metal ball. Infrared radiation T = 26 0 F???

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 12 Earth s atmosphere The atmosphere acts like a blanket.

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 13 Earth s atmosphere The atmosphere acts like a blanket. T = 57 0 F

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 14 Earth s atmosphere The atmosphere acts like a leaky blanket. T = 57 0 F

Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) Earth s atmosphere is 80% Nitrogen 20% Oxygen <1% Water vapor 0.039% Carbon Dioxide That tiny amount of CO 2 is extremely important! Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 15

Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) Earth s atmosphere is 80% Nitrogen 20% Oxygen <1% Water vapor 0.039% Carbon Dioxide That tiny amount of CO 2 is extremely important! But adding more is very risky! It makes the blanket less leaky. Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 16

Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ) Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 17

Question Which of these are evidence for humancaused global warming? A. Rising surface temperature B. Rising sea level C. Melting snow and ice D. All of the above E. None of the above Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 18

Question Which of these are evidence for humancaused global warming? A. Rising surface temperature B. Rising sea level C. Melting snow and ice D. All of the above E. None of the above They are all true, but that does not imply that they are caused by humans Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 19

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 20 IPCC 2007 Water expansion

Muir Glacier, August 1941 Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 21

Muir Glacier, August 2004 Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 22

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 23 North Pole Floating ice

Temperature: 12,000 years Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 24

Temperature: 400,000 years Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 25

Temperature: 400,000 years Good feedback: More CO 2 -> More water vapor -> More clouds Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 26

Temperature: 400,000 years Good feedback: More CO 2 -> More water vapor -> More clouds Bad feedback: More CO 2 -> More melting -> More methane Methane is much worse than CO 2 Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 27

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 28 Venus Without atmosphere: 90 0 F

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 29 Venus Without atmosphere: 90 0 F With atmosphere: 800 0 F

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 30 Predicting the future Computer models IPCC 2007

What can we do? A lot! Energy efficiency End deforestation Wind and Solar power Carbon Dioxide capture and storage Biofuels Nuclear power Geoengineering Light bulbs Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 31

Willenbrock - Physics of Climate Change 32 Conclusion There is no conclusion

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