ENV234H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: June Solstice, Weichselian Glaciation, March Equinox
Document Summary
Solar energy fluctuations (solar radiation is not constant) Ocean currents (distribution of heat varies with ocean currents) Albedo/reflectivity (amount of radiation directly reflected to outer space) Second source of radiation: radioactive decay (very minor) Reflection (yellow arrow: reflection of solar radiation coming off of sea ice. Some solar radiation absorbed by plants, some stored in oceans, some reflected off surfaces. Volcanoes put co2 into atmosphere adding to greenhouse gases. Cloud cover: reflects incoming solar radiation during the day (making it cooler, insulates outgoing solar radiation at night (making it warmer) All these parts are responsible for the climate and climate change: e. g. change ice cover, will change amount of energy reflected out, will change temperature. There are systems of feedback mechanisms: positive/negative feedback. Extraterrestrial factors: solar output, earth-sun geometry, interstellar dust. Env234h1 october 7th, 2015: mountain building, continental drift, atmosphere/ocean heat exchange, atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric reflectivity, surface reflectivity (albedo) All of these affect earth"s climate system.
