GEOG 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Shortwave Radio, Ocean Heat Content
Document Summary
For the first time in human history, we reached 400 ppm (concentration of co2 in the global atmosphere) Smog: is an aerosol (gas that is visible) Shortwave (solar) radiation hits earth"s surface, some is reflected by clouds, some absorbed by atmosphere. Earth emits longwave radiation into the atmosphere/space. Solar radiation is not changing in concentration. What is changing is # of greenhouse gases, the amount the longwave energy is absorbed by atmosphere, and the amount of longwave energy re-emitted to earth. Co2 absorbs between 8 and 10 microns of wavelength (which cannot be absorbed by any other gas) As the surface gets warmer, our oceans will have more evaporation, increasing the amount of energy absorbed by water vapor (which is an efficient absorber) How much longer can antarctica"s hostile ocean delay global warming? http://www. nature. com/news/how-much-longer-can-antarctica-s-hostile-ocean-delay- global-warming-1. 20978. Main cause of co2 concentrations in atmosphere: fossil fuel burning.
