What an Increase in Temperature is doing to Earth

1
What an Increase in Temperature is doing to Earth
www.noaanews.noaa.gov

• By Hilary Heyison

2
The Greenhouse Effect

• Greenhouse gases are key factors in global
  warming. Greenhouse gases include water vapor,
  carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, nitrous oxide,
  sulfur, and chlorofluorocarbons.
• Greenhouse Effect
• Solar radiation passes through the atmosphere
  some is reflected and some is absorbed by surface
  materials.
• This short wave radiation that is absorbed, heats
  up the earths surface and is converted into long
  wave radiation (infrared). Infrared energy
  radiating from the heated surface can not escape
  into space (to cool off the planet) as heat
  trapping or greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
  absorb these wavelengths of energy
• When there are too many greenhouse gases in the
  atmosphere, the earths average surface
  temperature increases.

http//www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/greenhouse.h
tml
3
What is Climate Change?

• Climate change is when the earths global climate
  changes over time.
• Climate change refers to changes in the average
  surface temperature increasing (global warming )
  or decreasing which then causes a long term
  change in weather.
• Global warming causes an increase in the average
  temperature of the earths oceans and atmosphere.
  
• The increase in temperature can be caused by
  human beings or it can be caused naturally by a
  change in ocean currents, plate tectonics, and
  the sun. The earths temperature can also be
  changed by volcanic eruptions, with short and
  long term impacts.

4
What are Fossil Fuels?

• Energy (hydrogen) from living organisms that
  thrived on Earth when the dinosaurs were alive -
  when Earth was warmer, wetter, and hotter.
  Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere back then
  were 4-7 x higher than today. (We are recreating
  that atmosphere. )
• Plants and marine organisms that thrived in hot
  environments made fuel for themselves from the
  high levels of carbon in the atmosphere
  (photosynthesis). When they died hundreds of
  millions of years ago in swampy (low oxygen)
  environments, that carbon got stored (locked up)
  in the ground and was changed over the eons into
  reservoirs of carbon and hydrogen (since all
  living things are made from these elements).
  These hydrocarbon reservoirs are coal, natural
  gas, and oil.
• When hydrocarbons (fossil fuels) are combusted,
  carbon is emitted as a by-product and released
  back into the atmosphere.
• Year by year more and more of this stored
  carbon from the Mesozoic era is being put back
  into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.

Robert A. Rohde
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What are Fossil Fuels Doing to Earth?

• Since the Industrial Revolution began in the
  1850s, fossil fuel use in the world has risen.
• From then to 2006, the amount of CO2 in the
  atmosphere has risen from 280 ppm to 380 ppm, a
  dramatic rise that likely hasnt happened in
  20-50 my
• 100 ppm is the difference between an ice age and
  the unusually stable, agriculturally-friendly
  climate modern humans have enjoyed for 10,000
  years. (Earth (and our ancestors) were in the
  depths of an ice age when carbon dioxide levels
  were at 180 ppm, as can be seen in this graph).
• Scientists project that over the next 100 years,
  CO2 levels could reach 600-900 ppm, depending on
  our choices and use of fossil fuels. We would be
  approaching the type of climate that reptiles
  enjoyed during the Mesozoic (the Age of
  Reptiles).
• As the world uses more and more fossil fuels, the
  earths average temperature will continue to
  increases.

Robert A. Rohde
6
An Increase In Temperature Will Change Our
Planet

• It would bring rapid changes to Earth than living
  things today have never experienced and would
  have little time to adapt to.
• There would be an increase sea level, in drought,
  extreme weather like hurricanes and storms,
  forest fires, heat stress, water shortages in
  some places, flooding in others, animal and human
  death, and crop damage. Humans have no experience
  in this type of world. Most are poor.
• Scientists predict dramatic and catastrophic
  changes to Earth and human populations if carbon
  dioxide levels are allowed to increase at the
  current or accelerated rates.

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Heat Waves

• Average surface temperature increases cause
  problems for humans, plants, and animals through
  heat waves.
• A heat wave is a prolonged period of very hot
  weather that lasts for at least three days and
  where the temperature is 30 degrees C. or higher.
  
• In the last 150 years, the mean global annual
  surface temperature of Earth has increased by .3
  - .6 C, even to melt glaciers and disrupt weather
  patterns around the world. In the next 100
  years, scientists predict surface temperature
  will increase between 1.5-4 degrees Celsius (4-9
  degrees Farenheit). The next century will witness
  unprecedented climate changes.
• Scientists have been measuring the temperature
  through instruments that measure the magnitude
  and pattern change of temperature. These models
  correspond with the models predicted about
  greenhouse gas increase.
• More heat waves are a direct result of an
  increase in greenhouse gases.

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What Will Happen to People and Animals if the
Temperature Continues to Rise?

• When the temperature rises, there is a higher
  chance of diseases being transmitted through
  insects.
• One disease that was spread throughout the United
  States and Canada because of heat increase was
  the West Nile virus. Insect habitats change
  during temperature swings. Insects then move to
  other places where they usually do not live
  during a certain season.
• Other animals such as rats might change their
  habitats in hot weather and can cause the spread
  of diseases. This is how the disease Hantavirus
  is transmitted.

www.ext.vt.edu/.../ factsheets/mosquito.html
9
Droughts

• Heat waves can cause droughts. As a result,
  water levels decrease, lowering water quality and
  increasing the opportunity for disease
  transmission.
• Heat waves also increase health problems in
  humans.

10
Our World by 2010

• Average surface temperature will increase.
• Sea level will rise from melting ice around the
  world. This could be as much as a meter, or much
  more if melting accelerates or destabilizes major
  ice sheets (there is unexpected and recent
  evidence of Greenland and West Antarctica
  becoming destabilized.) Melting or
  destabilization of either could raise sea level
  world-wide by 25 feet.
• Deaths will increase as a result of heat waves,
  drought, and flooding
• Increase in the average surface air temperature
  from 2.5 4 degrees C. Humans have never
  experienced such dramatic changes, not even
  during the ice ages.

11
Quiz

• What are three greenhouse gases?
• What is climate change?
• What is global warming?
• What are fossil fuels?
• What are three results of an increase in
  temperature?
• What is a heat wave?
• Carbon dioxide concentrations have increased to
  date by how many ppms ?

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Quiz continued

• What are two diseases that could progress because
  of a rise in temperature? (hint both these
  diseases are caused by animals and bugs)
• What happens to water quality when a drought
  occurs?

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Time for a Change

• It takes time to lower concentrations of
  greenhouse gases in the atmosphere so we must
  begin now.
• Individual and collective action communities,
  states, nations, businesses and government are
  needed
• Learn about your and our carbon footprint
  and how to reduce it by wasting less energy and
  pushing for solutions that would reduce carbon
  emissions per unit of energy used
• The less fossil fuels used, the better.

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Bibliography

• Heat Waves and Unusually Warm Weather. 8/10/05.
  Union of Concerned Science. 12/23/05.
  http//www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science/earl
  y-warning- signs-of-global-warming-heat-waves.html
  
• Consequences of Global Warming. 1/3/06. Natural
  Defense Resource Council. 12/23/05.
  http//www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/fcons.asp
• BBC News. 8/12/04. 12/23/05. http//news.bbc.com.
  uk/2/hi/science/nature/3559426.stm
• The Impact of Global Warming in North America.
  1998. Global Warming Early Warning Signs.
  12/23/05. http//www.climatehotmap.org/namerica.h
  tml
• Climate Change. 10/16/04. Wikipedia the Free
  Enclopedia. 12/12/05. http//en.wikipedia.org/wik
  i/Climate_change

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Bibliography Continued

• Greenhouse Effect. 7/12/04. EPA. 12/12/05.
• http//www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/greenhouse
  .html
• IPCC Third Assessment Report-Climate Change 2001.
  12/1205. I ntergovernmental Panel on Climate
  Control. 12/23/05. http//www.ipcc.ch/
• Global Warming. 12/13/04. New Scientists.
  12/23/05.
• http//www.newsscientist.com/channel/earth/cllimat
  e-change/
• Climate Change and Our Health. 10/05/05.
  Government of Canada. 12/23/05.
  http//climatechange.gc.ca/english/affect/health.a
  sp
• Science News. 7/03/04. Global Warming. 12/23/05
• http//proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did660965091sid5
  Fmt4clientld6785RQT309VNamePQD
• Mosquito.8/1996. Virginia Tech. 6/6/06/.
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  entomology/factsheets/mosquito.htmlh202w206sz
  7hlenstart20tbnidi6EFgNqdoIj3NMtbnh98tb
  nw100prev/images3Fq3Dmosquito26ndsp3D2126s
  vnum3D1026hl3Den26lr3D26sa3DN