Lesson 5A

GLOBAL CLIMATE
Climate and weather. Together, they are among the most influential forces on earth. One can influence
where and how we choose to live. The other often determines what we do, where we go, and what we wear
each day. In this learning module, we will learn about the climate system, earth’s radiation budget, and
elements that affect the global temperature. To begin, let’s discuss the differences between weather and
climate.
Climate Vs Weather
Climate refers to the average weather conditions of a place over a long period of time. The earth has six
main climate zones (Figure 1). Some are mild and inviting like the Mediterranean climate of southern
Europe. Others are harsh like the arid deserts of northern Africa and the frozen tundra of Greenland.
Through history, climate has often played a part in where people have chosen to settle. In the ancient world,
some of the first permanent human communities occurred in places with hospitable climates, but humans
have had an amazing capacity to cope with severe and challenging climates. Today, with widespread use
of refrigeration for food and of air conditioning and heating for homes, humans can survive in all climates
including the frozen desert of Antarctica or the blazing heat of Death Valley California where temperatures
can soar above 130oF.
Weather, on the other hand, refers to the day-to-day conditions of earth’s atmosphere at a particular place
and time. Weather can be glorious or devastating. Severe weather can destroy homes and property, cripple
transportation, ruin crops, and create havoc for people caught in its path. In the U.S., weather causes on
average more than $11.4 billion dollars in damages each year. About 15% of that damage occurs in Florida
alone; a state that sees more than its share of hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes. An accurate weather forecast
can make it possible for people to prepare for severe conditions before they strike. In the case of severe
weather, a warning can save lives by giving people time to get out of harm’s way.
With so much at stake, atmospheric scientists called meteorologists are working with new technologies to
find better ways to forecast the weather. Powerful computers process atmospheric information to create
weather maps and models. Radar tracks storms on the move and can detect rain up to 250 miles away.
Weather satellites look down on earth from space monitoring everything from cloud cover and precipitation
to lightning strikes and fluctuations in the temperature of the oceans. There are even research planes that
fly into hurricanes to help scientists learn about the inner workings of some of the planet’s most destructive
storms. In some cases, meteorology can bea nail-biting adventure as scientists risk their lives to study
tornadoes. As scientists continue to study weather patterns and behavior, we can expect to find more ways
to predict its course and the next time severe weather strikes, perhaps, we’ll be ready.
The Climate System
Earth’s climate system consists of land, water in all its phases, air, and all living things (Figure 2). It is all
these elements that make modeling the climate system so complex. Our climate system is driven by two
things:
(1) The way energy from the sun moves in and out of the atmosphere
(2) The way heat is transported around the atmosphere and the oceans

Energy from the sun is the main driver for our climate system. When the energy from the sun reaches the
atmosphere, some is absorbed and some is reflected, mainly by clouds. Most of the remaining energy heats
the earth’s surface, although again, a tiny fraction is reflected (Figure 4). The earth’s surface then loses its
heat again through rising air currents, radiation, and the evaporation of water. Some of this heat passes
straight through the atmosphere and back to space, but some is absorbed by greenhouse gases like carbon
dioxide, water vapor, methane, and ozone.
Most of the air – nitrogen and oxygen – does not do this. The atmosphere reemits the absorbed heat. Some
escapes to space, but some heats the earth’s surface again (Figure 3). Eventually, all the heat escapes into
space, but not before the temperature of the planet has been raised enough to allow us to live comfortably
on earth. If the greenhouse gases didn’t absorb and reemit heat, we wouldn’t be able to live on earth.

If nothing else happened in the earth’s climate system, weather and climate wouldn’t change across the
globe. However, the sun’s energy is distributed unevenly across the globe. Because the earth is tilted, the
sun’s intensity changes at different latitudes and in different seasons. Generally, there is more heat near the
equator than there is at the poles (Figure 5). In this example, the variation is shown during the Northern
Hemisphere winter. To balance this inequality, the climate system moves heat from the equator to the pole
through the atmosphere and the oceans. In the Tropics, near the equator, thunder clouds develop forcing
warm air to rise and then drift toward the poles at high levels. Cooler air flows in the opposite direction at
the earth’s surface, setting up cells. Similar cells develop in other areas as you move towards the poles. At
the boundaries between these cells, air is either rising from the earth’s surface or sinking toward earth.
Where the air is rising, you will get low pressure, often with precipitation. Where air is sinking, you will
get high pressure and clear conditions. That’s how heat is moved around the atmosphere.

Now let’s see how it moves around the oceans. Changes in sea temperatures and saltiness (or salinity) create
ocean currents. For example, the Gulf Stream is one of the strongest currents in the world (Figure 6). Surface
water in the north Atlantic is cooled by winds from the Arctic. Cold, dense, salty water sinks and travels
toward the equator deep in the ocean. In turn, the Gulf Stream moves warm water from the Gulf of Mexico
northeastward at the surface to replace it. This brings warmth to northwest Europe making the climate
milder than any other place at the same latitude. It is these interactions between the sun’s energy and how
the atmosphere and oceans move heat around the earth – which produce different climates in different parts
of the world and set up variations in our day-to-day weather. A warming world caused by increases in
greenhouse gases could upset the delicate balance of our climate system and have an impact on our longer
term climate.
The second method to change the average global temperature is through changes in Earth’s brightness, or
albedo. Albedo is the percent of incident sunlight that is reflected. Earth’s albedo affects how much sunlight
is reflected back to space, rather than absorbed at the surface. Changes in the albedo of our planet can lead
to global heating (lower albedo: more absorption of sunlight) or cooling (higher albedo: more reflection of
sunlight).

The Greenhouse Effect

The third method to change the average global temperature is through changes in the composition of the
atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is the process by which some infrared radiation passes through the
atmosphere, but most is absorbed and reemitted in all directions by greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as water
vapor and carbon dioxide. GHGs are relatively transparent to incoming visible light from the sun, but are
good absorbers of outgoing terrestrial radiation (thermal IR).
Climate Uncertainties
Clouds are water vapor that has cooled and condensed back into tiny droplets of liquid water. The climate
effects of clouds are uncertain. This uncertainty stems from the combination of warming and cooling effects
of clouds (Figure 9). Bright white cloud tops have a high albedo and reflect a portion of incoming sunlight
to keep the earth’s surface cool. On the other hand, a portion of outgoing infrared radiation is trapped by
clouds causing a warming effect. How much the clouds affect the warming or cooling of Earth's surface is
one of those tricky questions that climate scientists are trying to answer.
Aerosols and Climate
Trillions of tiny particles are floating in the air. Volcanic eruptions, wildfires, sandstorms, and other natural
causes are sources of those tiny particles. There are also be man-made sources such as controlled burning,
car exhaust fumes, and industrial pollution. These particles in our earth’s atmosphere are called aerosols.
Our weather, climate, the whole thermal state of our planet, and of course our health is influenced by
aerosols.
The effects of aerosols on the radiation budget, specifically concerning clouds is uncertain. In order to
quantify the reflective and absorptive effects of aerosols, the concentrations must be carefully monitored.
Satellites continuously provide us with massive aerosol data, which need to be processed to receive
important information about the distribution and intensity of aerosols.International organizations, such as
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), conclude that the enhanced monitoring of aerosols
is the key predictor of climate change.

Global Warming
Ever since the industrial revolution began, factories, power plants and eventually cars, are burning fossil
fuels such as oil and releasing huge amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere these
greenhouse gases trap heat near the earth through a naturally occurring process called the greenhouse effect.
The greenhouse effect begins with the sun and the energy radiates to the earth. The earth and the atmosphere
absorb some of this energy, while the rest is radiated back to space. Naturally occurring gases in the
atmosphere trap some of this energy and reflected back, warming the earth. Scientists now believe that the
greenhouse effect is being intensified by the excess greenhouse gases that humans have released.
Evidence for global warming includes a recent string of very warm years. Scientists report that 1998 was
the warmest year in measured history with 2005 coming in second. Meanwhile, readings taken from ice
cores show that the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane,have hit their highest levels in the past
420,000 years.
Arctic sea ice is also shrinking. According to NASA studies, the extent of Arctic sea ice has declined about
10% in the last 30 years. As long as industrial nations consume energy and developing countries increase
their fossil fuel consumption, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will continue to rise.
Researchers predict that temperatures will increase about 2 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the
century. What is less certain is what rising temperatures mean for the planet. Some climate models predict
subtle changes. Others forecast rising sea levels, which could flood coastal areas around the world. Global
weather patterns could change including stronger hurricanes and severe drought could become more
common in warm climates. Species unable to adapt to the changing conditions could face extinction.
Although much remains to be learned about global warming, many organizations advocate cutting
greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the impact of global warming. Consumers can help by saving energy
around the house, switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, and driving fewer miles in the car. These
simple changes may help keep the earth cooler in the future.
Arctic sea ice is also shrinking. According to NASA studies, the extent of Arctic sea ice has declined about
10% in the last 30 years. As long as industrial nations consume energy and developing countries increase
their fossil fuel consumption, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will continue to rise.
Researchers predict that temperatures will increase about 2 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the
century. What is less certain is what rising temperatures mean for the planet. Some climate models predict
subtle changes. Others forecast rising sea levels, which could flood coastal areas around the world. Global
weather patterns could change including stronger hurricanes and severe drought could become more
common in warm climates. Species unable to adapt to the changing conditions could face extinction.
Although much remains to be learned about global warming, many organizations advocate cutting
greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the impact of global warming. Consumers can help by saving energy
around the house, switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, and driving fewer miles in the car. These
simple changes may help keep the earth cooler in the future.

How to Reduce Your “Carbon Footprint”

1. A carbon footprint is the amount of CO2 that is released into the air because ofone individuals’ energy
needs including transportation, electricity, food, and clothing.
2, Turn off lights, TVs, computers when you are no longer using them!
3. Unplug any electronic device that you can turn on with a remote (TV, DVD player, Xbox, coffee maker,
laptop etc.). These devices use power even when they are “off.”
4. Adjust the thermostat. When it is hot, turn up the thermostat and use fans, which use less energy. When
it is cold, turn down the heat and wear warm clothing to conserve energy.
5. Carpool, walk, or ride your bike instead of taking a car everywhere.

Quiz
1. Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?
a. Water vapor b. Carbon dioxide
c. Oxygen d. Methane
2. What are clouds made of?
a. Hail b. Microscopic water droplets
c. Water vapor d. Carbon dioxide
3. 3. Climate is the average weather in a particular geographic location. T F
4. The greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring phenomenon. T F
5. Human activity is the primary cause of global warming. T F
Determine whether changes in the following parameters cause the earth to warm or cool, or whether the
overall effects remain uncertain.
6. More Sun Spots Warm Cool Uncertain
7. Higher Albedo (Earth) Warm Cool Uncertain
8. Less CO2 Warm Cool Uncertain
9. More Clouds Warm Cool Uncertain
10. Less Aerosols Warm Cool Uncertain
11. More Water Vapor Warm Cool Uncertain
12. More Volcanic Eruptions Warm Cool Uncertain
13. List three things that humans can do to reduce their carbon footprint.
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