Meteorology 211 - Assignment 4

Meteorology 211
Spring Quarter 2011
Homework Assignment #4


Due Date: Friday, May 27


Answer the following questions based on the assigned reading and classroom discussions.  Answers must be typed. Please use complete sentences.


[For the first two questions, please go back and re-read pages 28-31 in chapter 2 (about ozone).]


1)  What are halocarbons, and what effect can they have on ozone concentrations in the stratosphere?
    
Halocarbons are certain chlorine-, fluorine-, and bromine- containing compounds, which destroy the ozone. The best known compound chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). In the stratosphere UV radiation breaks down CFCs releasing free chlorine atoms. Chlorine then reacts with ozone to form chlorine monoxide (ClO) and ordinary (molecular) oxygen, when chlorine monoxide meets a single oxygen atom, free chlorine forms again.






2)  How would you respond to a person who says: “We have to fix the hole in the ozone layer because it’s letting too much extra heat from the Sun through and is causing global warming.”
   
The ozone is not really a layer, rather similar to clouds that drift. Therefore an “ozone hole” is actually a region of low ozone concentration.






3)  Examine the lower panel (labeled b) on Figure 9.1 on page 176 of the textbook. Notice that the black curve and the blue curve are not in close agreement after about the middle of the 20th century. What does that difference signify?


The difference in the black and blue curve after the 20th century is because anthropogenic forcing was not taken into account and it was roughly the time period in which the industrial revolution and use of fossil fuel was increasing. The models required the input of anthropogenic forcing, specifically those due to greenhouse gases and aerosols.






4)  In class, and in the course module, I refer to “business as usual”. In the context of climate change issues, what does that mean? In your own personal opinion (no right or wrong answers here), do you think human society will continue to do “business as usual”? If so, for how long?

 
The expression “business as usual” refers to society continuing to do the same things they are doing (extreme use of fossil fuels, release of greenhouse gases, etc…) without concern for what is happening (global warming). I think society will continue business as usual as long as they are not being affected directly by it. (out of sight out of mind basically)




5)  What are “emission scenarios”, and why is it necessary to do multiple climate model runs using different scenarios?


“Scenarios are [alternative] images of the future…They are neither predictions nor forecasts. Rather, each scenario is on alternative image of how the future might unfold.” (Mathez 2009, PG 178). It is necessary to do multiple climate model runs using different scenarios because of the widely varying future world.






6)  In general, how are worldwide precipitation patterns expected to change during the rest of this century, based on climate model predictions?




Precipitation patterns are projected to change, with large increase in rainfall in equatorial regions, less precipitation in the mid-latitudes, and somewhat greater precipitation at high latitudes. The changes in precipitation patterns are reflected in the changes in air pressure.

Meteorology 211 - Assignment 5

Meteorology 211

Spring Quarter 2011

Homework Assignment #5

 

Due Date: Friday, June 10

 

Answer the following questions based on the assigned reading and classroom discussions.  Answers must be typed. Please use complete sentences.

 

1)  As of 2005, what percent of the global total energy production was accounted for by fossil fuels? What percent of the total did renewable energy contribute?

    

In 2005, more than 3/4 of total global energy production was through the use of fossil fuels. Petroleum led with over 43.4 percent of the global total, followed by natural gas (15.6 percent) and coal (8.3 percent). North America is the largest consumer of fossil fuels, utilizing nearly 25 percent of global resources.

2)  Why is coal considered to be the “dirtiest” fossil fuel?

   

Coal is considered to be the "dirtiest" fossil fuel because of the great amount of greenhouse gases they emit. Even the so call "clean coal" where they say that washing coal reduces the sulfur and other pollution causing minerals during combustion, however the washing process yields large quantities of waste containing high concentrations of dangerous pollutants that must be disposed of somewhere. Large waste piles are often left exposed to the elements where rain washes through the waste piles, picks up heavy metals and other pollutants, and becomes a toxic runoff that eventually contaminates ground water and streams. After burning, coal ash is often stored in loosely regulated ponds where toxins such as arsenic, lead, mercury, and heavy metals create yet another toxic soup

3)  a. What is carbon sequestration?

     b. What are some of the uncertainties and potential problems with carbon

         sequestration?

(a)Carbon sequestration is the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) and may refer specifically to:

-The process of removing carbon from the atmosphere and depositing it in a reservoir. (When carried out deliberately, this may also be referred to as carbon dioxide removal, which is a form of geo-engineering.)

-The process of carbon capture and storage, where carbon dioxide is removed from flue gases, such as on power stations, before being stored in underground reservoirs.

-Natural biogeochemical cycling of carbon between the atmosphere and reservoirs, such as by chemical weathering of rocks.

(b)Some uncertainties and potential problems of carbon sequestration are:

-Carbon dioxide that is stored deep underground where hydrostatic pressure acts to keep it in a liquid state, however reservoir design faults, rock fissures and tectonic processes may act to release the gas stored into the ocean or atmosphere.

-Financial cost of the use of the technology would add an additional 1-5 cents of cost per kilowatt hour, according to estimate made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The financial costs of modern coal technology would nearly double if use of CCS technology were to be implemented.

4)  a. What are the four issues that must be overcome in order for nuclear

         power to expand into a major power source to replace fossil fuels?

     b. Which of these issues concerns you the most? (your opinion)

 

(a) The four issues that must be overcome in order for nuclear power to expand to a major source of power are:

-Costs: nuclear power has higher overall lifetime costs compared to natural gas with combined cycle turbine technology (CCGT) and coal, at least in the absence of a carbon tax or an equivalent “cap and trade” mechanism for reducing carbon emissions.

-Safety: nuclear power has perceived adverse safety, environmental, and health effects, There is also growing concern about the safe and secure transportation of nuclear materials and the security of nuclear facilities from terrorist attack.

-Proliferation: nuclear power entails potential security risks, notably the possible misuse of commercial or associated nuclear facilities and operations to acquire technology or materials as a precursor to the acquisition of a nuclear weapons capability. Fuel cycles that involve the chemical reprocessing of spent fuel to separate weapons-usable plutonium and uranium enrichment technologies are of special concern, especially as nuclear power

spreads around the world.

-Waste: nuclear power has unresolved challenges in long-term management of radioactive wastes. The United States and other countries have yet to implement final disposition of spent fuel or high level radioactive waste streams created at various stages of the nuclear fuel cycle.

(source: http://web.mit.edu/nuclearpower/pdf/nuclearpower-ch1-3.pdf)

5)  a. What are some of the practical advantages and disadvantages of wind and

         solar power as renewable energy sources?

     b. If you had some extra money to invest in one of these two energy sources,

         which would you invest in, and why?

 

(a) The practical advantages of  wind and solar power is that it is renewable and over a period of time (the time for you to produce enough energy to pay for the equipment) very cost effective, and eco-friendly in terms of no greenhouse gas emissions.

disadvantages are space and wind turbine requires 1 acre of land, the wind doesn't blow all the time and the sun doesn't shine all the time... however there is a possibility of hooking up to a grid and selling unused energy back to the power company and having it supplied back to you when solar and wind aren't available.

(b) I would choose wind power if I had extra cash laying around because I did an engineering project for designing and implementing a wind turbine...so I could do it more cheaply...as well as there doesn't seem to be a lot of sun in Washington!

6)  What does the author mean on page 215 when he says there is “no silver bullet” when it comes to getting rid of greenhouse gas emissions?

 

The author means by there is "no silver bullet" that there is no easy fix and not quick fix in correcting and improving the problem in greenhouse gas emissions.  

Meterology 211 - Assignment 3

Meteorology 211

Spring Quarter 2011

Homework Assignment #3

Due Date: Friday, May 13

Answer the following questions based on the assigned reading and classroom discussions.  Answers must be typed. Please use complete sentences.

1)  a. What was the “Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum” and when did it

         occur? 

(a) The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum was an event that occurred during the Paleocene epoch, 55 million years ago, when an enormous mass of carbon flooded the ocean and atmosphere. (In less than 1000years 1500-4500 gigatons of carbon entered the climate system raising the surface temperature 5 to 9 degrees Celsius and the ocean acidified.

     b. Why is this past event potentially important in understanding what may

         be happening in our current changing climate?

  

(b) The past event is potentially important in understanding what may be happening in our current changing climate because it is analogous of the current situation….1500-4500 gigatons of carbon that entered the climate system in the Paleocene epoch is about the same amount of carbon projected to enter it as a consequence of human activities during the twenty-first century if fossil-fuel use continues to grow at the current pace.

2)  Why is it misleading to refer to the “Ice Age” as a singular past event?

   

The term ice age is somewhat misleading because it does not mean that the planet has been completely and perennially frozen. Rather, during this time the climate has fluctuated rapidly between glacial intervals lasting tens of thousands of years and shorter interglacial intervals. (Mathez, 2009(Pg102))

3)  Describe the three main characteristics of Earth orbital cycles called “Milankovitch Cycles”.

Earth’s orbital parameters of precession (Earth's axis of spin relative to the orbital axis once about every 21,000 years), obliquity(the tilt of the axis of rotation relative to the solar plane….currently 23.5 degrees, changes from 21.5 and 24.5 degrees and back again approximately every 41,000years.), and eccentricity(the degree that Earth's orbit around the sun departs from a circle) as well as the way their individual, cyclical effects combine to influence summer insolation at 65°N latitude. These combined effects of the orbital parameters on insolation are known as Milankovitch cycles.

4) Examine Figure 6.5 on page 110 of the textbook.

     a. From what source(s) of data are the two plots on this figure based?

(a)The two plots are based on analyses of air trapped in Antarctic ice cores compared with the temperature record derived from the composition of ice.

     b. Using just an “eyeball analysis” to compare the two curves, what would

         your conclusion be regarding the relationship between atmospheric

         CO2 concentration and temperature over the last 800,000 years?

(b)My conclusion regarding the relationship between atmospheric CO2 concentration and temperature over the last 800,000 years is that they are very similar.

5) Why can’t carbon-14 dating be used to date the age of rocks?

Carbon-14 dating is dependent upon the presence of Carbon-14 that organisms ingest directly from the atmosphere. Some problems with using carbon-14 dating on rock of whatever kind:

It was never alive,  It never ingested atmospheric carbon-14, It didn't cease to ingest further carbon-14 when it died, seeing as it never died, and Most rock is older than 50,000 years. While rock samples may contain carbon-14, it didn't come directly from the atmosphere.

6)  Look at Figure 7.1 on page 133 in the textbook, and focus in on the period 1940 to about 1975. Describe the trend in global surface air temperature during this period, and explain the prevailing hypothesis on why this occurred.

The intervening interval, from 1940-1979 was characterized by a stable temperature or even slight cooling, possibly due to atmospheric aerosols from human activities. (Mathez, 2009 (Pg132))

7)  Would you be willing to say that Hurricane Katrina in 2005 is direct evidence that global warming is occurring? Why or why not?

   

I don't think that Hurricane Katrina in 2005 is direct evidence that global warming is occurring because hurricanes have always happened….however the magnitude of Katrina may have been influence by climate changes caused by human activities.

8) Over the period 1975-2005, how did the change in average surface air temperature in the Arctic compare to that observed over the Earth as a whole? 

From 1975-2005, Artic surface temperature increased about 0.7 degrees Celsius per decade, which is more than double the 0.3 degrees pre decade rise in global surface temperature.

9)  a. What is the definition of permafrost?

(a) The term permafrost refers to soil or rock that has been below 0°C (32°F) and frozen for at least two years.

      b. Explain how melting Arctic permafrost can act as a positive feedback

          mechanism in global warming.

(b) There is also the important albedo feedback between melting and tempera­ture. Ice is more reflective than water, so as the proportion of open water increases and that of ice decreases, more energy is absorbed by the ocean. Heat thus builds up both in the ocean and in the atmosphere and accelerates the melting.

(Mathez, 2009)

10)  About how much has average sea level risen during the past 21,000 years (the peak of the last glacial maximum)? Was this change entirely due to melting of the large continental ice sheets, or was there another effect on sea level related to climate warming?

About 21,000 years ago, at the most recent glacial maximum, the sea level stood approximately 120 meters (400 feet) below its present level.  With the subsequent melting of the Northern Hemisphere ice cap, sea level rose quickly, but then, according to geological evidence, the rising slowed so that over the past 3,000 years sea level rose about 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inch) per century be­fore the twentieth century. Tide gauge data, however, put the twentieth-century rise at a more rapid and accelerating 15 to 20 centimeters (6 to 8 inches), apparently from increased glacial discharge.