Global Climate Change Demystified

✍ Scribed by Speight, James G(Contributor)

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2019;2020
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 280
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

For too many years climate change (also referred to as global warming) has been assigned predominantly to the emissions of carbon dioxide though the combustion of fossil fuels. It must never be forgotten or ignored, however, that the Earth is constantly changing since its formation and has gone through different eras like glaciations, among others. These changes need thousands of years to be made visible, and the current increase in the average temperature of the Earth since the pre-industrial period is happening, provided that the measurements of past climatic temperatures are accurate and beyond reproach. Thus, the assessment that the warming trend that has occurred over the past 100 years is very likely to have some origins in natural events. The precise contributions of natural effects and anthropogenic effects on the climate are not known, but it is accurate to conclude that many factors continue to influence climate. Whether or not human activities have become a dominant force in the changing climate and are responsible for most of the warming observed is still open to question.

When studying the climate system of the Earth, an area of common confusion that relates to whether climate scientists agree or disagree as to whether or not climate change is happening, or if it is happening, whether or not humans are the primary cause. There are a variety of reasons for this, but a majority of scientists who study climate and publish in peer-reviewed journals agree that human activity is causing the warming of the Earth.

The purpose of this book is to weigh all of these various data points and, in a scientific and unemotional way, arrive at likely conclusions regarding global climate change. Whether human activity is the main driver behind our current changes in climate, one thing is certain: Climate change is happening, and we all need to make informed, rather than emotional, decisions.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Title Page......Page 5
Copyright Page......Page 6
Contents......Page 7
Preface......Page 11
1.1 Introduction......Page 15
1.2 The Atmosphere......Page 18
1.2.1.1 The Troposphere......Page 19
1.2.1.3 The Mesosphere......Page 20
1.2.1.5 The Exosphere......Page 21
1.2.1.6 The Atmospheric Boundary Layer......Page 22
1.2.2 Gases......Page 23
1.3 The Hydrosphere......Page 25
1.3.1 Groundwater......Page 28
1.3.2 Wetlands......Page 32
1.3.3 Ponds and Lakes......Page 34
1.3.4 Streams and Rivers......Page 37
1.3.5 The Oceans......Page 39
1.4 The Cryosphere......Page 47
1.4.1 Ice Sheets......Page 48
1.4.2 Glaciers......Page 49
1.4.3 Sea Ice......Page 50
1.4.4 Permafrost......Page 51
1.5 The Lithosphere......Page 52
1.5.1 Types......Page 54
1.5.3 Composition of Soil......Page 56
1.5.4 Soil Pollution......Page 58
1.6 The Biosphere......Page 60
1.7 Interrelationships......Page 63
References......Page 74
2.1 Introduction......Page 77
2.2.1 Solstices and Equinoxes......Page 79
2.2.2 Seasons......Page 81
2.2.3 Effects on Climate......Page 82
2.3.1 The Geographic Pole......Page 85
2.3.2 The Geomagnetic Pole......Page 86
2.3.3 The Equatorial Bulge......Page 90
2.3.4 Effects on Climate......Page 91
2.4.2 Sigvnificance......Page 93
2.4.3 Effects on Climate......Page 94
2.5 Global Cycles......Page 95
2.5.1 The Water Cycle......Page 96
2.5.1.2 Processes in the Ocean and on Land......Page 97
2.5.2 Biogeochemical Cycles......Page 98
2.5.2.2 Biogeochemical Cycles in Terrestrial Ecosystems......Page 99
2.6 The Climate System......Page 100
2.6.1 The Energy Balance......Page 102
2.6.2 The Greenhouse Effect......Page 103
2.6.3 Natural Changes......Page 104
2.6.3.2 Billions of Years: The Development of Life......Page 106
2.6.3.3 Millions of Years: The Ice Ages......Page 107
2.6.3.4 The Last 10,000 Years......Page 108
2.6.3.5 Years and Decades......Page 109
2.6.4 Anthropogenically Induced Changes......Page 110
2.7 Climate Change......Page 111
References......Page 113
3.1 Introduction......Page 117
3.2 Geological History of the Earth......Page 119
3.3 Glaciers......Page 126
3.3.1 Causes of Glaciation......Page 130
3.3.2 Formation......Page 133
3.3.3 Movement......Page 135
3.3.4 Geology......Page 136
3.3.4.1 Tidewater Glaciers......Page 137
3.3.4.2 Subglacial Lakes......Page 138
3.3.4.3 Outlet Glaciers and Valley Glaciers......Page 139
3.4 Interglacial Periods......Page 141
3.4.2 Last Glacial Maximum......Page 142
3.5 Glacial Melting......Page 145
3.5.1 Melting......Page 146
3.5.2 The Aftermath......Page 148
3.5.3 Consequences......Page 151
References......Page 152
4.1 Introduction......Page 157
4.2 Latitude and Climate......Page 161
4.2.1 Low-Latitude Climates......Page 163
4.2.2 High-Latitude Climates......Page 169
4.2.3 Mid-Latitude Climates......Page 171
4.2.4 Effect on Climate......Page 174
4.3 Ocean Water Circulation......Page 175
4.3.1 Types......Page 176
4.3.2 Cause and Effect......Page 177
4.3.3 Ocean Circulation......Page 179
4.3.5 Undercurrents......Page 182
4.3.6 El Niño and La Niña......Page 183
4.3.7 Global Carbon Cycle......Page 185
4.3.8 Effect on Climate......Page 186
4.4 Wind Effects......Page 187
4.4.1 Wind Terminology......Page 188
4.4.2.1 Pressure Gradients and Winds......Page 189
4.4.2.2 Friction and Wind......Page 190
4.4.3 Wind-Driven Currents......Page 191
4.4.5 Effect on Climate......Page 192
4.5 Climate Change......Page 193
References......Page 199
5.1 Introduction......Page 203
5.2 Solar Radiation......Page 206
5.3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions......Page 207
5.3.1 Human Activities......Page 209
5.3.2 Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere......Page 210
5.3.3 Carbon Dioxide in Ice Cores......Page 213
5.4 Interglacial Periods......Page 216
5.5 The Disappearing Glaciers......Page 218
5.6 Human Impacts – Real and Imagined......Page 220
5.6.1 General Observations......Page 222
5.6.2 Human Factors vis-à-vis Natural Factors......Page 225
5.7 Epilog......Page 228
References......Page 236
Coversion Factors......Page 243
Glossary......Page 247
About the Author......Page 275
Index......Page 277
EULA......Page 280