1. Chapter Thirteen: Atmosphere and Climate Change

2. Section One: Climate and Climate Change
What Factors Determine Climate?
Climate: the long-term prevailing weather conditions at a particular place bases upon records taken
Things that determine climate
Latitude
Atmospheric circulation patterns
Oceanic circulation patterns
Topography
Solar and volcanic activity

3. Section One: Climate and Climate Change
Latitude
The distance from the equator measured in degrees north or south of the equator
Equator is at 0˚ latitude
North Pole is at 90˚ latitude north
South Pole is at 90˚ latitude south
Low latitudes: closer to the equator and receive more sunlight
High latitudes: closer to the poles and receive less sunlight

4. Section One: Climate and Climate Change

5. Section One: Climate and Climate Change
Atmospheric Circulation
How the air moves across the earth
Cold air sinks because it is denser than warm air ( compresses and warms as it sinks)
Warm air rises (expands and cools as it rises)
Warm air holds more water vapor than cold air (causes fog, rain and snow)

6. Section One: Climate and Climate Change
Atmospheric Circulation
The sun warms the ground and warms the air above the ground
Warm air rises, and cooler air replaces it (wind)
Areas that get more sunlight have more warm air that rises and cools. When it cools it can hold less water vapor so precipitation occurs.
Therefore, the more sunlight an area receives, the more precipitation it gets.

7. Section One: Climate and Climate Change
Atmospheric Circulation
Prevailing Winds: winds that blow predominately in one direction throughout the year
To the right of the Northern Hemisphere, or to the left of the Southern Hemisphere

8. Section One: Climate and Climate Change
Oceanic Circulation Patterns
Water holds a large amount of heat
Ocean current movement mostly caused by wind
El Niño: the short term periodic change in the location of warm and cold water masses in the Pacific Ocean
Warm water is pushed eastward, and rainfall follows
More rainfall in southern U.S. and South America
La Niña: the water in the eastern Pacific Ocean is cooler than usual

9. Section One: Climate and Climate Change

10. Section One: Climate and Climate Change
Topography
Topography: local geography of the area
Mountains and mountain ranges influence precipitation and temperature

11. Section One: Climate and Climate Change
Solar and Volcanic Activity
Sun
Emits UV radiation which produces more ozone
More ozone causes the earth to also warm
Volcanoes
Causes sulfur dioxide to be released
Sulfur dioxide mixes with water vapor to make haze
Haze reflects sunlight and causes a global temperature decrease

12. Section One: Climate and Climate Change
Seasonal Changes in Climate
Seasons are a result of the tilt of the Earth’s axis
Causes a change in the amount of sunlight received

13. Section Two: The Ozone Shield
Ozone Layer
Ozone Layer: an area in the stratosphere where ozone is highly concentrated
Chemicals that cause Ozone Depletion
CFCs: human made chemicals that destroy ozone molecules
Also causes a problem in the bird population

14. Section Two: The Ozone Shield
The Ozone Hole
Ozone Hole: a thinning of stratospheric ozone that occurs over the poles during the spring

15. Section Two: The Ozone Shield
The Ozone Hole
Polar Stratospheric Clouds: high altitude clouds made of water and nitric acid
Where CFCs are converted to chlorine
Chlorines are broken apart by UV
Chlorines destroy the ozone

16. Section Two: The Ozone Shield
The Ozone Hole
Effects on Humans, Animals, and Plants
More UV radiation can pass through the atmosphere
UV damages DNA and can cause skin cancer
Kills phytoplankton
Kills amphibian eggs
Interfering with photosynthesis

17. Section Two: The Ozone Shield
Protecting the Ozone Layer
Montreal Protocol: nations agreed to limit their production of CFCs
United States pledged to ban all substances that harm the ozone by 2000

18. Section Three: Global Warming
The Greenhouse Effect
Greenhouse Effect: caused by atmospheric gases radiating and not absorbing hear causing the gradual warming of the Earth
Greenhouse gases
Water Vapor
Carbon Dioxide
CFCs
Methane
Nitrous Oxide

19. Section Three: Global Warming
The Greenhouse Effect
Carbon dioxide level decrease in the summer and increase in the winter
Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
Carbon dioxide levels are steadily rising

20. Section Three: Global Warming
Global Warming: the increase in the average temperature at Earth’s surface

21. Section Three: Global Warming
Consequences of a Warmer Earth
Melting Ice and Rising Sea levels
Global Weather Patterns Change
Human Health Problems
Droughts Killing Crops
Shifts Geographical Ranges of Plants and Animals

22. Section Three: Global Warming
Recent Findings
Temperature has increase 0.6˚C
Snow cover and ice have decreased
Average global sea level has risen
Reducing the Risk
Kyoto Protocol: required developed countries to decrease emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by an average of 5% below their levels by 2012