1. Climate and Climate Science
Current Weather
Introductions
Is Climate Changing?
Weather vs. Climate
Climate System
Cryosphere
For Next Class: Read Chapter 2 (pp )
Reminder: Labs WILL meet next week!

5. Introductions Find out the following information from a partner: NAME
POINT(S) OF ORIGIN
MAJOR (or projected major)
INTERESTING PLACES VISITED
FAVORITE KIND OF WEATHER
INTERESTS/HOBBIES

6. Dr. Perry’s Background

7. Global Climate Change
Is the climate changing? On what evidence (i.e., what are the indicators of climate change?

8. Overview of Observed Change Indicators
IPCC 2013

9. Indicators of Climate Change
IPCC 2013

12. Changes in Climate Statistics
IPCC 2013

16. Global Climate Change
Do humans have anything to do with climate change?
How?
Should we care?
Is there anything we should do about it?

17. Climate Science
Highly interdisciplinary field drawing on expertise from:
Atmospheric Science
Geography
Chemistry
Physics
Biology/Ecology
Remote sensing and computer science
Economics, Demography, and other social sciences

18. What is the difference between Weather and Climate?

19. What is the difference between Weather and Climate?
Weather: State of the atmosphere over the short term (minutes to ~15 days).
Climate: Synthesis of weather conditions in a given area, characterized by long-term statistics (mean values, variances, probabilities of extreme values, etc.) of the meteorological elements in that area.
Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get!

20. Defining Climate The Climatic Norm
Encompasses the total variation in the climate record, that is, both averages plus extremes
© AMS

21. The Climate System
System: entity whose components interact in an orderly manner according to the laws of physics, chemistry, and biology
Earth’s Climate System: defined as the totality of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere and geosphere and their interactions
© AMS

22. The Climate System Atmosphere
Relatively thin envelope of gases and tiny suspended particles surrounding the planet
Divided into four layers:
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
© AMS

23. What is the Cryosphere?

24. What is the Cryosphere?
Consists of various forms of frozen water at the planet’s surface.

25. What are some components of the Cryosphere?

26. Components of the Cryosphere
Snow – a collection of loosely bonded ice crystals deposited from the atmosphere.
Sea ice – any form of ice found at sea which has originated from the freezing of sea water.
Glaciers – fallen snow that, over many years, compresses into large, thickened ice masses that move.
Ice Sheet – mass of glacial land ice extending more than 50,000 square kilometers (20,000 square miles). The Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets are the only two that currently exist.

27. Ice Shelves – thick slab of ice, attached to a coastline and extending out over the ocean as a seaward extension of an ice sheet or series of glaciers.
Iceberg – massive piece of ice of greatly varying shape, protruding 5 m or more above sea-level, which has broken away from a glacier and which may be afloat or aground.