Global warming: What is the controversy?

http://www.junkscience.com/GMT/index.htm

Interesting NPR story on recently rejected coal power plant in Kansashttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15546026

http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/EDDOCS/images/Erb/components2.gif

Spectrum of Solar radiation at the Earth’s surface

H&K fig 6.2

Absorption bands due to gasses like CO2, H2O, CH4 etc. These are the so-called green-house gasses.

O3

In the stratosphere

Absorption by the Atmosphere

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Atmospheric_Transmission.png

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas These number differ slightlyFrom those in your text

Carbon Cycle

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_cycle

http://www.whrc.org/carbon/ (Woods Hole Research Center)

Sediments and sedimentaryRocks could account for another6x107 Petagrams! (www.physicalgeography.net/9r.html)

http://www.whrc.org/carbon/ (Woods Hole Research Center)

H&K Fig. 9.6:

Feedback(positive

and Negative)

“Butterfly effect” in complex systems

COCO22 Concentrations and Temperature Change Concentrations and Temperature Change

Note that total temperature change across several ice ages was only about 12oC or about 22oF.

Another way to look at it:

Robinson et al. J. Phys. Surg. 12, 79-90 (2007)

These doctors say yes the warming is there, but claim that there is no evidence that the warming is anthropogenic.

Why might you be skeptical of this article?

http://www.mardiros.net/atmosphere/atmosphere_structure.html

10 ppm ozone at ~ 50 km compared to40 ppb ozone in the troposphere!

http://www.atm.ch.cam.ac.uk/tour/part2.html

Ozone levels at Halley Bay station (Antarctica)

TOMS Satellite movie(Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer)

http://www.atm.ch.cam.ac.uk/tour/anim_toms.html

TOMS Satellite movie(Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer)

http://www.atm.ch.cam.ac.uk/tour/part2.html

Carbon Cycle

http://www.bigelow.org/foodweb/carbon_cycle.jpg

Exam II Review• 115 points again (translated to 100 for course

total)• 23 questions• 5 or so are numeric. Bring a calculator!• Covers Solar Energy through global warming

and biofuels.– Chapters 6, 17, 7, 8, 9 (thru 9.B).

• Cover sheet is up on ONCOURSE (blue font identifies additions since the first exam).

• OFFICE HOURS: T 11:00-12:00, 1:00-2:30; W 2:45 to 3:45, Thurs 8:00 to 9:00

Solar Energy• Active/passive systems: basics of design• Direct, indirect, diffuse• Basic system design (components,

features)• Solar constant and insolation• Flat panel vs. focusing systems• How much energy is available• Advantages/disadvantages

Fossil Fuels• Resources vs. reserves (proven, inferred…)• Attractive features vs. problems associated

with them.• Exploration, refining, production,…• Natural gas: what is it? Where is it?• Alternative sources: oil sands/shale,

clathrates, etc.• Coal: Impurities, types• Societal use, sector use• Physical differences between grades

Biomass• What is it?• Landfill design• Sources of various types (ethanol, biogas,

methanol, municipal waste)• Anaerobic digestion (input and output)• Energy/carbon balance• Wood • Societal distribution• Advantages/disadvantages

Air Pollution• Pascal’s and Archemedes’ principles• What is pollution (sources, types, regulations)• Effects of CO, SOx, NOx, VOC, TSP, O3

• Interactions between various types (SMOG)• Acid rain (sources, consequences)• Emission controls:

– Precipitators/collectors vs. scrubbers for power plants– PCV, EGR valves, catalytic converters etc. for cars

• Profiles for various sources (power plants vs. cars, coal vs. natural gas etc.) and societies.

Climate Change• What is the greenhouse effect?• What are some common green house

gases?• Where is the carbon and how much gets

exchanged per year?• Why do we not have a definitive answer

about how hot we will get?• Behaviour of complex systems (tipping points

etc.)