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Thursday, March 25, 2010

Presented by: Dr. Lisa Gardiner

An Introduction to Earth’s Climate

An Introduction to An Introduction to Earth’s ClimateEarth’s ClimateA web seminar for the NSTA community A web seminar for the NSTA community By the UCAR Office of Education and Outreach,By the UCAR Office of Education and Outreach,with support from NASA.with support from NASA.

OverviewOverview

The difference between The difference between climate and weatherclimate and weatherClimate & Weather activityClimate & Weather activity

Regional versus global climateRegional versus global climate

What controls the climate?What controls the climate?

Albedo and other feedbacksAlbedo and other feedbacksGlobal Balance Activity from Global Balance Activity from

NASANASA

Presenter:Dr. Lisa GardinerEducational DesignerUCAR Office of Education and Outreach

The difference between The difference between climate and weatherclimate and weather

(with an activity for the classroom)(with an activity for the classroom)

Is this climate or weather?Is this climate or weather?

Heavy rain along the Outer Banks of North Carolina Photo by Carlye Calvin

A. WeatherB. ClimateC. BothD. Neither

What is weather?What is weather?

Weather, n.The state of the atmosphere at a time and place described by precipitation, clouds, air pressure, winds, and temperature.

Weather, n.The state of the atmosphere at a time and place described by precipitation, clouds, air pressure, winds, and temperature.

What’s the What’s the weather today weather today where you where you live? live?

Mark a location on the graph below to indicate Mark a location on the graph below to indicate precipitation and temperatureprecipitation and temperature

Temperature

Pre

cip

itat

ion

None

Lots

Cold Warm

What is climate?What is climate?

Climate, n.The typical state of the atmosphere as described by precipitation, winds, and temperature.

Climate, n.The typical state of the atmosphere as described by precipitation, winds, and temperature.

The average climate over the entire Earth

Global ClimateGlobal Climate

Regional Regional ClimateClimate

The climate in a particular place.

Naples, FLAverage Jan. high: 75 F (24 C)

(Wikipedia/Marc Averette)

Nome, AKAverage Jan. high: 13 F (-11 C)

What’s the What’s the climate climate where you live in where you live in March? March?

Mark a location on the graph below to indicate Mark a location on the graph below to indicate general precipitation and temperaturegeneral precipitation and temperature

Temperature

Pre

cip

itat

ion

None

Lots

Cold Warm

Climate & Weather, A Classroom Climate & Weather, A Classroom ActivityActivity

Students will:Students will:

Collect weather data Collect weather data over several days or over several days or weeksweeks

Research climate data Research climate data for their region onlinefor their region online

Graph and compare Graph and compare climate data and climate data and weather data.weather data.

http://eo.ucar.edu/educators/ClimateDiscovery/LIA_lesson1_9.28.05.pdf

Collecting Collecting Weather DataWeather Data

* This simple method can be done with just a thermometer. With other tools and sensors, data collecting can be more detailed.

•Temperature•Cloudiness•Precipitation•Wind

Research climate data Research climate data for your region for your region

* The climate data at weather.com comes from NOAA/NWS

http://www.weather.com • Search your zip code or city

• Click on “Month” and then “Averages” to see average data over the year.

• Discuss how average temperature changes with seasons.

Climate data showing average high and low temperatures through the year in Boulder, CO

Compare weather data with climate Compare weather data with climate datadata

• At weather.com, choose the month in which you collected weather data.• Have students graph daily average temperature.• Then, students add their temperature measurements to this graph.• Discuss!

2010 high temps compared with average highs for Jan 18-27

Let’s Let’s Pause Two Pause Two Minutes Minutes

for for QuestionsQuestions

??

What Controls the Climate?What Controls the Climate?

Image: NASA’s ERBE Program

Many things affect how much energy Many things affect how much energy gets to, and stays within, the Earth gets to, and stays within, the Earth

system.system.

Volcanic eruptions Reflective snow & iceReflective snow & ice

And the amount of greenhouse gases…

Clouds

Greenhouse gases trap heat.Greenhouse gases trap heat.

Greenhouse gases are a natural part of the atmosphere.Greenhouse gases are a natural part of the atmosphere.

The amount is now high due to emissions by humans.The amount is now high due to emissions by humans.

Image:

NA

SA

Measurements of atmospheric Measurements of atmospheric CO2CO2

(Keeling Curve)(Keeling Curve)

Image courtesy: www.globalwarmingart.com, See also: www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/

5/2009386.11

3/1958315.71

Greenhouse gases and warmingGreenhouse gases and warming

Heat absorbed by CO2 radiated to space (A). Heat can make its way to space directly (B). Heat absorbed by CO2 radiated towards Earth (C).

Illustration of effects of GHG on energy today and prediction for the future.

The Effect of VolcanoesThe Effect of Volcanoes

Volcanic aerosols stay in the atmosphere for a couple of Volcanic aerosols stay in the atmosphere for a couple of years and have a cooling effect. years and have a cooling effect.

Mixing air means that eruptions affect the whole planet.Mixing air means that eruptions affect the whole planet.

Image: NASA, Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite Microwave Limb Sounder

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the stratosphere about 100 days after the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption (Red=high SO2, Purple=normal SO2)

Global average temperature dropped ~1 F for two years after the eruption.

Effect of Earth’s OrbitEffect of Earth’s Orbit

Changes to Earth’s climate happen due to changes in:Changes to Earth’s climate happen due to changes in:• Eccentricity - Shape of Earth’s orbit (100,000 year Eccentricity - Shape of Earth’s orbit (100,000 year cycle)cycle)• Precession - Earth’s wobble as it spins (23,000 year Precession - Earth’s wobble as it spins (23,000 year cycle)cycle)• Tilt - The angle of Earth's axis (41,000 year cycle)Tilt - The angle of Earth's axis (41,000 year cycle)

These are called Milankovitch Cycles.These are called Milankovitch Cycles.

Effect of CloudsEffect of Clouds

High clouds have a warming effect.

•Ice crystals absorb more energy than water droplets. •Thin clouds allow sunlight to pass through to earth.

Low and middle clouds have a cooling effect.

•Water droplets absorb less energy.•Thick clouds reflect sunlight away from Earth.

High clouds have a warming effect.

•Ice crystals absorb more energy than water droplets. •Thin clouds allow sunlight to pass through to earth.

Low and middle clouds have a cooling effect.

•Water droplets absorb less energy.•Thick clouds reflect sunlight away from Earth.

Effect of Less Snow and IceEffect of Less Snow and Ice

Decline in Arctic Decline in Arctic ice cover 1980 to ice cover 1980 to 20032003

Less ice means Less ice means less energy is less energy is reflected back out reflected back out to space.to space.

NASA’s ICESat NASA’s ICESat satellite is satellite is measuring measuring thickness and thickness and extent of sea ice.extent of sea ice.

Let’s Let’s Pause Two Pause Two Minutes Minutes

for for QuestionsQuestions

??

The Impact of Albedo The Impact of Albedo on Climateon Climate

(And a classroom activity about Daisyworld)(And a classroom activity about Daisyworld)

What is Albedo?What is Albedo?

The fraction of sunlight that is reflected back out to The fraction of sunlight that is reflected back out to space.space.

Earth’s average albedo for March 2005NASA image http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=17177

Why is albedo higher at the polesWhy is albedo higher at the polesand lower at the equator?and lower at the equator?

Choose the correct answer:

A. Because more sunlight hits at the equator than the poles.

B. Because snow and ice at the poles reflects more sunlight.

C. Because higher temperatures at the equator allow the atmosphere to hold energy.

High

Low

High

About Daisyworld…About Daisyworld…

Daisyworld: a mythical planet Daisyworld: a mythical planet with dark soil, white daisies, with dark soil, white daisies, and a sun shining on it.and a sun shining on it. The dark soil have low albedo – The dark soil have low albedo –

they absorb solar energy, they absorb solar energy, warming the planet.warming the planet.

The white daisies have high The white daisies have high albedo – they reflect solar albedo – they reflect solar energy, cooling the planet.energy, cooling the planet.

Daisyworld was first Daisyworld was first described by Dr. James described by Dr. James Lovelock who theorized that Lovelock who theorized that life has an active role in life has an active role in shaping the Earth's climate.shaping the Earth's climate.

The Role of Life in Promoting StabilityThe Role of Life in Promoting StabilityA Classroom Activity Featuring DaisyworldA Classroom Activity Featuring Daisyworld

Developed by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies with funding from NASA and the EPA. http://www.strategies.org/docs/GlobalBalance_May02.pdf

Students will:Students will:

Determine the effects Determine the effects life has on temperature life has on temperature stabilitystability

Graph relationshipsGraph relationships

Define steady states – Define steady states – when a planet is in when a planet is in balance, stablebalance, stable

The number of daisies affects The number of daisies affects temperature.temperature.

The number of The number of daisies influences daisies influences temperature of temperature of Daisyworld. Daisyworld.

More white daisies More white daisies means a cooler means a cooler planet.planet.

Students create a Students create a graph of how the graph of how the number of daisies number of daisies affects temperature.affects temperature.

Temperature affects the number of Temperature affects the number of daisies.daisies.

At 25° C (77° F) At 25° C (77° F) many daisies cover many daisies cover the planet.the planet.

Daisies can’t Daisies can’t survive below 5° C survive below 5° C (41° F) or above (41° F) or above 40° C (104° F). 40° C (104° F).

Students graph how Students graph how temperature affects temperature affects the number of the number of daisies.daisies.

Daisyworld in Balance!Daisyworld in Balance!

Students overlay their Students overlay their two graphs and identify two graphs and identify the points of steady the points of steady state.state.

These points (A, B) are These points (A, B) are where Daisyworld is in where Daisyworld is in balance. Temperature balance. Temperature and the number of and the number of daisies stay the same.daisies stay the same.

Note that there are two Note that there are two steady states with steady states with different conditions.different conditions.

AA

B

Let’s Let’s Pause Two Pause Two Minutes Minutes

for for QuestionsQuestions

??

Climate and Global Change onClimate and Global Change onWindows to the UniverseWindows to the Universe

http://www.windows.ucar.eduhttp://www.windows.ucar.edu

Climate Discovery

A series of online professional development courses for middle and high school educators

CD 501 – Introduction to Climate Change

CD 502 – Earth System Science: A Climate Change Perspective

CD 503 – Understanding Climate Change Today

http://ecourses.ncar.ucar.edu

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Thanks!Thanks!

Lisa Gardineregardine@ucar.edu

Thank you to the sponsor of tonight's Web Seminar:

http://learningcenter.nsta.org

http://www.elluminate.com

National Science Teachers AssociationDr. Francis Q. Eberle, Executive Director

Zipporah Miller, Associate Executive Director Conferences and Programs

Al Byers, Assistant Executive Director e-Learning

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NSTA Web SeminarsPaul Tingler, Director

Jeff Layman, Technical Coordinator