Global Warming

What is Global Warming?

It is a gradual increase in the
average temperature of the
Earth's atmosphere and its
oceans - a change that is
believed to be permanently
changing the Earth's climate.
This change occurs due to the
effect of greenhouse gases
like carbon dioxide, nitrogen
oxides, methane etc. These
gases can absorb and reradiate infrared light, acting
like a blanket, causing heat to
be trapped in the Earths
atmosphere leading to an
average rise in temperature.

Evidence for global warming

Frozen Isotopes:
Ice cores: from Antarctic and
Greenland scientists drill deep down
into the ice. The air that is trapped
in different layers is analysed which
provides a good record that goes
back thousands of years.
Records of the oxygen isotopes in
melted ice reflect the air
temperature as the layer was laid
down.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels can also be measured.
Dendrochronology - The dating of past events using tree
ring growth:
Trees increase in width as they get older by cell division of
one particular layer in their trunks.
When conditions are good - plenty of moisture, warmer
temperature - the new cells laid down are larger than when
conditions are tough.
It is the contrast between the small cells at the end of one
year and the large ones produced the next spring which gives the appearance of
rings.
Problems:
If conditions vary a lot within one year more than one ring may be produced.
Tree growth depends on many factors- amount of sunshine, temperature, carbon
dioxide levels and the amount of rainfall so it is hard to say what led to the large
cells being laid down. Was it one of the above factors or was it a combination of
several of them?

Coral reefs

Data from coral reefs can be used to confirm the evidence of tree rings as the
proportions of different isotopes taken up by the coral vary as the sea
temperatures change and this gives another proxy for the climate.
Peat Bogs
Peat growth rate depends on
prevailing conditions and
varies widely. Therefore
evidence from undisturbed
peat body can give a clear
and unbroken record of the
climate and has resulted in a
continuous record from
about 7500 BC which gives
clear evidence of periods of
warming and cooling.

Made: partly decomposed plant material, mainly Sphagnum mosses. The peat is
very acidic, cool and anaerobic which prevents bacteria from decomposing organic
material. As a result, pollen grains, moss spores and even plant tissues are
preserved in the peat.
By sampling: we can look back in time at the plants and mosses growing in and
around that area from hundreds of years ago.
How helpful: As the types of plants that can grow in an area are affected by
climate, the pollen/moss record can give a clear reflection of how the climate has
changed with time.

Causes of global warming

Natural Causes:
-Release of methane gas from arctic tundra and
wetlands. Methane is a greenhouse gas. A
greenhouse gas is a gas that traps heat in the
earth's atmosphere. - The earth goes through a
cycle of climate change. This climate change
usually lasts about 40,000 years

Man-made Causes:
-Pollution is one of the biggest man-made problems. Pollution comes in many
shapes and sizes.
Burning fossil fuels is one thing that causes pollution. Fossil fuels are fuels made of
organic matter such as coal, or oil. When fossil fuels are burned they give off a
greenhouse gas called CO2
Mining coal and oil allows methane to escape.-Another major man-made cause is the increasing population
More people means more food, and more methods of transportation, and more
deforestation in order to accommodate the increasing population. More people
also mean more cars and more cars means more pollution.
Effects of global warming

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Rising Seas
Changes in rainfall patterns
Increased likelihood of extreme events such as Hurricanes, storms etc
Melting of the ice caps
Melting glaciers
Widespread vanishing of animal populations
Spread of disease
Bleaching of Coral Reefs due to warming seas and acidification due to
carbonic acid formation
Loss of Plankton due to warming seas

Remedial Measures
Reduce the use of
vehicles.
Reduce the emission of
fossil fuel exhaust to
atmosphere.
Promote forestation.
Reduce the rate of
deforestation.
Reduce the over
exploitation of nature.
Reduce the burning of
plastic materials.
Never expose
refrigeration gases to
atmosphere.
Reduce the use nonconventional energy
sources.