CARBON CYCLE AND

ENERGY BALANCE
Global atmospheric Carbon Dioxide CO2
Global atmospheric Methane CH4
Global atmospheric Nitrous Oxide N2O
Carbon Sources

Engineering Applications in Sustainable Design and Development, Striebig/Ogundipe/Papadakis

Carbon Cycle

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/researchernews/rn_carboncycle_prt.htm
GLOBAL ENERGY
BALANCE
Penetration of incident solar radiation

Engineering Applications in Sustainable Design and Development, Striebig/Ogundipe/Papadakis

 Earth Radiation Spectrum

20000 nm 5000 nm

http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/briefs/schmidt_05/
Greenhouse energy flows
Radiative forcing
• Difference between the incoming energy and outgoing
energy (in W/m^2), measured at the tropopause (top of
the troposhere.
• If the radiative forcing is positive, the Earth will warm
• If the radiative forcing is negative, the Earth will cool
CLIMATE CHANGE
Impacts, Mitigation, & Adaptation
 Projected temperature change

NOAA https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-temperature-projections
Artic disproportionately affected by warming

Engineering Applications in Sustainable Design and Development, Striebig/Ogundipe/Papadakis

Sea level rise
Ocean acidification and warming
• Coral reef decline
• Sensitive to pH, temp, depth
• Disruption of shellfish calcification
• https://
www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Acidifying+Water+Takes+T
oll+On+Northwest+Shellfish

• http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/news/featuredstories/
may15/climatechange.html
Climate change, agriculture, and forest
• http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2016/03/15/how-will-shifting-c
limate-change-u-s-forests
/
Permafrost thawing
Permafrost thawing
Permafrost, Carbon, and Infrastructure
• http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.jsp?med_id=725
64
MITIGATION AND
ADAPTATION
Climate Change
Mitigation
• Technological steps taken to reduce the magnitude of
climate change
• Emissions reduction
• Curtailment
• Efficiency increases
• Renewables
• Geoengineering
• Offsetting effects of greenhouse gas emissions
• CCS – Carbon Capture and Storage
• Solar radiation management (albedo) (doesn’t change ocean
acidification, etc)
• Ocean fertilization
• Forest storage
Carbon Capture and Storage (Sequestration) CCS

Engineering Applications in Sustainable Design and Development, Striebig/Ogundipe/Papadakis

CCS
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm4dHLflK08
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtfuYlhDjw4
Adaptation
• Steps taken to limit our vulnerability to climate change
impacts, to make our infrastructure and systems more
resilient.
• Sea level rise & coastal infrastructure/resources
• Water resources
• Agriculture
• Energy grid
• Transportation
• Healthcare
Sea level rise
• Engineering barriers
• Inundation accommodation
• Coastal retreat
Florida
2008