Wikibooks: Selected Essays/Climate Change

• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Climate change
• Online Access: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Selected_Essays/Climate_Change

Climate Change refers to a statistically significant variation in either the general state of the climate or in its variability persisting for an extended period typically decades or longer. Change in climate may be due to natural internal processes or external factors due to persistent changes in the composition of the atmosphere or in land use brought by humans. short term fluctuations like El Nino represent variation in climate for short temporary periods. On a longer time scale changes in ocean heat circulation pattern may result in a stronger impact on climate. Variations in Earth s orbit lead to differences in the distribution of sunlight reaching the Earth in different seasons and at different places on Earth. The solar intensity is also known to affect global climate. Volcanic eruptions are also considered to be significant in affecting Earth s climate especially those which emit large quantities of So 2 into the stratosphere. This is due to the optical properties of So 2 and sulphate aerosols. They absorb or scatter solar radiation creating a haze of sulphuric acid. Other than volcanoes the movement of tectonic plates affects the global and local pattern of climate. Anthropogenic factors relate to human activities which include burning of fossil fuels ozone depleting causes and deforestation. Due to industrialization and urbanisation presently the global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased to 393 69 parts per million (ppm). These could lead to impact on freshwater availability oceanic acidification food production flooding of coastal areas and increased number of water borne diseases associated with extreme weather events. Glaciers are one of the most sensitive indicators of climate change. Their size is determined by the input of snow and their melting output. Due to rising global temperatures their size shrinks leading to escalation of sea levels. The ice on Arctic Ocean is also melting rapidly which is another proof of climate change. Due to climate change the distribution and ...