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Week 6 Question Set

The document consists of a question set for EASCI 163, focusing on climate change concepts such as radiative forcing, energy balance, and anthropogenic impacts. It includes questions about the definitions and effects of various climate-related phenomena, including aerosols, volcanic eruptions, and climate feedback mechanisms. The questions aim to assess understanding of the material presented in Dessler (2021) regarding the interactions between human activities and Earth's climate system.

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13 views3 pages

Week 6 Question Set

The document consists of a question set for EASCI 163, focusing on climate change concepts such as radiative forcing, energy balance, and anthropogenic impacts. It includes questions about the definitions and effects of various climate-related phenomena, including aerosols, volcanic eruptions, and climate feedback mechanisms. The questions aim to assess understanding of the material presented in Dessler (2021) regarding the interactions between human activities and Earth's climate system.

Uploaded by

saraharias2022
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Week 6 Question Set

EASCI 163

1. According to Dessler (2021), climate change can be thought of as the way the planet
restores energy balance after that energy balance is perturbed. What is the term used to
describe something that disturbs Earth’s energy balance, thereby changing its climate?

2. Why is there a time lag between the onset of a radiative forcing and the corresponding
temperature change?

3. According to Figure 6.2b in the Dessler (2021), about how long does it take the Earth to
reach a new energy balance after an initial radiative forcing?

4. After an initial radiative forcing is added to Earth, the temperature response is relatively
fast at first, but then much slower. What accounts for this? (Hint: see Fig 6.2a)

5. What is radiative forcing? What is the difference between a positive forcing and a
negative forcing?

6. Figure 6.3 in Dessler (2021) shows the radiative forcing due to a variety of
anthropogenic causes between 1750 and 2018. Use it to answer the following questions
a. Of all the greenhouse gasses, which one is contributing the most to the total
radiative forcing caused by humans?

b. How does the radiative forcings due to aerosols differ from those due to
greenhouse gasses?
7. List three different types of anthropogenic aerosols that humans can affect Earth’s
energy balance. For each, describe its lifetime and the sign (positive or negative) of the
radiative forcing that it produces.

8. Describe how volcanic eruptions can impact Earth’s energy balance.

9. What is the aerosol indirect effect? In your answer, be sure to mention the role of cloud-
condensation nuclei and the sign (positive or negative) of the radiative forcing that it
causes.

10. Explain why the radiative forcings caused by aerosols can be considered to be “local”.
(i.e. explain why the impacts from aerosols are different from place to place)

11. Summing up all of the radiative forcings that have occurred between 1750 and 2018,
what is the net radiative forcing caused by human activities?

12. Define climate sensitivity. What is the currently accepted range and our best estimate for
our climate on Earth?

13. What is a climate feedback? How do feedbacks differ from forcings?


14. Describe how the ice-albedo feedback can amplify an initial warming.

15. Explain why changes in ice, which modify albedo and therefore affect planetary energy
balance, are considered a feedback, but not a forcing?

16. Provide two examples of slow feedbacks.

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