Think about what drives the climate system. A) Identify the three ‘knobs\' for l

Question

Think about what drives the climate system. A) Identify the three ‘knobs' for long-term climate-ie. what are the three things that when their values change will cause the long-term climate change. For each, provide a physical/chemical process within the Earth System (or Solar System) that can change the value. (3 points) B) Identify which of the three knobs from A) could be altered by anthropogenic factors. For each, provide an example for how human activities can alter the value of this knob. If any of the three knobs from A) cannot be altered by humans, briefly discuss why. (3 points)

Explanation / Answer

Ans:

A. The three knobs for long term climate change are
1.Insolation
2.Albedo
3.Greenhouse gases (GHG)

Insolation is mainly changed by milankovitch cycles.

Albedo of earth can be changed by area of ice cover over land, cloud cover, forest cover, glacier mountains in tropics.

Greenhouse gas concetration in the atmospheric air can be changed my volcanic emission and anthropogenic activities.

B. The albedo and greenhouse gases could be altered by anthropogenic factors. Burning fossil fuel can increase GHG concentration in the atmosphere. Deforestation can decrease the albedo. Whereas increasing global temperature will produce more clouds which can increase the albedo. The insolation cannot be altered by humans because it is controlled by Earths’s rotational and revolution around the Sun. Humans haven’t learned to control the insolation yet.

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