Overview & Introduction
The Physics of Climate
Michael Wiescher
NSH 181
1‐6788
mwiesche@nd.edu
Additional speakers
to be identified!
Michael Wiescher
Alex Long
NSH 181
NSH125b
mwiesche@nd.edu
along4@nd.edu
http://isnap.nd.edu/Lectures/phys20054/
16 class participants
p
16 students & 16 projects
1 David Thomas Brouch SC ROS2/SCBU
2 Joseph Cruz Chavarria SC SCPP/ECON
3 Jessica Ann DeLalio SC SCBU
4 Michael Clark Dore SC SCBU
5 Erin Margaret Doyle SC BIOS
6 Andrew Schiller Ea SC SCPP
7 Carlton John Fernandes SC SCBU
8 Samantha Marie Genovese SC SCPP
9 Jeffrey Charles Grant AL HIST/RU
10 Savannah Meredith Hayes SC SCPP
11 Patrick Michael Kozak SC SCBU
12 Grayson Theodore Nowak SC PHYS
13 Jessica Marie Pearson SC MATH/CHEM
14 Mason Mary Perkins SC SCBU
15 Michael Andrew Stecyk SC CHEM
16 Zachary James Suriano SC ES
Drastic Climate Change
determined by :
Cl d f ti
energy absorption
and emission
Earth Climate
Cloud formation,
precipitation,
and ice
energy exchange
through convective
and radiative processes
Ocean currents
salinity and circulation
The Sun
‣ Solar energy production
‣ Energy emission
‣ Sunspot activities
‣ Long term evolution
‣ Energy absorption
‣ Spectral absorption
‣ Energy reflection
‣ Energy loss
December-January-February
Earth’s energy budget
June-July-August
Spectral absorption
Atmosphere
‣ Thermal structure of atmosphere
‣ Chemical composition of atmosphere
‣ Chemistry of atmosphere
‣ Greenhouse effect
Atmospheric Motion
Origin and role of trade winds
and jet cycles
‣ Winds
‣ Storms
‣ Tornados
Condensation and Cloud Formation
Cumulus clouds Cumulonibus clouds Cirrus clouds Stratus clouds
Chemistry of the atmosphere
Dust and Aerosols
‣ Scattering of sun light
‣ Absorption of energy
‣ Chemical modification
Historic evidence of sulfuric
acid emission in Greenland
and Antarctic ice cores
20% natural sources
Krakatau eruption 535-536 AD
(volcanoes, hot sulphuric springs)
80% anthropogenic sources
(traffic, industrial pollution)
Krakatau eruption 535-536 AD
According to ancient records
“Pustaka Raya Purwa” splitting
Sumatra and Java!
“There was a sign from the
sun, the likes of which have
never be seen or reported
before. The sun became dark
and the darkness lasted for 18
months. Each day it shown for
about 4 hours and still this
light was only a feeble
shadow.”
John of Ephesus,
Bishop of Syria
Volcanoes
SO2
OH
3 H
2
O
H
2
SO4
2
H
2
O
Conversion of ejected gaseous SO 2 into H 2 SO 4
within six months
Increase of stratosphere temperature by ~4 o ,
decrease of temperature in hemisphere by ~0.2 o .
Ocean and Climate
‣ Heat storage
‣ Heat transport
‣ Salinity
‣ Hydrological cycle
‣ Carbon cycle
‣ Coupling ocean atmosphere
The Ocean Conveyor Belt
Ocean Currents
Wind driven surface water currents
Primary Forces
‣ Solar heating
‣ Wind
‣ Gravity
‣ Coriolis
Thermohaline circulation
Motors of the conveyor belt
10 o C 3 o C
Why does water with high salinity sink?
Why is Atlantic salinity locally higher
than the salinity of other oceans?
Salinity in grams of salt
per kg of water
Green House effect
Radiation Loss Imaging
(Atmospheric Infra-Red Sounder AIRS)
The Carbon Cycle
The CO 2 Distribution
2
The Milanković cycle –
periodic natural variability
Periodic warm and cool periods (ice
ages) are explained by Milancović
as collective effects of eccentricity,
tilt and precession of earth’s axis!
Non‐periodic changes: the little ice age
Climate Records in Corals and Tree Rings
Rings provide isotope & geochemical
tracers of climate and human impact!
Low salinity
Climate Records in Ice Cores
Greenland Ice Core Project (GRIP) is a European funded initiative, which
obtained a 3029m deep ice core (down to the bedrock) covering about 100,000
years of climate past! Byrd Station refers to a research station established by the
United States in Antarctica, the Byrd core was 2164m to the bedrock.
Analysis of isotope ratios
18
O, 13 C etc
Molecules
SO 2
CO 2
Dust, particles, ashes
Climate History and paleoclimates
Climate Modeling
Climate change and
climate engineering
Climate change indicators
Increase in greenhouse gas emission
Increase in CO 2 concentration
Global temperature increase
Increase in heat waves and drought
Change of precipitation rate
Decline of arctic sea ice area
Decline of high altitude glaciers
Carbon sequestration
CO 2 capture
Ocean iron fertilization
Solar radiation management
Stratospheric sulfur aerosols
Space mirrors
Cloud reflectivity enhancements
phytoplankton
Summary of class topics
1. Solar radiation and the earth's energy budget
2. Radiative and convective energy transfer
3. Atmosphere and climate
4. Clouds and aerosols
5. Ocean and climate
6. Greenhouse effect
7. Ozone layer
8. History of the earth climate
9. Climate observations
10. Climate models
11. Climate change and climate engineering
12. Consequences of climate change
Syllabus
Class Prerequisites
Math 10360 or 10560, & Physics concepts
Class Content
The course will focus on the description and analysis of the underlying physical and chemical processes
that define the earth climate. The course will present a short overview of the climate history of our planet
as indicated by modern techniques of climate recording.
Climate depends critically on the overall energy budget, which is balanced by solar energy and the
physical and chemical absorption and reflection processes in our oceans and atmosphere. The physics
and chemistry of these processes and the impact on climate balance and weather patterns will be
discussed. Global climate predictions require extensive mathematic modeling techniques. The underlying
principles will be presented.
The course will address questions related to observational evidence and possible consequences for
natural and anthropogenic climate change. This part will be discussed in student presentations.
Class Projects
Anthropogenic Climate Changes
1. The economic consequences and opportunities of climate change
2. Agriculture in Mesopotamia
3. Abandonment of Maya Cities
4. The large Midwest forest clearing
5. Industrial revolution and the impact on global climate
6. Nuclear testing in the 1950‐1960ies and the impact on the atmosphere
7. Consequences of tropical deforestation
8. Urban heat islands
Natural Climate Changes
9. Isotope Geology and the mapping of Earth’s climate
10. Chicxulub and the death of dinosaurs
11. Volcano eruptions and the consequences for global temperature
12. Sahara in pre‐historic times
13. The role of the Amazon jungle for global climate
14. Noah’s Flood
15. The little ice age and consequences for medieval life
16. The expansion of the Sahel zone
Textbook & grade information
Textbook
F. W. Taylor, Elementary Climate Physics, Oxford University Press, 2005,
ISBN 0 19 8567340
Supplementary Reading Material
J. Marshall & R. A. Plumb, Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics, , Elsevier, 2008,
ISBN‐13 978‐0‐12‐558691‐7
N. Mason & P. Hughes, Introduction to Environmental Physics, Taylor & Francis, 2002,
ISBN 0 7484‐0765‐0
J. P. Peixoto & A.H. Oort, Physics of Climate, AIP & Springer Verlag, 1992,
ISBN 0 88318‐712‐4
K. E. Trenberth, Climate System Modeling, Cambridge University Press, reprint 2009,
ISBN 978‐0‐521‐12837‐7
Class Grades
Weekly quizzes 10%; Homework 25%; Midterm Exam 30%;
2 class room group presentations each 15%; participation 5%
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