Exam 2 Questions Part 1 - UNL | Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

1. No evidence existed for persistent ice on Antarctica until _____ years ago.
a. 35 Million
b. 55 Million
c. 1 Billion
d. 100 Million
2. True or False: Isotopic composition of oxygen derived from foraminifer shells has changed
thru time because of ice volume in continental ice sheets varies and ocean temperatures
change where foraminifera live.
a. True
b. False
3. Lighter isotope ______ more easily from the low-latitude ocean, transporting to higher
latitudes leaving tropical waters ______.
a. Enriched: Diminished
b. Condenses: Enriched
c. Condenses: Diminished
d. Evaporates: Enriched
4. Many climate scientists attribute global climate cooling over the last 55 Myr to falling _____
levels by ______ seafloor spreading or _____ weathering.
a. Carbon: Faster :Faster
b. Carbon Dioxide: Slower: Faster
c. Nitrogen: Slower: Faster
d. Carbon Dioxide: Faster: Slower
5. Where is the largest sediment mass is found?
a. Atlantic Ocean
b. Pacific Ocean
c. Indian Ocean
d. Mediterranean Sea

6. Earth’s axial tilt varies between _____ and _____.
a. Doesn’t vary, always 23.5 degrees
b. 22.2-24.5 degrees
c. 23.1-23.9 degrees
d. 21.2-24.0
7. Another name for obliquity is “______”
a. Angle
b. Eccentric
c. Tilt
d. Rotation
8. True or False: The non-circular shape of Earth’s orbit is the result of the gravitational pull of
other planets on Earth as it moves through space.
a. True
b. False
9. Earth’s rotational axis will eventually point to _______.
a. Continue to point to the North Star
b. Polaris
c. Vega
d. None of the above
10. Our knowledge of the Earth’s orbit dates back to ____________ who lived during the 17 th
century.
a. Milutin Milankovitch
b. Johannes Kepler
c. Alfred Wegener
d. Gilbert Walker
11. True or False: A systematic way the impact of astronomical changes on insolation received
on Earth at different latitudes and in different seasons is known as the Milankovitch theory.
a. True
b. False

12. According to Milankovitch, the most sensitive latitude for low insolation values is _____.
a. 35 degrees
b. 45 degrees
c. 65 degrees
d. 75 degrees
13. As the Equilibrium line moves north, ice sheet formation should ______.
a. Increase
b. Decrease
c. Remain the same
14. What was the last major glacial stage episode?
a. Nebraskan
b. Illinoian
c. Kansas
d. Wisconsin
15. At the maximum Pleistoncene extent, ice covered ______ the total land area of the Earth.
a. ¼
b.1/2
c. 1/3
d. 1/5
16. With every 1 degree Celsius temperature drop of the ocean, levels in the atmosphere
_______.
a. Rise 5 ppm
b. Drop 5 ppm
c. Rise 9 ppm
d. Drop 9 ppm
17. During glacial times, in the atmosphere declined to __________.
a. 190 ppm
b. 280 ppm
c. 100 ppm
d. 150 ppm

18. True or False: The Carbon Pump Hypothesis says that, the most productive regions in the
ocean are in areas of upwelling along coastal margins, near the equator and in high-latitude
surface oceans around Antarctica.
a. True
b. False
19. Air moves freely through snow and ice in the upper _______ of an ice sheet, but is
completely sealed off at ______ below the surface.
a. 10 meters: 25 meters or more
b. 20 meters: 40 meters or more
c. 20 meters: 60 meters or more
d. 15 meters: 50 meters or more
20. Prominent variations in ____ at the 23,000 year cycle are linked primarily to changes in
strength of the summer monsoon in tropical and subtropical regions and secondarily to variable
heating of Asia and its northern wetlands.
a. Methane
b. Carbon Dioxide
c. Nitrogen
d. All of the above
21. An example of an ice-driven response is….
a. Height affects atmospheric circulation
b. Bright surfaces affect albedo contrast with ice-free surface
c. Icebergs and melt water affect oceans
d. All of the above
22. True or False: Large oscillations in ice volume at a period near 100,000 years drove climatic
responses that can be traced across the high and middle latitudes of the northern
hemisphere.
a. True
b. False
23. Pacific Ocean records of δ
4.5 Myrs.
a. Negative
b. Constant
c. More positive
show a persistent trend toward ________ values over the last

24 . True or False: Sensitivity tests suggest a reduction of by 10% would cool even the
south polar ocean, increasing its sea-ice cover.
a. True
b. False
25. High and middle latitudes of the northern hemisphere show evidence of climate responses
controlled by changes in the ______________.
a. levels
b. sizes of ice sheets
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above
26. Rapid deposition of Himalayan sediments supports the hypothesis that physical weathering
is stronger today on a global basis.
a. True
b. False
27. There is a volcanic eruption in Jakarta, Indonesia (6º12’0” S). This eruption will emit
particles into the atmosphere, which will be cause the climate to cool in:
a. The Northern Hemisphere
b. The Southern Hemisphere
c. Both Hemispheres
28. On July 4 th when the Earth is at aphelion, how far away is the Earth from the sun?
a. 138 Million Km
b. 148 Million Km
c. 158 Million Km
d. 168 Million Km
29. When is the Earth’s Eccentric orbit the fastest?
a. June 21; solstice
b. December 21; solstice
c. January 3; perihelion
d. July 4; aphelion

30. In June and December, monthly insulation values show the prevalence of:
a. Precessional changes at low and high latitudes
b. Precessional changes in low and middle latitudes
c. Tilt changes at high latitudes
d. Both a & c
e. Both b & c
31. True or False: Glaciers do not retreat; instead the ice experiences ablation and melts from
the front of the glacier.
a. True
b. False
32. When looking at the growth of an ice sheet there are different facts that must be considered.
Which of the following will not help in the growth of an ice sheet?
a. Extremely low temperatures with frigid air
b. Mean annual temperature >-10 ºC
c. Mean annual temperature < 10ºC
d. Both a & b
e. Both a & c
33. As an ice sheet grows, it will reach an elevation at which the air is very frigid and contains
very little water vapor. This process will reverse which feedback?
a. Elevation feedback
b. Temperature feedback
c. Water vapor feedback
d. Glacial feedback
34. Approximately 13,000 years ago, the most significant rapid climate change of the last
deglaciation occurred. During this time the ice front advanced abruptly and almost reached
full glaciations. What is the name given to this period?
a. Little Ice Age (LIA)
b. Little Dryas (LD)
c. Younger Ice Age (YIA)
d. Younger Dryas (YD)
35. The process that seals off the air bubbles in the upper 15 meters of ice is called:
a. Melding
b. Dueling
c. Sintering
d. None of the above

36. The __________ the accumulation rate the __________, the are off set.
IGNORE QUESTION
a. Faster; higher
b. Faster; lower
c. Slower; higher
d. Slower; lower
37. Unlike CO 2 , methane records do not display a 23,000 year cycle.
a. True
b. False
38. Climate change that is driven by ice sheets through icebergs and melt water is an example
of:
a. External forcing
b. Internal forcing
c. Negative feedback
d. Positive feedback
e. Both a & c
39. During an interglacial, sea ice/ice sheets have both fast and slow inputs on the climate.
What is a signal that occurs without a lag?
a. Colder temperatures over Europe
b. Ice sheet growth
c. Decreased precipitation
d. Both a & b
e. Both a & c
40. In the northern hemisphere, what has been the main control of climate change in the last
2.75 MYR (on an orbital scale).
a. Malankavich cycle
b. Ice sheets
c. Anthropogenic sources
d. The climate has not changed in the past 3 MYA
41. The net balance between accumulation and ablation over an entire ice sheet is:
a. Ice growth balance
b. Ice mass balance
c. Equilibrium line
d. Temperature balance

42. True or False: The climate
point is the point wheree the equilibrium line intercepts Earth’s
surface in the higher latitudes.
a. True
b. False
43. Which of the following is true about the δ 18 O and δ 13 C during an interglacial period?
a. Low δ 18 O levels and low δ 13 C levels
b. Low δ 18 O levels and high δ 13 C levels
c. high δ 18 O levels and low δ 13 C levels
d. high δ 18 O levels and high δ 13 C levels
44. One
suggestion
is that Earth’s climate system has a natural 100,000-year resonance,
analogous to a bell that rings with a characteristic period or frequency; this
is called
a. Resonant responsee
b. Clipped response
c. Non-linear response
45. When looking at δ 18 O records for the past 2.75 Myr, records show numerous cyclical
variations drifting towards more positive values. Why do the δ
18 O values become more
positive with time?
a. Because the temperatures are getting warmer
b. Because the temperatures are getting colder
c. Because more ice sheets are melting releasing more
δ 18 O into the atmosphere
46. For
this problem
use the figure below. Which of the following
explains what is happening
in stage 3 of the cycle of ice
growth and decay?
a. Insulation drops, equilibrium
line shifts south, ice
sheet starts to grow
b. Insulation at a minimum, ice sheet grows rapidly, ice
depresses bedrock
c. Insulation rises, equilibrium line moves north, ice
sheet at maximumm size, bedrock depression increases
d. Insulation at a maximum, equilibrium linee moves
north,
ice melts rapidly, bedrock starts to rise

47. During glacial maxima, there is a large CO 2 reduction in the atmosphere, vegetation on
land and at the ocean surface. Where was the CO 2 stored during this time?
a. Ocean mixing layer
b. Sea ice
c. Glacial ice sheet
d. Deep ocean
48. Primary productivity of carbon is highest in _______ ocean regions and high latitudes,
with the lowest productivity found in ________ ocean regions.
a. Deep; polar
b. Shallow; polar
c. Deep: central
d. Shallow; central
49. Four independent records show nearly identical long-term warming trends. While the
temperature records show a similar trend, the temperature records differ slightly because
the point of reference that each group uses to calculate the global temperature is different.
It is not possible to reliably calculate absolute global average surface temperatures, so
scientists instead calculate a relative measure called a:
a. Temperature average
b. Temperature anomaly
c. Temperature equivalent
d. Temperature fluctuations
50. True or False: When insolation drives climate change on Earth; fast responding parts of the
climate system track well, while slow-responding parts lag.
a. True
b. False
51. What causes changes in Oxygen Isotope Ratios?
a. Changes in Ice Volume
b. Changes in the Ocean Temperature
c. A & C
d. None of the above

52. Which type of Foraminifera is indicative of oxygen ratios and temperatures within the
deep ocean?
a. Planktic
b. Mesozoic
c. Paleozoic
d. Benthic
53. Why is sea floor spreading not a valid hypothesis for the global cooling seen over the past
55 Myr?
a. In the last 15 Myr the rate of spreading increased but the climate cooled.
b. The earth warmed over the past 15 Myr while spreading rate increased.
c. Before 40-30 Myr ago the rate of spreading decreased but the earth cooled.
d. Sea floor spreading has no correlation with atmospheric temperatures.
54. Which of the following is not a prediction of the Uplift Weathering Hypothesis?
a. Terrain today is higher than it was at earlier times in Earth’s history
b. Rates of chemical weathering are higher leading to higher CO2 levels
c. There is an increase in physical weathering worldwide
d. Rates of chemical weathering are higher and CO2 levels have decreased
55. What is true of an explosive volcanic eruption in the tropics?
a. Particles stay near the equator and global impact is limited.
b. The hemisphere that feels the greatest impact depends on prevailing winds.
c. The climatic response is global because ash spreads throughout both hemispheres
56. True or False: The earth’s elliptical orbit has a very large effect on the season.
a. True
b. False
57. What is the period of the changes of the tilt of the earth’s axis?
a. 21,000 years
b. 31,000 years
c. 41,000 years
d. 51,000 years
58. Which of the following are not related to changes in tilt?
a. Changes in total energy received by earth
b. Greater change in higher latitudes rather than tropics
c. Amplification or suppression of Seasons.
d. Long term variations in seasonal solar insolation

59. True or False: The Eccentricity cycle is more irregular than the tilt cycle
a. True
b. False
60. What is aliasing?
a. False trends generated by under sampling the true complexity in a signal.
b. False information that arises from incorrectly dating climatic samples
c. The over sampling of certain periods of climatic data.
d. The combination of two separate signals into one
61. Why was the glaciation of Antarctica in the past only slightly more extensive than today?
a. The size of the continent limited the size of the glacier
b. There is significantly less precipitation in Antarctica
c. It was much warmer in the southern hemisphere than the northern hemisphere
d. Antarctica’s ice sheet was much larger than it was today.
62. Which of the following is not true about ablation and accumulation rates?
a. Even at temperatures of -5°C the ablation rate is higher than accumulation rates
b. Accumulation rates decrease with temperature because frigid air contains less
water vapor.
c. Accumulation rate is about the same as ablation rates near -5°C
d. Ice can accumulate at rates of no more than .5 meters per year
63. Which scientist related astronomical changes of the earth and its orbit to ice sheet
formation?
a. Milutin Milankovitch
b. Nick Shackleton
c. Cesare Emiliani
d. Albert Einstein
64. Which orbital configuration will lead to ice sheet formation in the Northern Hemisphere?
a. Tilt is high and perihelion position during summer
b. Tilt is high and in aphelion position during summer
c. Tilt is low and in aphelion position during summer
d. Tilt is low and in perihelion position during summer

65. How long would it take a 3000 meter ice sheet to form under favorable conditions?
a. 100 years
b. 1000 years
c. 10,000 years
d. 100,000 years
66. What was the Younger Dryas?
a. An ice advance 13,000 years ago that happened very quickly
b. A rapid warming 13,000 years ago
c. A relatively dry period in the earth’s climate 13,000 years ago.
d. A massive volcanic eruption 13,000 years ago.
67. What is the sealing of air bubbles in the top layers of an ice sheet called
a. Ablation
b. Closure
c. Sintering
d. Composition
68. Why is sintering a problem at Vostok?
a. Melting is common so continuity between layers is lost
b. Slow accumulation rates allow air to mix decreasing the temporal resolution.
c. Accumulation happens so fast that air bubbles do not form
d. There is no problem with sintering at Vostok.
69. True or False: CO 2 and methane measurements from ice cores match up very well with
historical records.
a. True
b. False
70. How is carbon transported from surface ocean waters to deep ocean waters?
a. Photosynthesis extracts CO 2 from surface waters and it then sinks to the deep
ocean.
b. Ocean Currents
c. Volcanic Eruptions
d. Volcanic Seafloor vents

71. Which of the following is not an ‘Ice-Driven Response’
a. Height of ice affects atmospheric circulations
b. Changes in summer insolation
c. Changes of albedo
d. Icebergs and meltwater affect ocean temperatures and currents
72. When ice sheets were added to GCM the resulting output was a 5-10◦C cooling of the
north Atlantic, this cooling of the ocean led to ____________.
a. Warmer temperatures and more precipitation over Europe
b. Warmer temperatures and less precipitation over Europe
c. Colder temperatures and more precipitation over Europe
d. Colder temperatures and less precipitation over Europe
73. What causes the ice volume signal to exist far beyond the proximity of ice sheets?
a. Prevailing winds
b. Surface ocean temperatures
c. Precipitation patterns
d. All of the above
e. None of the above
74. Which hemisphere’s ice sheets are the primary forcing mechanism of the global climate
system?
a. Northern because of their relative constant size
b. Northern because of the large changes in its ice volume
c. Southern because of their relative constant size
d. Southern because of the large changes in its ice volume
75. Why do global temperature records differ between the different groups of scientists
measuring them?
a. Their instruments are calibrated differently
b. They are wrong in their measurements
c. They use different reference points for global average temperatures
d. The Metric vs English System
76. True or False. Deep ocean sediments provide a climate archive of information throughout
the period.
a. True
b. False

77. Which isotopes are used to measure oxygen levels?
a.
&
b.
&
c.
&
d.
&
78. Isotopic composition of oxygen derived from foraminifera shells has changed because?
a. Ice volume in continental ice sheets varies
b. Ocean temperatures change where foraminifera live
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above
79. During the last 15 Myr seafloor spreading rates have ___________ while the climate
_____________ with first mountain glaciers and ice sheets forming in Northern
Hemisphere
a. Increased, warmed
b. Decreased, cooled
c. Increased, cooled
d. Stayed the same, stayed the same
80. When volcanoes erupt between 23.5 & the poles, particles stay
_________________________________
a. In the immediate area surrounding the volcano
b. The hemisphere of the eruption
c. In both hemispheres
d. None of the above
81. The knowledge we have about Earth’s orbit dates back to ___________________ during
the 17 th century
a. Alfred Wegener
b. Thor Bergeron
c. Johannes Kepler
d. Carl Rossby
82. Which aspects of Earth’s present day orbit configurations have changed with time
a. Shape of path around the sun
b. Positions of seasons in this path
c. Tilt of axis
d. All of the above
83. True or False. The two time intervals between the equinoxes are equal
a. True
b. False

84. Long term changes in Earth’s orbit vary because of _________________
a. Mass gravitational attractions
b. Distance from the sun
c. Eclipses
d. None of the above
85. Earth’s Axial Tilt varies between _________________.
a. 19 & 21
b. 15 & 17
c. 22.2 & 24.5
d. 26 & 28
86. The balance between accumulation and ablation is called the ________________.
a. Ice mass balance
b. Lawson balance
c. Equilibrium line
d. Doesn’t really matter
87. The last major glacial stage ended when?
a. ~ 10,000 years ago
b. 50,000 years ago
c. ~18,000 years ago
d. 100,000 years ago
88. How much land was covered at the maximum extent of the Pleistocene?
a. 1/3 the total land area
b. ½ the total land area
c. ¾ the total land area
d. 2/3 the total land area
89. What controls the size of ice sheets
a. Rates of accumulation
b. Ablation
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above
90. True or False. Ice sheet lags behind summer insolation forcing.
a. True
b. False
91. GISP2 is located in _____________.
a. Russia
b. Antarctica
c. Canada
d. Greenland

92. The Little Ice Age appears to span which period?
a. AD 1350 – AD 1900
b. AD 300 – 900
c. BC 25 – AD 275
d. AD 1000 – AD 2010
93. True or False. The Younger Dryas was the most significant rapid climate change during
the last deglaciation.
a. True
b. False
94. Today’s values of methane exceed ______________.
a. 500 ppbv
b. 700 ppbv
c. 1200 ppbv
d. 1700 ppbv
95. Prominent variations in methane 23,000 year cycle are linked to what?
a. Summer monsoon in tropical regions
b. Winter monsoon
c. Both a and b
d. None of the above
96. Ocean Surface temperatures are obtained by a __________________ .
a. Analysis of foraminifera plankton living at surface, dying & sinking
b. Ice cores
c. Loess
d. Satellites
97. True or False. The North American ice sheet had the largest influence on nearby ocean
temperatures.
a. True
b. False
98. In the ice sheet sensitivity tests with a GCM demonstrate which of the following?
a. Precipitation dropped dramatically
b. Cold North Atlantic Sea produced cold temperatures over Europe, downwind well
into Eurasia
c. Both signals occurred without lags
d. All of the above

99. Northern hemisphere ice margins fluctuated _________________ .
a. Very little
b. Immensely
c. Some
d. Who cares
100. Which of the following is a reason for ice sheet growth since 0.9 Myr ago?
a. Response to a global cooling trend
b. Dr. Lawson said so
c. Response to global warming trend
d. Both a & b
101. Fossil remains of vegetation at both poles indicate a progressive _____________ over the
last 50 Myr. As mean annual temperature decreases, leaves have _________________
edges.
a. Warmer, smoothly rounded
b. Warmer, irregular
c. Cooling, smoothly rounded
d. Cooling, irregular
102. Which of the following provides the strongest evidence that the glaciations of Antartica
began 35 Myr ago?
a. Ice rafted sediments
b. Spread of cool boreal spruce forest
c. Spread of broad-leafed evergreen forest
d. Spread of palmlike trees and crocodile ancestors
103. _______________________ form shells of calcite containing isotopes of 18 O and 16 O. As
they die and settle to sediment, a record of the past is created.
a. Cyanobacteria
b. Coccoliths
c. Foraminifera
d. Phytoplankton
e. Both b & c
104. Ocean water isotopic values reflect the following:
a. Water vapor evaporation from ocean to higher latitudes
b. Temperature of ocean water
c. Ice volume
d. All of the above

105. True or False: Evidence indicates that the uplift weathering hypothesis may have explained
global cooling before 15 Myr ago, and particularly before 30 to 40 Myr ago. But it predicts
a warming during the last 15 Myr, when a major cooling has actually occurred.
a. True
b. False
106. The following aspect of Earth’s orbit has varied over time:
a. Tilt of its axis
b. Shape of its yearly path of revolution around the sun
c. Changing positions of the seasons along the path
d. All of the above
107. During ______________ the Earth is ____________ to the Sun and therefore winter
radiation in the northern hemisphere is slightly __________________.
a. Perihelion, Farther, Stronger
b. Aphelion, Closer, Stronger
c. Perihelion, Closer, Stronger
d. Aphelion, Farther, Stronger
108. Changes in tilt cause all of the following, except:
a. Amplification or suppression of the seasons, especially at high latitudes
b. Long-term variations in seasonal solar insolation
c. Amplification or suppression of the seasons, especially at low latitudes
109. True or False: Eccentricity cycles are more irregular than the tilt cycle.
a. True
b. False
110. Monthly seasonal insolation changes are dominated by precession at _______________
and _______________ latitudes, with the effects of tilt evident only at _______________
latitudes.
a. high, middle, low
b. low, middle, high
c. low, high, middle
d. None of the above
111. Continental ice sheets exist in regions where the overall rate of snow and ice accumulation
across the entire mass of ice equals or exceeds the overall rate of ______________.
a. Isostacy
b. Calving
c. Ablation
d. Insolation

112. At its maximum Pleistocene extent, ice covered ______ of the total land area of the Earth,
with the greatest total area of ice-covered land in _________________.
a. 1/3, North America
b. 1/3, South America
c. 1/3, Europe
d. 1/3, Asia
113. Ice sheets grow in Northern hemisphere summer when insolation is _________ because tilt
is low and in a _____________ position.
a. High, aphelion
b. Low, perihelion
c. High, perihelion
d. Low, aphelion
114. As an ice sheet grows, the underlying bedrock responds in the following way
a. Glutinous sinking elastic sinking full bedrock depression
b. Viscous sinking elastic sinking full bedrock depression
c. Elastic sinking viscous sinking full bedrock depression
d. None of the above
115. According to the conceptual model of ice sheet evolution, permanent ice sheets will remain
on continents when
a. Global cooling causes equilibrium-line to shift, but still intercept the insolation
curve
b. Summer insolation fails to reach a critical threshold
c. Global cooling causes equilibrium-line to intercept summer insolation curve
d. Global cooling causes equilibrium-line to surpass insolation curve
116. All of the following are true about the GISP2 drilling project, except:
a. Took place in the summit region of Antarctica
b. Drilled 1.55m into bedrock
c. Produced the deepest ice core in the Northern hemisphere
d. None of the above
117. From the GISP2 ice core, we learned that during the anthropogenic era, there was a notable
a. increase in sulfates and nitrates
b. increase in excess chlorides
c. increase in volcanic events
d. A and B only
118. As snowpack temperature increases, mean annual values of δ 18 O
a. decrease
b. stay the same
c. increase
d. none of the above

119. Prominent variations in methane at the 23,000 year cycle are linked to all the following,
except:
a. Livestock production
b. Monsoon fluctuations
c. Permafrost bogs
d. Vegetation decay
120. The oceanic carbon pump reduces CO 2 levels in the atmosphere mainly by
a. Respiration
b. Photosynthesis
c. Oxidation
d. Weathering
121. True or False: When insolation drives climate change on Earth, fast responding parts of the
climate system track well, while slow-responding parts lag.
a. True
b. False
122. Ice sheets drive climate change from within the climate system. Ice driven responses
include:
a. Monsoon flactuations
b. Ablation
c. Vegetation decay
d. Atmospheric circulation
123. Vegetation responses in Europe closely track variations in δ 18 O. Glacial-age pollen mainly
consisting of grasses and herbs indicate ___________ and ____________ conditions
a. Warm and moist
b. Dry and cold
c. Dry and warm
d. Moist and cold
124. Ice volume signal exists far from the proximity of ice sheets because of
a. Prevailing winds
b. Surface ocean temperatures
c. Precipitation patterns
d. All of the above

125. The internal processes that destroy ice sheets act as a _______________________ that
accelerate ice melting initiated by rising insolation.
a. Positive feedback
b. Negative feedback
126. In the last 50 million years, Earth’s climate has cooled. What evidence is there to prove
this?
a. Greenland Ice (appearing ~7-3 Myr ago)
b. Coastal mountains of North America (~5 Myr)
c. First continental ice sheets of N. America appear with numerous cycles increasing
to their maxima after 0.9 Myr ago
d. Coniferous forests had replaced broad-leafed evergreen vegetation with tundra
conditions and permafrost
e. All of the above
127. Delta Oxygen 18 ratio decreases by 1% (parts per thousand) for each _____ increase in
oceanic temperatures.
a. 1.2°C
b. 2.3°C
c. 4.2°C
d. 6.2°C
128. Today’s deep ocean temperatures average 2°C. Is that colder or warmer than ocean
temperature as compared to 55 Myr ago and by how much?
a. Colder by 4°C
b. Colder by 14°C
c. Warmer by 4°C
d. Warmer by 14°C
129. When volcanoes erupt, sulfate aerosols are ejected into the sky increasing albedo, which
in turn, cools the planet. The extent of climate impact is limited, however, by latitude. If
a volcano erupts at 60°N, how much of Earth is affected by the increased albedo?
a. Northern Hemisphere
b. Southern Hemisphere
c. Both Hemispheres
130. True or False: It is impossible to predict future tectonic-scale climatic changes.
a. True
b. False

131. Which aspects of Earth’s present-day orbit configurations have changed with time?
a. Shape of path around sun
b. Positions of seasons in this path
c. Tilt of axis
d. All of the above
132. Earth’s current axial tilt is at 23.5°. However, the tilt varies between which two degrees?
a. 20.3° and 25.2°
b. 21.2° and 24.5°
c. 22.2° and 24.5°
d. 22.6° and 25.4°
133. Changes in tilt cause long-term variations in seasonal solar insolation. Where is the
affect of this the largest?
a. Low latitudes
b. High latitudes
c. Equal affect across all latitudes
134. True or False: Eccentricity is as significant as a direct cycle of seasonal insolation
change.
a. True
b. False
135. A plot used to detect cyclical sine waves of different periods along time series is called
what?
a. Sine Spectrum
b. Cyclical Spectrum
c. Time Spectrum
d. Power Spectrum
136. During the Pleistocene Glaciation, ice covered how much of the total land area of Earth?
a. 1/3
b. 2/5
c. 1/2
d. 3/4

137. Ice accumulates at mean annual temperatures less than 10°C, but no more than 0.5 meters
per year. However, melting begins at mean annual temperatures greater than -10°C,
reaching rates of ____ meters per year.
a. 0.5
b. 1
c. 3
d. 10
138. What dictates the north-south shift of the climate point?
a. Summer ablation
b. Winter ablation
c. Summer insolation
d. Winter insolation
139. Earth has been gradually cooling for the last 55 million years, probably due to what?
a. Increased volcanic activity
b. Slow decrease in CO2 levels
c. Less radiation due to Earth’s axial tilt
140. True or False: Both growth and melting of ice sheets lag thousands of years behind
forcing.
a. True
b. False
141. The summit region of Greenland is an ideal site for drilling because it’s ice cores
demonstrate exceptionally large climatic changes with more than _____________ since
glacial maximum.
a. 20°C cooling
b. 40°C cooling
c. 20°C warming
d. 40°C warming
142. The process by which bubbles of air become sealed off and preserved as snow turns to ice
at depths of 50 to 100 m within an ice sheet.
a. Subduction
b. Ice saddle
c. Fractionation
d. Sintering

143. Today’s post-industrial methane measurements exceed 1700 ppbv. However, even preindustrial
measurements show a/an ___________ in methane measurements since 1800.
a. Increase
b. Decrease
c. No change
144. Prominent variations in methane, at 23,000-year cycles, can be linked to changes in the
strength of what?
a. Winter insolation
b. Summer ablation
c. Winter’s cold temperatures
d. Summer monsoon
145. True or False: Unlike methane’s 23,000-year cycle, CO2 has a cycle of 100,000 years.
Values at the high end are consistent with interglacial periods.
a. True
b. False
146. When looking at interactions among components with a climate system, slow-responding
parts of a system set the tempo for what?
a. Slow responding sectors
b. Fast responding sectors
c. They do not set tempo due to their slow nature
147. Climatologists use GCM sensitivity test to evaluate how North Atlantic temperature
changes affect Europe and Asia. What did the models demonstrate?
a. Increased precipitation, signals occurred without lags
b. Increased precipitation, signals occurred with lags
c. Decreased precipitation, signals occurred without lags
d. Decreased precipitation, signals occurred with lags
148. True or False: Large changes in ice volume made northern ice sheets the primary mover
of the global climate system.
a. True
b. False

149. Ice volume signals transferred from the northern ice sheets include a 23,000 year cycle, a
41,000 year cycle, AND a 100,000 year cycle. How could a transfer of all three cycles
happen?
a. Changes in sea level
b. Changes in deep water circulation
c. Atmospheric CO2 provides a mechanism to transmit climatic signals form N.
hemisphere to the rest of the globe
d. All of the above
150. 0.9 Million years ago ice sheets started growing larger and a persistent trend of more
positive delta oxygen 18 values proves this. What caused this cooling?
a. Drop in CO2 levels
b. Increase in CO2 levels
c. Less radiation
d. N. Hemisphere was both in an aphelion stage and tilted away from sun