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Instructions for Side by Side Printing
  1. Print the notecards
  2. Fold each page in half along the solid vertical line
  3. Cut out the notecards by cutting along each horizontal dotted line
  4. Optional: Glue, tape or staple the ends of each notecard together
  1. Verify Front of pages is selected for Viewing and print the front of the notecards
  2. Select Back of pages for Viewing and print the back of the notecards
    NOTE: Since the back of the pages are printed in reverse order (last page is printed first), keep the pages in the same order as they were after Step 1. Also, be sure to feed the pages in the same direction as you did in Step 1.
  3. Cut out the notecards by cutting along each horizontal and vertical dotted line
To print: Ctrl+PPrint as a list

31 notecards = 8 pages (4 cards per page)

Viewing:

Climate and weather, E balance

front 1

Is the surface energy balance the same everywhere on the earth's surface?

back 1

No

front 2

In addition to radiation fluxes there are also fluxes of __________ and _________ heat.

back 2

sensible and latent

front 3

All energy coming to earth enters and leaves through what?

back 3

the top of the atmosphere

front 4

Describe where shortwave radiation is absorbed, reflected or transmitted as it goes from space to Earth's surface. (think of unit amounts in the energy balance)

back 4

Most shortwave radiation is transmitted through the atmosphere where 23 units are absorbed and another 23 are reflected by clouds. Most of what reaches the surface is absorbed but 7 units are reflected.

front 5

Most longwave radiation emitted by the surface is ______________ by the atmosphere. What in the atmosphere is doing this?

back 5

absorbed, Greenhouse gases and clouds

front 6

Radiation emitted by the atmosphere is split between what?

back 6

emission to space and return to the surface

front 7

Ongoing heating of the atmosphere can be seen as what in the energy balance?

back 7

an imbalance at the top of the atmosphere where 0.9 W/m2 of additional energy is being absorbed per year.

front 8

A change in the energy balance is called what?

back 8

A radiative forcing (RF value)

front 9

Give an example of a local and global radiative forcing.

back 9

• Urbanization drastically alters surface characteristics and produces a local radiative forcing (urban heat island)
• Greenhouse gas emissions alter the composition of the atmosphere and produce a global radiative forcing

front 10

What are the three fundamental types of forcings in nature?

back 10

• Tectonic
• Earth-orbital changes
• Changes in solar outputs

front 11

Give three examples of tectonic forcings.

back 11

• Land/Ocean Distribution
• Mountain Building (Rain Shadows)
• Volcanoes
• Changes in Ocean Currents

front 12

Earth-orbital changes in the context of RFs refers to Milankovitch Cycles. What are the three orbital cycles?

back 12

• Eccentricity (wobble)
• Tilt
• Precession (path)

front 13

What is the Solar Radiation Forcing?

back 13

Sunspots

front 14

How have anthropogenic forcings influenced the atmosphere?

back 14

Changed it's composition

front 15

Which forcing source has the shortest response time?

back 15

Anthropogenic sources

front 16

What do we describe as response time?

back 16

how long it takes to reach 50% of the equilibrium value

front 17

"Fast" response times in nature means changes over what spans of time? Give two examples.

back 17

Hours to centuries

front 18

"Slow" response times in nature means changes over what spans of time? Give two examples.

back 18

front 19

Climate responses depend on the relative rate of changes in climate ___________ verses the response time of the climate __________.

back 19

forcing vs system

front 20

What is Effective Radiating Temperature? (In words and equation)

back 20

The temperature at which a system radiates away as much energy as it receives

radiation absorbed = radiation emitted

front 21

What prevents Earth’s temperature from continuously rising or falling?

back 21

Negative feedback loops

front 22

What are the two radiative properties of clouds?

back 22

  • reflect solar radiation
  • absorb and emit longwave radiation

(Different cloud types may have different effects)

front 23

During the day Low ______ clouds tend to ________ the surface while High ______ clouds tend to _________ it.

back 23

thick clouds cool, thin clouds warm

front 24

At night all clouds tend to (cool/warm) the surface

back 24

warm

front 25

Where is does this graph tell you absorbs the most solar radiation? (The common term for this area, not the latitude)

back 25

The equator

front 26

This graph has a dip in the emitted longwave radiation near the equator due to the ______________ effect, which transports energy from the ___________ to the _____________.

back 26

meridional, tropic, poles

front 27

_____________ is the transport of heat by the movement of a fluid

back 27

Advection

front 28

Name three surface conditions that greatly affect microclimates.

back 28

• Albedo
• Emissivity
• Roughness
• Moisture content
• Heat conductivity
• Specific heat

front 29

What is the equation for net shortwave radiation? (think of the letter(s))

back 29

K* = K⇩ - K⇧

Net shortwave radiation is the difference between the incoming radiation and the amount reflected

front 30

What is the equation for net longwave radiation? (think of the letter(s))

back 30

front 31

During the day

back 31

no data