Project #4

Recently, within the last decade, climate change has been said to be a result of human activities that include industrial pollution, increased land use and overall development of society in the last 250 years (Mukherjee 2013). These areas are important to monitor, however they are mitigated by the influences of natural events that occur on earth and extra terrestrially. It would be shortsighted on the part of researchers to conclude that climate change is solely and significantly anthropogenic. To get started, lets define climate and climate change. Climate is a fundamental factor in (an) ecosystem(s) health (NSF 2009). Climate is the weather of a specific area, averaged over a long period of time. So global climate change would be a change in the average weather over a long period of time. As stated previously, It has only been a short period of time of extensive analyses of climate change, so it would not be possible to conclude that human activity is the only factor (Hulme 2000). The ocean covers 71% of the earth surface and is considered as a buffer against climatic swings (NSF 2009). It is estimated that nearly one third of anthropogenic carbon released in the air (NSF 2009). Interestingly, heat can be stored in the ocean has played such a critical role in the climate increase that it has been termed the global heat engine (NSF 2009).Other living organisms like plants and animals also affect global climate change, for instance the cows produce methane which contributes to global warming (NSF 2009). Ice has also played a large role in global climate (NSF 2009). This is due to the ability of ice to reflect solar radiation, the heat exchange between polar oceans and the atmosphere, and the overturning circulation of global oceans (NSF 2009). The amount of ice also affects the global sea level, which from research has shown that with higher sea levels, there are higher greenhouse gases.

The sun and other planets like Jupiter, also affect the climate change (Mukherjee 2013). Changes in the Suns intensity as well as solar flares play a role (Mukherjee 2013). The Forbush effect shows that due to cosmic showers, the intensity of the sun can be altered (Mukherjee 2013).In conclusion, the ocean, ice, other living organisms, the Sun and other planets all affect the climate change that we recently see, and the change cannot be solely attributed to human activity.Andrew ThompsonApril 15, 2014CEGR 3141Project 4

Reference1. Hulme, M.(2000) "Global Warming." Progress in Physical Geography. 24.4: 591-599. Print.2. Mukherjee, Saumitra. (2013) Extraterrestrial Influence on Climate Change. India: Springer. Internet resource.3. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (U.S.). (2009). Solving the puzzle researching the impacts of climate change around the world. Internet resource