ClimateLong term weather patterns
www.blueplanetbiomes.org
Factors Affecting ClimateAltitude
Latitude
Currents
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www.mrdowling.com
go-passport.grolier.com
AltitudeHow far above sea level you areThe farther up, the cooler the climate is.With climate change, people are moving farther up mountains to avoid mosquitoes.How does this impact other organisms?
news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/science/nature/5348692.stm
LatitudeHow far north or south of the equator you are.Equator receives direct sun rays. The farther from the equator the greater the angle of incidence of light, thus the cooler the climate
schools-wikipedia.org/wp/e/Effect_of_sun_angl...
CurrentsWind Currents
Ocean Currents
Wind CurrentsAir moving across the warm waters of the North Atlantic moderate the Climate of Northern America and Western Europe
Wind CurrentsThe Jet Stream moves south of us during the winter, pulling cold Artic air from the NW into Michigan.Fast moving systems from the Canadian Rockies are called Clippers.
www.accuweather.com
www.jeffsweather.com
Wind CurrentsDuring the summer, the Jet Stream moves to the north of Michigan. Air from the Gulf of Mexico travels from the SW to bring moisture and warmth to Michigan
www.fas.org/.../docs/rst/Sect14/Sect14_1c.html
Wind Currents
T ra d e W in ds N o r'e a s te r D o ld ru m s
D o yo u kn o w lo ca tion a nd e ffe cts o f
T e s t Y ou rse lf.
www.answers.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nor'easterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_wind http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/nino/global.html
Ocean CurrentsThe North Atlantic Current is the “Conveyer Belt” that moderates our climateWarm less dense water from the Equator travels on the surface to the northWinds moving across the N. Atlantic pick up the heat and transfer it to W. Europe and N. America
thedifferencemagazine.blogspot.com/2007/08/no...
Ocean CurrentsGlacial melt at the poles creates cold dense water that sinks and travels to the equator. This drives the warm less dense water to the surface and pushes it northward
nsidc.org/.../factors/land_sea_distribution.html
Ocean CurrentsWhat is the future of the N. Atlantic Current if there is no glacial melt?What becomes of the Climate in the Northern Hemisphere?
Earths Climatic HistoryEarth’s Climate is like a pendulum. It naturally swings between extreme heat and cold over long periods of time.
100 mya
200 mya
300 mya
65 mya
1.6 mya
Eocene
Earths Climatic History
img62.imageshack.us
Evidences of Climate ChangeIce Cores
Indicate varying levels of CO2 in
the atmosphere.
Sediment CoresDuring periods of
elevated CO2 in the atmosphere sediment cores indicate a warm
climate
www.nsf.gov
Effects of Climate Change on Temperature and Precipitation
www.adaptation.rncan.gc.ca
Effects of Climate Change on Biodiversity
Genetic Adaptations require long periods of time to evolve. Rapid climatic changes cause significant changes in food webs and mass extinctions
Cataclysmic Events causing
Climate ChangeSupervolcano Eruptions“Snowball Earth” effect causing mass extinctions ~95-99%Asteroid strikes caused a ~80% extinction.
http://atropos.as.arizona.edu/aiz/teaching/a204/images/snowball_earth.gif
www.solcomhouse.com/yellowstone.htm
www.theresilientearth.com/?q=content/meteor-s...
Effects of Global Warmingwww.pm.gov.au
www.treehugger.com/2008/02/24-week/
www.cosmosmagazine.com
flatplanet.wikispaces.com
www.greendiary.com
www.aboundlessworld.com
Effects of Global Warming
eospso.gsfc.nasa.gov/eos_observ/9_10_95/p07.html
Climate change can involve abrupt flips. The most likely cause is a
disruption in the N. Atlantic current. These have been natural occurring
events over Earth’s history.
Greenhouse Earth Effect
CO2 is rising faster than at any period in recent history.Will man cause the next climate change before its time?If so what is the effect on Michigan?
www.webwombat.com.au