The Day After Global Warming

The Day After Global Warming (RP)

Global Warming Source: https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/

• • NASA begins by describing Earth’s varying orbit attributing to the amount of solar energy entering would determine glacial cycles since the last ice age. However, NASA claims that the current warming trend upon the globe is caused by the growing rate of human activity in the modern climate era. By comparing the atmospheric CO2 levels from 800,000 years ago to the present (graph) shows the irregular trend increase since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. By using ancient evidence such as tree rings, coral reefs, ocean sediments, and layers of sedimentary rocks would show how global warming consequently is occurring ten times faster. Some evidence for rapid climate change listed by them are:
  
  
  
  
  
  • Global Temperature- Results portray that average surface temperature rose around 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 19^th century. These are mostly due to the increase in carbon dioxide and human-made emissions. “Not only was 2016 the warmest year on record, but eight of the 12 months that make up the year – from January through September, with the exception of June – were the warmest on record for those respective months”.
  • Warming Oceans- The top 700 meters of the oceans have absorbed most of the heat reflecting upon 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit increase in temperature since 1969. The oceans can also play a big role in the effects of climate change since water has a high amount of heat capacity and how it would store and release heat energy from the atmosphere. A new study at which NASA and university researchers found that the undersides of Antarctic ice shelves have loss most of the continent’s mass.
  • Shrinking Ice Sheets- Data from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment emphasizes both Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased mass in an enormous rate compared to the last decade (127 & 286 billion tons of ice per year). This can ultimately aid in illuminating how climate change disrupt other glaciers and continental ice sheets.
  • Glacier Retreat & Decreased Snow Cover- Satellite observations a decrease in snowcaps of many countries (Alaska, Himalayas, Africa) and limited snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere.
  • Sea Level Rise- “Global sea level rose about 8 inches in the last century. The rate in the last two decades, however, is nearly double that of the last century and is accelerating slightly every year”. Can be shown as the size and thickness of the Arctic sea ice has declined, setting the lowest on record.
  • Extreme Events- Many record high temperature events seem to be more common especially in SC as record low temperatures are decreasing since 1950. Studies shows an increase change in intense precipitation due to an unbalance of water distribution (due to melting ice caps) stored in ice, lakes, rivers, atmosphere, and oceans. This could also result in the creation of many tropical storms and tide levels.
  • Ocean Acidification- The historical effects the Industrial Revolution left behind, followed the acidity of the surface ocean with a 30% increase. The upper layer of the oceans absorbs about 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year would result in holding heat and limiting sunlight into deeper depths.
  
  
  • "Scientific evidence for warming of the climate system is unequivocal" -Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
  
  
  • I find this source important as it is the American federal space agency with a credible background upon planetary research. They have the support of 97% climate scientists as well as many worldwide organizations issuing public statements of the issue. These are devoted, authentic scientists who truly care about the welfare of the habitat/habitants and not influenced by greed or power. Also, by using the latest technological advancements to collect climate data on a global scale to report revealing impacts of greenhouse gas on dangerous levels. I like how these evidences points out that the idea of global warming is not foreign to us in the past few decades and now the problematic effects cannot be ignored. These can explain the significant changes within the atmosphere and heavy weather developments (i.e. hurricanes and start of winter in late October?).