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MAR 110 Final
Term | Definition |
---|---|
abrupt climate change | significant climate regime changes that occur rapidly in comparison |
Albedo | The degree to which short wave radiation is reflected from any surface or object |
Climate feedback | When one process reinforces or cancels the effect of another |
El nino | 3-7 year reoccurring event in Pacific ocean marked by warm water and, reduced upwelling in eastern pacific, usually around Christmas |
ENSO | process where easterly trade winds in Pacific weaken allowing warm water in western pacific to move eastward |
Greenhouse gas | One of the atmospheric gasses that absorb longwave radiation at selected wavelengths |
Greenhouse warming | When gasses in atmosphere absorb radiation and reradiate it towards the earth, causing higher temperatures |
La Nina | water in west pacific warmer, trade winds stronger, and heavier rainfall in south east asia |
Little Ice Age | 500 year period of reduced temperatures, following medieval warming |
Meandering | Process where flow of air or water becomes unstable and travels in winding path |
Medieval warming period | 500 year period of increased temperature, before LIA |
Monsoon | Any region characterized by 180 degree change in wind direction between summer and winter, resulting in seasonal heavy rain and aridity |
Southern oscillation | usually strong easterly winds over tropical pacific, every two to seven years weakens or reverses |
TAO Array | seventy buoys moored in central pacific used to monitor surface water temperature, current speed and direction and wind speed and direction |
Teleconnection | Linkage or measured climatic time series to another |
Walker Circulation | An atmospheric circulation of air at the equatorial Pacific Ocean, responsible for creating ocean upwelling off the coasts of Peru and Ecuador. Determines intensity of indian monsoon |