Climate forcing agents Climate forcing agents Air pollution is a broad term applied to all physical (particulate matter), chemical, and biological agents that modify the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. ...more on Wikipedia about "Air pollution"
A carbon dioxide sink or CO2 sink is a carbon reservoir that is increasing in size, and is the opposite of a carbon "source". The main sinks are the oceans and growing vegetation. The concept has become more widely known through its application by the Kyoto Protocol. ...more on Wikipedia about "Carbon dioxide sink"
A cloud is a visible mass of condensed droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth or another planetary body. The branch of meteorology that studies clouds is nephology. ...more on Wikipedia about "Cloud"
Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forest. Historically, this meant conversion to grassland or to its artificial counterpart, grainfields; however, the Industrial Revolution added urbanization and technological uses. Generally this removal or destruction of significant areas of forest cover has resulted in a simplified (or degraded) environment with reduced biodiversity. In developing countries, massive deforestation is a leading cause of environmental degradation. The forest is an enormously valuable resource and the loss, or degradation of the forest can cause severe and irreparable damage to wildlife habitat, and to other economic and ecological services the forest provides. Historically deforestation has accompanied mankind's progress since the Neolithic, and has shaped climate and geography. ...more on Wikipedia about "Deforestation"
Greenhouse gases (GHG) are gaseous components of the atmosphere that contribute to the greenhouse effect. The major natural greenhouse gases are water vapor, which causes about 36-70% of the greenhouse effect on Earth ( not including clouds); carbon dioxide, which causes between 9-26%; and ozone, which causes between 3-7% (note that it is not really possible to assert that such-and-such a gas causes a certain percentage of the GHE, because the influences of the various gases are not additive. The higher ends of the ranges quoted are for the gas alone; the lower end, for the gas counting overlaps). ** ** . ...more on Wikipedia about "Greenhouse gas"
Impact events are caused by the collision of large meteoroids, asteroids or comets (generically: bolides) with Earth and may sometimes be followed by mass extinctions of life. For discussion of impacts in general, not just on Earth, see impact crater. ...more on Wikipedia about "Impact event"
Milankovitch cycles is the name given to the collective effect of changes in the Earth's movements upon its climate. The eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession of the Earth's orbit vary in several patterns, resulting in 100,000 year ice age cycles of the Quaternary glaciation over the last few million years. The Earth's axis completes one full cycle of precession approximately every 26,000 years. At the same time the elliptical orbit rotates, more slowly, leading to a 22,000 years cycle in the equinoxes. In addition, the Earth's tilt relative to the Sun changes between 21.5 degrees to 24.5 degrees and back again on a 41,000 year cycle. The Earth's axis today is tilted 23.5 degrees relative to the normal to the plane of the ecliptic. ...more on Wikipedia about "Milankovitch cycles" Please tell your friends about http://www.shortopedia.com
Nuclear winter is a hypothetical global climate condition that was predicted to be a possible outcome of a large-scale nuclear war. It was thought that severely cold weather would be caused by detonating large numbers of nuclear weapons, especially over flammable targets such as cities, where large amounts ...more on Wikipedia about "Nuclear winter"
Orbital forcing, or Milankovitch theory, describes the effect on climate of slow changes in the tilt of the Earth's axis and shape of the orbit. These orbital changes change the total amount of sunlight reaching the Earth by up to 25% at mid-latitudes (from 400 to 500 watts per cubic meter at latitudes of 60 degrees). In this context, the term "forcing" signifies a physical process that affects the Earth's climate. ...more on Wikipedia about "Orbital forcing"
Orography is the average height of land, measured in geopotential meters, over a certain domain. In geoscientific models, such as general circulation models, orography defines the lower boundary (except where there is ocean, of course). Because orography is spatially averaged, for example the height of the Himalaya mountains will depend on horizontal resolution. The higher the horizontal resolution, the better the orography will follow the actual terrain. ...more on Wikipedia about "Orography"
Ozone depletion refers to the phenomenon of reductions in the amount of ozone in the stratosphere. There was a reduction of approximately 5% detected from 1979 to 1990. Since the ozone layer prevents most harmful UVB wavelengths (270- 315 nm) of ultraviolet light from passing through the Earth's atmosphere, observed and projected decreases in ozone have generated worldwide concern and led to adoption of the Montreal Protocol banning the use of chlorofluorocarbon ( CFC) compounds, as well as other ozone depleting chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethane (also known as methyl chloroform), and bromine compounds known as halons. Note: UVA (320 to 400 nm) wavelengths, also associated with the formation of skin cancer, eye cataracts, and material damage, are not significantly absorbed by ozone. ...more on Wikipedia about "Ozone depletion"
Solar variations are fluctuations in the amount of energy emitted by the Sun. Small variations have been measured from satellites during recent decades. Of interest to climate scientists is whether these variations have a significant effect on the temperature of the earth's atmosphere. ...more on Wikipedia about "Solar variation"
Soot, also called lampblack, Pigment Black 7, carbon black or black carbon, is a dark powdery deposit of unburned fuel residues, usually composed mainly of amorphous carbon, that accumulates in chimneys, automobile mufflers and other surfaces exposed to smoke—especially from the combustion of carbon-rich organic fuels in the lack of sufficient oxygen. ...more on Wikipedia about "Soot"
A volcano is a geological landform (usually a mountain) where a substance, usually magma (rock of the Earth's interior made molten or liquid by extremely high temperatures along with a reduction in pressure and/or the introduction of water or other volatiles) erupts through the surface of a planet. Although there are numerous volcanoes (some very active) on the solar system's rocky planets and moons, on Earth at least, this phenomenon tends to occur near the boundaries of the continental plates. However, important exceptions exist in hotspot volcanoes. ...more on Wikipedia about "Volcano" The view on http://www.shortopedia.com.
A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, brush fire, or bushfire (in Australasia), is an uncontrolled fire often occurring in wildland areas, but which can also consume houses or agricultural resources. Common causes include lightning, human carelessness and arson. ...more on Wikipedia about "Wildfire"
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