Enviroment science lab3 - Essay Example

Sources of CO2 Emissions al Affiliation Would you Expect to see an Increase or Decrease in CO2 Emission in the Data over the Past 40 Years? Why?
Purpose
To assess the contributor to temperature balance more the impact of carbon dioxide.
Introduction
Global temperature is influenced by solar energy, which is also the key energy source that move major process like photosynthesis and hydrological cycle. The solar energy is distributed in portions and only 51% of it reaches the earth surface. The clouds reflect the 49% by 20%, atmospheric gases like Sulphur dioxide by 6%, and 19% is absorbed the two factors too. This process is called albedo effect. This albedo plays role of lowering the temperature. On the other hand, the portion that hit the earth surface is absorbed by the ocean and greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O, CH4 and H2O), which cause an increase in global temperature. According to Budyko (1982), anthropogenic activities of man more so industrialization and agriculture are the key contributor to the greenhouse gases.
Hypothesis/Predicted Outcomes
The carbon dioxide will be lower in the past forty years
Methods
On the Web site link given in the assignment description, I saw an interactive map of the world titled “GMD Measurement Locations”
1. I clicked on a starred location. (One site will not have CO2 concentrations.)
2. Once the starred location opens, on the right side of the screen, I clicked on the picture graph “Examples of Data” for CO2.
3. Once the graph opens, I made a note of the CO2 concentrations from previous years to present day and Filled in the table below.
I then repeated steps 1–3 for all other locations.
Lastly, I analyzed the graphs and recorded the amount of carbon dioxide for the year 1990 and 2005.
Results/Outcome
Location Code
Name of City/Country
CO2 Emissions in 1990
CO2 Emissions in 2005
SUM
Summit Greenland
350 mol-1
378 mol-1
BRW
Barrow, Alaska, United State
353 mol-1
380 mol-1
THD
Trinidad Head Observatory
-
-
MLO
Mauna Loa Observatory
351 mol-1
372 mol-1
SMO
American Samoa Observatory
354 mol-1
377 mol-1
Discussion/Analysis
The data clearly indicates that, between 1990 and 2005, there has been an increase in the CO2 by more than 20 mol-1 in the five regions. Anthropogenic activities in the regions of studies in regard to the production of greenhouse gases, which are deforestation to create space for industrial development and agriculture and combustion of fossil fuels, have been on the rise. With this being the trend, is clear that in the last forty year, CO2 emission was lower. This is because industrialization was low and the population that needed to be fed from agriculture was low too. Therefore, deforestation and green gas emission was low making my hypothesis is right (Budyko, 1982).
References
Budyko, M. I. (1982). The Earths climate, past and future. New York: Academic Press.
Earth System Research Laboratory: Global Monitoring Division. (n.d.). Retrieved from U.S Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Research web site: http: //www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop// Read More