Essentials of Meteorology - Climate Change - Essay Example

Essentials of Meteorology - Climate Change Introduction: The climate change around the world is seen as a combination of several factors, which act in an interrelated fashion. Observation and research conducted suggests out of several factors three most essential factors like alterations in the rate of solar radiations on the earth’s atmosphere, alterations in the atmospheric constituents and other such alterations on the earth’s topography earn responsibility for the changes in climate. Debating on the natural and human actions which affect the climate of a particular region it can be inferred that natural actions takes resort of all the above mentioned factors while as regards to human activities the climatic changes are rendered through the generation of atmospheric and topographic changes. Another set of natural factors which also govern the climatic changes though in an internal way are alterations in the oceanic and atmospheric conditions which in turn emit a lot of energy into the outer atmosphere causing climatic changes. Owing to the intricate relationship of the variables involved the event of climatic change takes a debating turn as to the nature factors viz. human and natural. [1] Causes of Climate Change: The climatic changes in the modern periods have become the potential contributor to the event of global warming. The heating up of the climatic temperatures by the turn of the twentieth century are attributed to a number of natural factors. Many natural events like the happening of the El Nino factor, which has its emergence with the change in the oceanic currents, happen to affect the external atmosphere. Similarly the topography of the earth is also affected by events like volcanic activity and earthquakes, which also result considerable heat and energy to the earth’s atmosphere causing changes in climatic temperatures. The atmosphere of the earth also gets directly affected owing to changes in the flow of radiations emanating from the solar surface, which is also accountable for climatic changes. Further the huge amount of volcanic eruptions on the earth’s surface emits an abundance of harmful gases and chemicals along with heavy dust and ashes into the atmosphere. Some of the gases emitted directly affect the Ozone layer of the atmosphere, which henceforth becomes responsible for climatic changes. Like the host of natural factors mentioned above which contribute to the event of climate change and rising temperatures the planet’s climatic system is also affected by various manmade activities. The human beings on the earth’s surface from time immemorial have contributed to the burning down of trees and other fossilized energy sources like petrol, which also emit lot of harmful gases and other substances into the atmosphere. Thus both natural and human factors are responsible for the environmental degradation and change in climatic temperatures. Further research conducted shows that the growth of human activities related to the burning of fossil fuels and the spread of the industrialization along with several scientific experiments have caused a great impact in altering the climatic conditions of the summer and winter seasons. It is found that owing to the growth of anthropogenic activities the days of the winter season have been considerably reduced while the summer days have got extended. The incidence of such factors has reduced the effect of the winter season while on the contrary the summer season has obtained a further impetus. Again the effect of the growth of manmade activities have led to such climatic changes that some regions are experiencing more amount of heat waves while other regions are getting considerably colder. The gaseous emissions from both the volcanic eruptions on the earth’s surface and as well as from large nature of human activities are also studied to affect changes in the oceanic temperatures causing it get much cooler than earlier. [2]; [3] Further studies conducted on the manmade factors which render an impact on the climatic temperatures of the region and the world shows that large number of activities like spread of industrialization, destruction of forests and arable lands and the insurgence of pollution have caused rapid changes in the climatic temperatures. Even research conducted shows that the large scale deforestation caused by humans has led to the undue cooling of the earth temperatures. It is because the destruction of forests has increased the reflectivity parameter of the earth’s surface, which in turn reflects the large amount of solar radiations to the outer atmosphere. This factor along with the increase in the amount of Carbon Dioxide emissions from industrial and natural sources all lead to rise in climatic temperatures. [4]; [5]. The factors which trigger the event of climatic change like the emission of greenhouse gases invites the debate for it falls both in the category of natural and manmade factors. Though totally natural factors like changes in the solar surface, alterations in the orbital movement of the earth and other such events like rise in volcanic activity and changes in ocean currents are considered the main contributors to climatic changes the world is now facing increased challenges from human factors. Continuous combustion of materials like wood, coal deposits and extraction and burning of petrol are also rendering increased threats to the natural environment by causing increase in the climatic temperatures. [6]; [7]; [8]. Contribution of Aerosols to Climatic Change: The large numbers of gaseous emissions from both manmade and natural factors like Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide and a host of other hydrocarbon elements in the atmosphere. The suspension of large number of reactive particles in the atmosphere leads to events like acid rains and annihilation of the ozone layer. Large amount of industrial activities with the growth of transportation systems are also contributing to the increase of chemical contents in the atmosphere leading to climatic changes. The suspension of large number of chemical substances and gases in the atmosphere has a number of myriad effects, which are both direct and indirect. Firstly these particles absorb and radiate a lot of solar radiations in the atmosphere, which becomes the potential reason for climatic cooling. Secondly the huge number of suspended particles in the atmosphere also account for the formation of large number of clouds, which owing to their density reflect the solar radiations causing further cooling of the earth’s climate. [9] Significance of Anthropogenic Factors in Causing Rise in Climatic Temperatures: Research conducted reflects that owing to human activities the climatic systems of the earth have undergone huge changes. Owing to the effect of these changes a large number of flora and fauna have got affected which has affected the ecological balance of the earth. Estimates made shows that around 90 percent of the reasons attributed to rise in climatic temperatures are due to human activities which in turn have had significant impacts in causing the water and ice bodies to change thus affecting the biodiversity. [10]. Quoting a further evidence to the rise of climatic temperatures owing to human factors it is found that such activities has led to the rise in the temperature of the ocean levels. Evidence suggests that along with the influx of solar radiations and geothermal disturbances the contribution of human activity has also led to changes in ocean temperatures. [11]. The significance of the relation of human activities in bringing about climatic change has earned a debating ground for the carbon policies taken by the government. These policies are mainly made targeting the industries, which emit carbon dioxide gas which has accounted for the rise of the controversy. [12]. Some more evidences and impacts collected from the effects of human made factors show that during the 1980s the impact of such factors had a negative impact on the ozone layer which in turn caused cooling of the stratospheric levels. The anthropogenic factors also led to the radiation of solar waves thus causing further cooling of the earth’s surface leading to loss of vegetation in certain areas. During the nineteenth century the growth of environmental pollution owing to human activities have risen the tropical temperatures and cooled the temperature of the north and middle latitudes. [13]; [14] Conclusion: The change in the climatic conditions pertaining to a particular region and also with regards to the global context is mainly measured along the rise and fall in climatic temperatures. This change in the climatic temperature renders specific impacts with respect to changing the ecological balance of the earth and also causes changes in the atmospheric contents. Rise and fall in the climatic temperatures is mainly attributed to the natural factors like occurrences of volcanic eruptions, changes in the orbital movement of the earth, tectonic changes and alterations in the ocean currents. These events are considered to release a lot of energy, which in turn impact the climatic conditions of the world. Further the volcanic eruptions throw into the atmosphere large volumes of carbon dioxide and other suspended particles, which both produce the greenhouse effect and also cause cooling of the upper layers of the atmosphere. The debate arises here owing to the emergence of anthropogenic factors, which also produces a lot of carbon dioxide and other particles causing the same events. Evidence collected along a number of periods show the changes in climatic temperatures owing to a rise in manmade pollution. Continuous use of fossil fuels like coal, wood and petrol produce huge amounts of carbon dioxide, which combined with natural factors, increase the climatic temperatures. References 1. Ahrens, C. (2008) Essentials of meteorology: an invitation to the atmosphere, New Delhi: Cengage Learning, 2008. 2. Solmon, S. 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