Water Resource Sustainability and Climate Change - Assignment Example

Module: Human related emissions in the USA The gases CO2, CH4 and NO2 are generally members of a wider class of gases called greenhouse gases which are known to absorb and emit radiation present within the atmosphere. Until the year 2006, USA was the largest emitter of CH4, CO2 and NO2 but it was overtaken by China. From the year 1990-2012, the production of CO2 through human related activities increased by 0.3%. USA produced about 11% of the total global gases in 2011. The value for CO2 emissions from human related activities such as gaseous fuel consumption in United States was 1,238,276 in the year 2009. As shown below between the year 1960-2009 its quantity was maximum (1,274,965) in 2000 and a minimum (630,541) in 1960. Figure 1:CO2 production in the USA Nitrous oxide emissions are mainly from burning of agricultural biomass, industrial activities, and livestock waste. Below is the emission of Nitrous between 1990 and 2010. The emission reached maximum in 2000 and decreased gradually towards 2010. Figure 2:NO2 production in the USA The human related activities that cause emission of CH4 gases include: emissions from animals waste, rice production in rice growing areas, burning of agricultural waste and burning of grassy areas. Figure 3:CH4 production in the USA USA ranks second among the largest producers of these gases as a result of human related activities. The country with the highest value in the world is China, with a value of 589,862.10. In the graph below, the emission of CO2 in comparison to the rest of the world between the year 1960 and 2009. Figure 4: USA CO2 emissions in comparison to the rest of the world The country with the highest value in the world is China, with a value of 550,296.80. The country with the lowest value in the world is Malta, with a value of 60.90. Figure 5: USA NO2 emissions in comparison to the rest of the world The country with the highest value in the emission of CH4 in the world is China, with a value of 550,296.80. The country with the lowest value in the world is Malta, with a value of 60.90. Figure 4: USA CH4 emissions in comparison to the rest of the world 2. Across the six socioeconomic pathways present within the general ecosystem, there would be a great reduction on the impact caused by these gases if a single technological approach was taken. Unlike currently when we lack a common policy on emission of these gases, if a common policy for the implementation of a single technological approach was taken, this would cause a drop in the amount of gases released to the atmosphere and hence reduction of the effects of climate change. 3. We predict the mean sea level for the following areas: We use the equation as our reference 4. To obtain the shoreline recession 5. Summary for Philadelphia, Atlantic City and Sandy Hook Figure 3: graphical plots for Philadelphia Figure 3: graphical plots for Atlantic City Figure 3: graphical plots for Sandy Hook From the plots above we can note the following: Table 1: The general data on Philadelphia Location Philadelphia mean sea level monthly Annual sea level 1920-1990 Metadata ID 135 Location 39.933333’ N ,75.141667’W Metric data 1900-2013 Table 2: The general data on Atlantic City Location Atlantic City mean sea level monthly Annual sea level 1920-1990 Metadata ID 136 Location 39. 36340’ N ,74.43911’W Metric data 1930-2013 Table 3: The data on sandy hook Location Sandy Hook mean sea level monthly Annual sea level 1920-1990 Metadata ID 137 Location 40.45277’ N ,73.9952’W Metric data 1920-2013 For the purpose of consistency, the time series period was modified to be between 1920-1990 and the codes provided were run. The results generated were as shown in the plots above. The extreme values were well represented on the GPD plot and it is evident that the level of the mean sea level has had a consistent progress across the years; however from the monthly data available, we note that there are some extreme cases when the sea level rises and this is shown in the plots. The plots for the three locations are almost similar and this can be attributed to the fact that the three areas are located around the same geographical zone hence the almost similar attributes. 6. The prospects of cyclic and non cyclic climate change in the near and long term Generally, the gradual climate change causes a likelihood of cyclic and non cyclic climate changes. These include: a) Possibility of the rise in sea level: Climate change is likely to cause an increase in the sea levels after the quantities of the sea water increases. This may result from the melting of the Antarctic glaciers. b) Increase in the global temperatures: The release of greenhouse gases is likely to trigger an increase in the global temperatures. c) The natural habitat and wildlife is likely to be at risk: an example would be the polar bear of the Antarctic Circle who would be deprived of their habitat as a result of the melting ice. d) There is a likelihood of an increased risk of drought and floods: The gradual increase in the global temperature and the rise in the water levels is likely to trigger flooding in coastal areas and the areas and other areas further away become much drier. e) There is also the possibibility of having storms with much greater strength and tsunamis within the oceans. These are likely to cause much more damage and hence greater losses. 7. Information regarding future predictions and impact assessment can be effectively incorporated into water resources planning in the following ways: a) Policy planning and management: This can be applied in public works policies and planning. In many cases, public institutions do not have policies that are meant to handles disasters. This information can be used to create policies that aid in management that are long term. b) Research and development: In the near term, response efforts should be directed at education, assessment and research together with the development of mitigation and adaptation strategies. These will help in strategizing on the best ways to develop the available water resources. c) Assessment and measurement: This helps to determine the critical thresholds for individual components of water resources. With this kind of knowledge in mind, the planning for water resources becomes more applicable and efficient. d) Adaptation to change: centralized policies emphasizing a systems approach that transcends agency mission boundaries. The planning should be long term and should not be bound by any agency policies or time. e) Education: creating awareness to the general public on the importance of water resources protection and conservation and the best ways to handle disasters related to water resources is also very important. 8. How can water systems be used to help mitigate the production of greenhouse gases a) Increased use of alternative water related power sources: This includes the development and use of innovative hydropower sources such as low head tidal power and increased use of pumped storage capabilities. b) Increased efficiency and conservation in water resources activities: It is promoted through hydropower generation, application of petroleum industry extraction techniques in order to extend the ground water development and the examination of wastewater treatment methodologies that minimize methane and carbon(iv)oxide production. 9. The role played by Antarctica in global climate There are two crucial roles played by the Antarctic region in relation to the climate system of the entire globe. This includes the global heat balance and the balancing of the atmospheric moisture and the water. Below we discuss each role in details. 1. Balancing the global heat Within the earth’s domain in the southern hemisphere about 400s, the net radiative heat loss to the space must be compensated by transport from the net gains regions up in the north. This kind of transport will be both oceanic and atmospheric. About ¾ of the entire transport is normally provided for by both the atmosphere and the edge of the Antarctic continent. The ocean heat which is carried into the Antarctic region is released as a flux into the atmosphere. The ice contained in the sea plays a huge role in the exchange of heat between the atmosphere and the ocean through what is usually referred to as the annual cycle. The ice through its own dynamics transports is able to transport ice from the southern regions where freezing is occurring to the northern regions where melting is the main thermodynamic activity. The result in this scenario is vertical net fluxes to the atmosphere and a net latent heat transport will be generated and directed to the south. Of a total of about 60 Wm2 net annual heat loss through the top of the atmosphere over the domain of the sea ice about 15 Wm2 comes from the net heat flux from the ocean surface and about 5 Wm2 from the net sea ice transport. For the atmospheric heat transport the synoptic scale eddies play a dominant role. The rotation of the earth and the temperature gradient created between the north and south causes the mid latitudes winds to change direction thus becoming westerlies. This makes it very hard to obtain much of the heat flux in the north south corridor. There is also a meridional heat flux that results from combined stationary and transient waves. The mean tropospheric winds have a maximum in the westerlies around the 450S mark. Towards the north of this region, there are anticyclonic eddies are very dominant while in the southern regions of the midlatitudes the cyclonic eddies dominate the latitude band around the Antarctic maximum sea ice zone represents the most concentrated domain of cyclonic systems on the globe.  There is a general extension of the through part of the troposphere and this is able to provide a dominant part of transport of meridional heat which is achieved through movement of air. Once these phenomenons reach the Antarctic region, the steep nature of its orography causes a lot of changer and derails much of the air flow in the lower troposphere. This results in the eddies being a major player in the areas around the coast but their effect is very minimal in the regions interior of the continent. 2. Balancing the atmospheric moisture and the water In areas about 450S in the earth’s surface, there is a characteristic net positive balance of the atmospheric precipitation over evaporation. However this is not lost but it is compensated for by the flow of the ice Antarctic ice sheet with some basal melting and calving of icebergs at the margins. Looking at the oceanic transport, it is worth noting that part of it is accomplished by horizontal circulation that occurs in at the ocean surface. Fresher water is then transported to regions found in the lower latitudes and the ocean is directed to flow in the north by large gyres. The Ekman drift plays an important role in the northward surface transport of oceanic water. There is also mixing that results from ocean eddies and this makes sure that a mean diffusion that is effective is provided and the final result is a meridional northward net flux of fresh water. Antarctic region plays an important role in the vertical thermohaline circulation. This results in saltier water being brought to the Antarctic Ocean from the northern ocean basins including the Atlantic. As this water circulates around the Antarctic continent and flows over the continental shelf, fresher water caps it. The sea ice in the continental shelf may freeze and result in an increase in density of the surface water which then causes a circumpolar mixing in the deeper and more salty waters. The bottom water spread over the entire Antarctic region in the deep layers and mixes towards the northern direction causing replenishment in other ocean basins. On the ocean surface, there is a large quantity of ice that melts and this adds to the positive PE and ice flux from the Antarctic to produce the fresh upper ocean water mass which spreads around the Antarctic ocean and drifts northwards to the Antarctic convergence where it sinks below the warmer saltier water from the other ocean basins drifting south. References Bruun, P. Sea-level rise as a cause of shore erosion, Journal of Waterways and Harbors Division, American Society of Civil Engineers, pg., 117-130. 1962. Church, J. A. & White, N. J. Sea-level rise from the late 19th to the early 21st century Surveying Geophysics. Pg. 585–602. 2011. Pugh, D.T. Tides, surges and mean sea-level: A handbook for engineers and scientists. Wiley, Chichester, pg. 472. 1987 Pugh, D.T. 2004. Changing sea levels. Effects of tides, weather and climate. Cambridge University Press, 280pp. Church, J.A., Woodworth, P.L., Aarup, T. and Wilson, Understanding Sea-level Rise and Variability Wiley-Blackwell, London. Pg. 428. 2010 Read More