10 questions about global warming and its consequences
Forming / / December 19, 2019
Layfhaker understand why summer in Russia is getting colder, and world news are increasingly reminiscent of footage from the film "The Day After Tomorrow."
What is global warming?
This increase in the average temperature on Earth, which is fixed to the end of the XIX century. Over land and ocean from the beginning of the XX century it has risen by an average of 0.8 degrees.
Scientists believe that by the end of the XXI century, temperatures could rise by an average of 2 degrees (negative outlook - 4 degrees).
But raising quite small, do it on something influences?
All the climate changes that we currently feel - the effects of global warming. That's what happened in the world over the past century.
- On all continents, has more hot days and fewer cold.
- Global sea level rose by 14 centimeters. Glaciers are shrinking, they melt, desalted water, changing the movement of ocean currents.
- Due to the fact that the temperature rose, the atmosphere is beginning to hold more moisture. This has led to more frequent and severe storms, especially in North America and Europe.
- In some regions of the world (the Mediterranean, West Africa) become more droughts in others (the US Midwest, north-west Australia) them, on the contrary, has become smaller.
What was the cause of global warming?
Additional delivery of greenhouse gases as methane, carbon dioxide, water vapor, ozone. They absorb long wavelengths of infrared radiation, not letting them into space. Because of this, it formed the greenhouse effect on Earth.
Global warming has triggered the rapid development of industry. The more emissions from businesses, the more active there is a deforestation (as they absorb carbon dioxide), the more greenhouse gases accumulate. And the stronger the Earth is warming.
What does all this lead?
Scientists predict that continued global warming could intensify destructive for people processes to provoke droughts, floods, lightning spread of dangerous diseases.
- Due to the rise in sea level, many settlements, located in the coastal zone will be flooded.
- Consequences of the storms will become more global.
- The rainy season will be more prolonged, leading to more flooding.
- Increase duration and periods of drought that threatens powerful droughts.
- Tropical cyclones will become stronger: the wind speed is higher rainfall - abundant.
- The combination of high temperature and drought make it difficult growing certain crops.
- Many species will migrate to preserve usual habitat. Some of them may disappear altogether. For example, ocean acidification, which absorbs carbon dioxide (it is released during the combustion of fossil fuels), kills the oysters and coral reefs, impairs the conditions of predators.
Hurricanes "Harvey" and "Irma" is also triggered by global warming?
According to one version, in the formation of destructive hurricanes guilty warming in the Arctic. It has created an atmospheric "blockade" - slow circulation of jet streams in the atmosphere. Because of this, they form a powerful "low-mobility" of the storm, which absorbed a tremendous amount of moisture. But sufficient evidence of this theory yet.
Many climatologists are based on the Clapeyron - Clausius, in which the atmosphere more high temperature contains more moisture, but because there are conditions for the formation of more powerful storms. The water temperature in the ocean where formed "Harvey" by about 1 degree higher than the average values.
The atmosphere contained 3-5% more moisture. This led to the loss of a record rainfall.
Roughly the same pattern has been formed and the hurricane "Irma". The process began in the warm waters off the coast of West Africa. For 30 hours prior to the third intensified element categories (and then to the highest, fifth). Such a rate of formation of meteorologists recorded the first time in two decades.
Are we waiting for what was described in the movie "The Day After Tomorrow"?
Scientists believe that these storms could become the norm. However, instantaneous global cooling, as in the movie, climatologists have not yet predict.
First place in the top five major global risks for 2017, announced at the World Economic Forum, has taken extreme weather events. 90% of the most severe economic losses in the world today accounts for floods, hurricanes, floods, heavy rains, hail, drought.
Okay, but why, when global warming this summer in Russia was so cold?
One does not interfere. Scientists have developed a model that explains it.
Global warming has led to an increase in temperature in the area of the Arctic Ocean. Ice began to melt actively changed circulation of air flows, and with them have changed and seasonal ambient pressure distribution scheme.
Earlier, the weather in Europe, made with seasonal Arctic Oscillation Azores High (high pressure area) and the Icelandic Low. Between these two areas formed the west wind, which brought the warm air from the Atlantic.
But due to the temperature increase, the pressure difference between the Azores maximum and minimum Icelandic reduced. Air masses are increasingly began to move not from west to east, and along the meridians. Arctic air can penetrate deep into the south and bringing cold.
Whether to residents of Russian packing suitcase disturbing similarity to the case of "Harvey"?
If you wish, why not. Who warned, he is armed. This summer in many cities of Russia recorded hurricanes, such that the strength was not the last 100 years.
According to Roshydromet in 1990-2000 in our country recorded a 150-200 hydrometeorological hazards that damage. Today their number exceeds 400, and the consequences are more devastating.
Global warming is manifested not only in the change of climate. For several years, scientists of the Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics of A. BUT. Trofimuk warning the danger to the towns and villages in the north of Russia.
There was a large hopper, from which the explosive emission of methane may occur.
Previously, these funnels were Pingo: underground "storage" of ice. But they melted due to global warming. Void filled with gas hydrates, the issue of which is similar to an explosion.
Further increase in temperature can aggravate the process. A particular danger it presents to Yamal and located close thereto cities Nadym Salekhard, New Urengoja.
Is it possible to stop global warming?
Yes, if you completely overhaul the energy system. Today about 87% of the global energy gives fossil fuel (oil, coal, natural gas).
To reduce the amount of emissions, it is necessary to use low-carbon energy sources: wind, solar, geothermal processes (occurring in the bowels of the earth).
Another way - develop carbon capture, when carbon dioxide is removed from the emissions from power plants, refineries and other companies and is pumped into the ground.
What prevents to do it?
To do this, there are a number of reasons: political (defense of the interests of certain companies), technology (alternative energy is considered too expensive), and others.
The most active "producers" of greenhouse gases are China, US, EU, India, Russia.
If emissions still be able to significantly reduce, there is a chance to stop global warming at around 1 degree.
But if no changes will be, the average temperature could rise by 4 degrees or more. In this case, the consequences will be irreversible and disastrous for humanity.