Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Does the climate sensitivity to a depend on solar luminosity? If yes,
in what way?
Does the climate sensitivity to a depend on a itself? If yes, in what
way?
(c) Calculate the change in surface temperature due to a change in the
planetary albedo from 0.31(today's value) to 0.25, according to this
simple climate model.
(d) According to this climate model, what percent change in the solar
constant would be required to cause an increase of 3 K in the
surface air temperature?
(e) Would the climate model discussed in this problem be useful
for understanding how the observed changes in greenhouse gas
concentrations in the atmosphere may change climate? Why or why
not?
12.2. Two insulated coolers with their tops off have been left in the middle of
the Sahara Desert all day. The coolers measure 0.5 m 1 m on top, and
they are 0.5 m high. One cooler is filled with dry sand, and the other is
filled with water. The content of each cooler has reached an isothermal
temperature of 300 K.
(a) Use a time-dependent surface energy balance model to estimate
how long will it take the contents of each insulated cooler to reach
a temperature of 290 K after the sun sets. (Make assumptions as
needed, and use the figures of
chapter 2.
)
(b) Which terms in the surface heat balance are the most important for
this case?
(c) What is the poorest assumption you made?
(d) Relate your results to the concept of “continentality.”
(e) How would the problem be different if the coolers were located in
Chicago instead of the Sahara Desert?
