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This assignment is meant to be completed after completing Chapter Two in Global Climate Change by Arnold Bloom.
I have attached a PDF document with graphs of the real data used in climate studies. For this week assignment, I want you to use the Greenland NGRIP graph on page 3. You may have to print it out to get the best resolution. I am sorry I couldnt make it bigger for you. The top graph show the data. The bottom line graph shows the relationship between temperature and isotope values and will be needed to answer one of the questions. The image of greenland shows you the location of the NGRIP ice cores. Remember this is glacier ice up north. Antarctic ice cores go back even further.
Using the graphs on that page, answer the following questions. Submit your answers as a Word document.
1.What is this graph measuring?
2.Explain how this is related to temperature?
3.How would you describe the overall pattern of temperature change? As scientists, we have to pick out patterns and trends from the data. Remember this and look at the patterns and time scales on the other graphs. Changing the time scale can change the patterns detected.
4.Would you say that rapid climate change was unusual during this period? Explain.
5.Which was most common: a rapid rise in temperature or a rapid fall in temperature?
6.How many major shifts in climate occurred over the last 60,000 years?
7.What is the difference in δ18Ο between the warmest period during this interval and the coldest period?
8.Using the graph provided, estimate the change in temperature this represents
9.Estimate the change in temperature over the interval between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago?
10.What was the average rate of change per decade over this interval?
11.How does this compare to the rate of change in temperature over the last 50 years?
12.Are all the cycles you observe in this data of the same length?
13.Is there a clear pattern to the cycles you see?
View/Download Attached File: Module Kitchen Graphs[1].pdf
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1 Comment
Add CommentTricia Mynster (Author) wrote:
Even amongst more advanced students, the graphs prove to be tricky. The heavy oxygen isotope is understood, but rarely enough to explain back in an assignment with clarity and full accuracy. The assignment did work in a socratic way to allow students to have their own a-ha moment in realizing that our current rate of change in temperature is abnormally high.