Meteorology 1020

Met1020 - Internet Assignment Internet Assignment 2

The Internet Companion provides access to many different types of information. Some relate directly to concepts and issues developed in the accompanying text while others allow the user to explore additional subjects in greater depth.

This short exercise is intended to familiarize you with the Internet Companion in the context of issues raised in Chapter 1 of the text.

Enter your response to each question in the blanks provided. The cursor has to be in the box in order to enter a response. Be sure to fill out all of the fields.
Then click submit when you are finished to hand in your answers.

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The Concentration of Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere

The Mauna Loa record of carbon dioxide concentration begun by C. David Keeling of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography plays a prominent role in this course. Since 1974, the NOAA Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory has extended this record in combination with observations at three other sites: Barrow, Alaska, Tutuila, American Samoa, and the South Pole.

Go to the html page of the NOAA Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory and browse around familiarizing yourself with how carbon dioxide is measured routinely in the atmosphere. Be sure to check out the page with the figures (use the GIF files NOT the Postscript files). Answer the following:

  • Where is the nearest (to Salt Lake City) cooperative station measuring carbon dioxide?
  • From the continuous measurements of carbon dioxide at the four stations, why is the seasonal variation of carbon dixoide greater in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere? (Hint: if you get lost, view the figure in Section 1 of Chapter 1.)
  • What has been the typical growth rate in carbon dioxide in (ppm/yr) in the past decade?

    Exploring Other Subjects at Depth
    Select one of the items from the Other Interesting Sites list and summarize briefly the information on climate change contained in that resource.

    Due Date February 11, 2000
    Click to hand in your answers.