Free Essay On Geology

Global Temperature

Introduction
The world is experiencing increasing amounts of heat and temperature over the last few decades. This increase in the temperature is referred to as the global temperature. Global temperature is brought about by the concept of global warming. This global warming is refers to the gradual and considerable increase in the average temperature of the atmosphere of the earth, altering the climate of the earth. It is caused primarily by human factors including burning of fossil fuels, which release CFCs to the atmosphere. For this reason, this paper will identify the impact of the human activities on global temperature and relate the impact to the climatic trends and the implication of the global temperature in terms of its future and needed actions

Impact of Human Activities on Global Temperature

Human activities contribute to global temperature in the form of global warming in various ways. First, human activities engage in activities such as burning of fossil fuels and release of effluents from the heavy industrial activities in the form of smoke into the atmosphere. Most of these fossil fuels burned contain carbon compounds such as the chlorofluorocarbons that are released into the atmosphere when burnt. For this reason, they accumulate and form a layer on the ozone layer. Continued burning and release of these substances into the atmosphere increase the coat and layer around the ozone (Hansen & Lebedeff, 2008). For this reason, this layer accumulates huge amounts of heat from both the sun’s radiation and terrestrial radiation. Consequently, the heat is radiated back to the earth from the atmosphere in huge components and amounts. As such, this element is referred to as the global warming, which is the total amount of global temperature released from the atmosphere and influenced heavily by human activities.

Climatic Trends and Impacts of Global Warming

The world is experiencing changing climatic trends influenced by the increasing global warming and temperatures. The tropical moist climates are experiencing changes in the average temperatures and levels of precipitation where the average temperatures are approximately 20 degrees Celsius up from 18 degrees Celsius. The dry climates are experiencing more and more little precipitation with long periods of non-precipitation (Hansen & Lebedeff, 2008). The rates of transpiration and evaporation in these climates are rapidly exceeding the atmospheric output. On the other hand, the pronounced wet seasons in the tropical monsoon climates is gradually decreasing with increasing dry seasons. The average monthly temperatures in these climates are increasing from 22 degrees Celsius up from about 18 degrees Celsius. There are various consequences of global warming. First, there is an accelerating rise in the sea levels and an increase in the coastal flooding. The average global sea levels have increased gradually with increasing global warming and are accelerating much faster on the East Coast of USA and the Gulf of Mexico. Second, there are increasing longer and severe wildfire seasons (Strangeways, 2010). The increase in influenced by the drier and hotter summer seasons and temperatures, which are the priming conditions necessary for the wildfire to ignite rapidly and spread quickly. Other consequences include intense and frequent heat waves, widespread death of forests such as in the Rocky Mountains, increased extreme weather conditions and events, including the heat waves, severe droughts, and extreme events of precipitation.

The Impact of Greenhouse Gases on Global Temperature

The greenhouse gases, mostly carbon (IV) oxide, water vapor and methane play a significant role on global temperature. When the infrared radiation is transmitted into the atmosphere, these greenhouse gases absorb some of the radiation (Strangeways, 2010). The gases collect the heat energy and maintain or hold this energy in the atmosphere, delaying the passage of the heat back out of this atmosphere. With increased release of these gases into the atmosphere through increased industrial activities and burning of fossil fuels, the heat is held in the atmosphere for longer periods and in greater amounts increasing the global temperatures.

Impact of Rising Global Temperatures on the Seal Level, Flooding and Hurricanes

The increasing global temperatures are leading to an increase in the sea levels. The sea level is expected to experience a rise in seven and twenty-three inches with the increasing global temperatures by the later stages of the century. These sea levels are expected to rise partly because of the increasing rates of the continued melting at the Polar Regions, which could contribute to about four to eight inches of the sea levels. The rates of flooding will increase with the increasing global temperatures (United States, 2010). As the temperatures increase rapidly, the rate of rainfalls increases especially heavy downpours because of the increasing evapotranspiration into the atmosphere. For this reason, the increased rains and heavy downpours increase the risks of the flooding events. The hurricanes, as well as the other forms of storms, are expected to become stronger. The increasing global temperatures also increase other types of the extreme weather occurrences like the hurricanes. These hurricanes are expected to be more powerful and severe.
Thoughts on the Future of Global Warming and Needed Actions

References

Hansen, J., & Lebedeff, S. (2008). Global trends of measured surface air temperature. Journal of Geophysical Research. doi:10.1029/JD092iD11p13345
Strangeways, I. (2010). Measuring global temperatures: Their analysis and interpretation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
United States. (2010). Rising tides, rising temperatures: Global warming's impacts on the oceans : hearing before the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, House of Representatives, One Hundred Tenth Congress, second session, April 29, 2008. Washington: U.S. G.P.O.
Villemeur, E. B., & Leroux, J. (2010). Sharing the Cost of Global Warming.