Atmospheric System Feedbacks

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Climate Forcing Noun

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[kly-mit for-sing]

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Climate Forcing

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An external factor, such as solar output changes or greenhouse gas levels, that directly influences and drives climate change.

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Example: Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap heat that radiates from Earth, which 'forces' a change in the planet's energy balance and causes warming.

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Feedback Noun

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[feed-bak]

Back

Feedback

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A process within the Earth system that either amplifies or reduces the effects of an initial climate change event.

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Example: This diagram shows a positive feedback loop: rising temperatures melt reflective ice, revealing dark water that absorbs more heat, causing temperatures to rise even more.

Front

Reinforcing Feedback Noun

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[ree-in-for-sing feed-bak]

Back

Reinforcing Feedback

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A process that amplifies an initial change, causing a cascading effect that leads to an even greater overall change.

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Example: This diagram shows a reinforcing feedback loop where rising temperatures melt reflective ice, revealing dark water that absorbs more heat, further increasing temperatures.

Front

Counterbalancing Feedback Noun

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[kown-ter-bal-an-sing feed-bak]

Back

Counterbalancing Feedback

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A process that reduces or dampens an initial change, helping to stabilize a system and counteract the initial effect.

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Example: This diagram shows a loop where a corrective action reduces the gap between an actual level and a desired level, stabilizing the system.

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Albedo Noun

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[al-bee-doh]

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Albedo

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The measure of the proportion of light or radiation that is reflected by a surface without being absorbed.

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Example: This diagram shows albedo is a measure of how much sunlight a surface reflects, from dark, low-albedo asphalt to light, high-albedo white paint.

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Electromagnetic Radiation Noun

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[uh-lek-tro-mag-net-ik ray-dee-ay-shun]

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Electromagnetic Radiation

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A form of energy that travels in waves and includes visible light, ultraviolet, and infrared radiation from the sun.

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Example: The Sun sends energy to Earth in the form of waves, called electromagnetic radiation, which travels through the vacuum of space.

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Infrared Radiation Noun

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[in-fruh-red ray-dee-ay-shun]

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Infrared Radiation

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Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light, which is emitted by Earth's surface and often perceived as heat.

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Example: This thermal image shows the heat, or infrared radiation, being given off by a person's body. Warmer areas like the face and hand appear yellow, while cooler areas are purple.

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Greenhouse Gas Noun

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[green-hows gas]

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Greenhouse Gas

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An atmospheric gas, like carbon dioxide, that absorbs and emits infrared radiation, thereby trapping heat and warming the planet.

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Example: This diagram shows solar radiation from the sun entering the atmosphere, where greenhouse gases (like CO2 and CH4) trap heat, warming the Earth.

Front

Evaporation Noun

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[ih-vap-uh-rey-shun]

Back

Evaporation

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The process by which a substance in a liquid state changes to a gaseous state due to an increase in temperature.

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Example: This diagram shows that evaporation is a surface process where liquid turns to gas without bubbling, unlike boiling which happens throughout the liquid.

Front

Sublimation Noun

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[sub-li-may-shun]

Back

Sublimation

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The transition of a substance directly from a solid to a gas state, without passing through the intermediate liquid phase.

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Example: This diagram shows that sublimation is a process where a substance, like the solid ice cubes, turns directly into a gas without becoming a liquid first.