Climate Change terms starting with G

36 terms

  1. Gasohol A registered trademark of an agency of the state of Nebraska, for an automotive fuel containing a blend of 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline.
  2. gastropod a member of the class of mollusks that includes snails.
  3. Gauge An instrument, usually mounted on the dashboard, used to monitor engine conditions such as fuel pressure, oil pressure and temperature, water pressure and…
  4. General Aviation That portion of civil aviation, which encompasses all facets of aviation except air carriers.
  5. General Circulation The totality of large-scale organized motion for the entire global atmosphere.
  6. General Circulation Model General circulation model (GCM) Numerical representation of the atmosphere and its phenomena over the entire Earth, using the equations of motion and…
  7. General Circulation Model (GCM) A global, three-dimensional computer model of the climate system which can be used to simulate human-induced climate change.
  8. General Circulation Models (GCMs) - These computer simulations reproduce the Earth's weather patterns and can be used to predict change in the weather and climate.
  9. general measurement strategy An approach to collecting useful information to help the Science Team fulfill the project mission.
  10. geophysical focus areas Six identified focus areas for ARM's data collection and research activities. These focus areas are shortwave radiation, longwave radiation, clouds…
  11. Geopotential Height The height above sea level of a pressure level. For example, if a station reports that the 500 mb height at its location is 5600 m, it means that the…
  12. Geosphere The soils, sediments, and rock layers of the Earth's crust, both continental and beneath the ocean floors.
  13. geostraphic wind A theoretical horizontal wind blowing in a straight path, parallel to the isobars or contours, at a constant speed.
  14. Geostrophic Wind A wind that is affected by coriolis force, blows parallel to isobars and whose strength is related to the pressure gradient (i.e., spacing of the isobars).
  15. Geothermal energy Energy produced by the internal heat of the earth; geothermal heat sources include: hydrothermal convective systems; pressurized water reservoirs; hot dry…
  16. GISP2 Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2, the second phase of an effort by a group of scientists to produce long records of climate by drilling at the summit of the…
  17. glacial a time interval characterized by widespread glacial ice, see also "Ice Age".
  18. Glacier Bodies of land ice that consist of recrystallized snow accumulated on the surface of the ground, and that move slowly downslope.
  19. Glaze Ice formed by freezing precipitation covering the ground or exposed objects.
  20. Global Observing System Global Observing System (GOS) Global network of observational stations which is the coordinated system of methods, techniques and facilities for making…
  21. Global Positioning System (GPS) A navigation system which uses a constellation of artificial earth satellites to make precise determinations of the latitude and longitude of locations on…
  22. Global Telecommunication System Global Telecommunication System (GTS) The coordinated global system of telecommunication facilities and arrangements for the rapid collection, exchange…
  23. Global Warming A popular term used to describe the increase in average global temperatures due to the greenhouse effect.
  24. Global Warming Potential (GWP) Global Warming Potential (GWP) is defined as the cumulative radiative forcing effects of a gas over a specified time horizon resulting from the emission…
  25. Gradient General slope or rate of change in vertical elevation per unit of horizontal distance of water surface of a flowing stream.
  26. Gradient wind Gradient wind The same as geostrophic wind, but blowing parallel to curved isobars or contours.
  27. Grassland Terrestrial ecosystem (biome) found in regions where moderate annual average precipitation (25 to 76 centimeters or 10 to 30 inches) is enough to support…
  28. Graupel Same as snow pellets or small hail.
  29. Gravity Wave A wave created by the action of gravity on density variations in the stratified atmosphere.
  30. Greenhouse Effect A popular term used to describe the heating effect due to the trapping of long wave (length) radiation by greenhouse gases produced from natural and human…
  31. Greenhouse Gas Some greenhouse gases, which contribute to the greenhouse effect, occur naturally in the atmosphere while others result from human activities such as the…
  32. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include, but are not limited to, water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane…
  33. Greenhouse Gases Those gases, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, tropospheric ozone, methane, and low level ozone that are transparent to solar radiation, but opaque to…
  34. Greenland High Greenland High The anticyclone that appears to overlie Greenland; analogous to the Antarctic anticyclone.
  35. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) Same as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC); the international time standard kept at Greenwich, England.
  36. Grid A common term referring to an electricity transmission and distribution system.