Climate Change — page 2 of 10

Climate Change terms

101. Atmospheric Radiation Infrared radiation (energy in the wavelength interval of 3- 80 micrometer) emitted by or being propagated through the atmosphere.
102. Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program (ARM) A multi-program, interagency program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) since 1989.
103. atmospheric temperature The temperature indicated by a thermometer exposed to the air in a place sheltered from direct solar radiation.
104. atmospheric turbulence High frequency velocity fluctuations that lead to turbulent transport of momentum, heat, mositure, and passive scalars, and often expressed in terms of…
105. atmospheric window A region of the electromagnetic spectrum, from 8 to 12 micrometers, where the atmosphere is transparent to radiation.
106. Atomic weight The average weight (or mass) of all the isotopes of an element, as determined from the proportions in which they are present in a given element, compared…
107. Atoms The smallest unit of matter that possesses chemical properties. All atoms have the same basic structure: a nucleus containing positively charged protons…
108. Aurora A display of colored light in the atmosphere, caused by collisions between charged particles from a planet’s magnetosphere and atmospheric gases near…
109. Average value Average value Arithmetic mean (m) of a number (n) of values (x1, x2, ... xn), defined by the equation: m = Sxi/n.
110. Aviation gasoline All special grades of gasoline for use in aviation reciprocating engines, as given in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specification…
111. Azimuth Angle The direction or bearing toward which a sloping surface faces (e.g., a north-facing slope has an azimuth angle of 360°; a northeast-facing slope, an…
112. backscatter depolarization ratio The ratio of cross polarized to co-polarized elastic backscatter.
113. backscattered radiation The scattering of radiant energy into the hemisphere of space bounded by a plane normal to the direction of the incident radiation and lying on the same…
114. Bacteria (bak-TEER-ee-uh) A large group of single-cell microorganisms. Some cause infections and disease in animals and humans.
115. Barograph A barometer that records its observations continuously.
116. Barometer An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure.
117. Barometric Pressure The pressure of the atmosphere as indicated by a barometer.
118. Barrel A volumetric unit of measure for crude oil and petroleum products equivalent to 42 U.S. gallons.
119. Baseline Change Request (BCR) (BCR) A web-based tool that is used to discuss, review, and approve an "engineered product" or other changes to infrastructure components as it is turned over…
120. Baseline Emissions The emissions that would occur without policy intervention (in a business-as-usual scenario).
121. Basic solution Water solution with more hydroxide ions (OH-) than hydrogen ions (H+); water solutions with pH greater than 7. See acid solution, alkalinity.
122. Beaufort Scale The Beaufort wind scale is a system used to estimate and report wind speeds when no measuring apparatus is available.
123. benthic foraminifera single-celled animals that live near the sediment water interface and have calcium carbonate skeletons.
124. Berlin Mandate A ruling negotiated at the first Conference of the Parties (COP 1), which took place in March, 1995, concluding that the present commitments under the…
125. Biodegradable Capable of being biodegraded.
126. Biofuel A gaseous, liquid or solid fuel derived from a biological source, e.g. ethanol, rapeseed oil or fish liver oil.
127. Biogeochemical Cycle Movements through the Earth system of key chemical constituents essential to life, such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus.
128. Biological oxygen demand (Abbreviation: BOD). The dissolved oxygen required for the respiration of a population of aerobic organisms present in water.
129. Biomass The aggregate amount of living matter or a specific species within a specific habitat, or the total number of a specific species in a specific habitat.
130. Biomass energy Energy produced by the conversion of biomass directly to heat or to a liquid or gas that can be converted to energy.
131. Biosphere The part of the earth and its atmosphere that is inhabited by living organisms.
132. Biotic Pertaining to life or living organisms.
133. bipolar see-saw the occurrence of warm temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere while temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere are colder-than-average, or vice versa.
134. Bitumen Gooey, black, high-sulfur, heavy oil extracted from tar sand and then upgraded to synthetic fuel oil. See tar sand.
135. Bituminous coal A dense, black, soft coal, often with well-defined bands of bright and dull material.
136. Black Body A hypothetical object that absorbs all of the radiation that strikes it; also emits radiation at a maximum rate for its given temperature.
137. Black Carbon Operationally defined species based on measurement of light absorption and chemical reactivity and/or thermal stability; consists of soot, charcoal…
138. black carbon concentration The concentration of carbon in its very absorbing, elemental, non-organic, non-oxide form (e.g. graphite).
139. Blizzard (abbrev. BLZD)- A blizzard means that the following conditions are expected to prevail for a period of 3 hours or longer: Sustained wind or frequent gusts…
140. BOD5 The amount of dissolved oxygen consumed in five days by biological processes breaking down organic matter. See biochemical oxygen demand.
141. Boreal Living in and adapted for living in the extreme northern areas of the world. This area is located just below tundra conditions.
142. Borehole Any exploratory hole drilled into the Earth or ice to gather geophysical data. Climate researchers often take ice core samples, a type of borehole, to…
143. Boundary Layer In general, a layer of air adjacent to a bounding surface. Specifically, the term most often refers to the planetary boundary layer, which is the layer…
144. Bowen Ratio For any moist surface, the ratio of heat energy used for sensible heating (conduction and convection) to the heat energy used for latent heating…
145. Boyle's law When the temperature is held constant, the pressure and density of an ideal gas are directly proportional.
146. British thermal unit The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree of Fahrenheit at or near 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
147. Bunker fuel Fuel supplied to ships and aircraft for international transportation, irrespective of the flag of the carrier, consisting primarily of residual and…
148. Buoy weather station Buoy weather station A buoy, either fixed or floating, which carries instruments for sensing various meteorological elements and for transmitting the data…
149. Bus A parallel circuit that connects the major components of a computer, allowing the transfer of electric impulses from one connected component to any other.
150. Calcite Light-colored mineral composed of calcium carbonate that often fills veins in igneous rocks and forms the sedimentary rock limestone.
151. calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) A molecule consisting of calcium, carbon and oxygen that is secreted by corals, mollusks (clams, oysters, etc), foraminifera and other organisms to form a…
152. calving separating or breaking so that a part becomes detached, as in icebergs separating from ice sheets.
153. Capping Inversion Alternate term for Cap; a layer of relatively warm air aloft, usually several thousand feet above the ground, which suppresses or delays the development…
154. Carbon black An amorphous form of carbon, produced commercially by thermal or oxidative decomposition of hydrocarbons and used principally in rubber goods, pigments…
155. Carbon Cycle All parts (reservoirs) and fluxes of carbon. The cycle is usually thought of as four main reservoirs of carbon interconnected by pathways of exchange.
156. Carbon Dioxide (KAR-bun dy-OK-side) A colorless, odorless gas. It is a waste product made by the body.
157. carbon dioxide concentration The amount of carbon dioxide, a heavy, colorless greenhouse gas, per unit of volume.
158. Carbon Dioxide Equivalent A metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP).
159. Carbon Dioxide Fertilization The enhancement of the growth of plants as a result of increased atmospheric CO2 concentration.
160. carbon dioxide flux The rate of flow for carbon dioxide, a heavy, colorless greenhouse gas.
161. Carbon Equivalent A metric measure used to compare the emissions of different greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP).
162. Carbon Intensity The amount of carbon by weight emitted per unit of energy consumed. A common measure of carbon intensity is weight of carbon per British thermal unit…
163. Carbon pool The reservoir containing carbon as a principal element in the geochemical cycle.
164. Carbon Sequestration The absorption and storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Naturally-occurring in plants.
165. Carbon sinks Carbon reservoirs and conditions that take-in and store more carbon (i.e., carbon sequestration) than they release.
166. Carbon tetrachloride A compound consisting of one carbon atom and four chlorine atoms. It is an ozone depleting substance.
167. Ceilometer A device using a laser or other light source to determine the height of a cloud base.
168. centrifugal force A force directed outward, away from the center of a rotating object; equal in magnitude to the centripetal force but in the opposite direction.
169. centripetal force An inward-directed force that confines an object to a circular path and is equal in magnitude to the centrifugal force but in the opposite direction.
170. chaotic impossible to predict.
171. Charles' law With constant pressure, the temperature of an ideal gas is inversely proportional to the density of the gas.
172. Chemical reaction Interaction between chemicals in which there is a change in the chemical composition of the elements or compounds involved.
173. Chinook This is a region-specific term used for Foehn Winds in the lee of the Rocky Mountains in the United States; Foehn Winds are warm, dry winds that occur in…
174. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - Manufactured substances used as coolants and computer-chip cleaners. When these products break down they destroy stratospheric ozone, creating…
175. chronology a general term for the age-depth relationship in ice, sediment, or another deposit.
176. Circumpolar vortex Circumpolar vortex The large-scale cyclonic circulation in the middle and upper troposphere centered generally in the polar region.
177. Cirrocumulus A cirriform cloud characterized by thin, white patches, each of which is composed of very small granules or ripples.
178. Cirrostratus A cloud of a class characterized by a composition of ice crystals and often by the production of halo phenomena and appearing as a whitish and usually…
179. Cirrus (abbrev. CI) High-level clouds (16,000 feet or higher), composed of ice crystals and appearing in the form of white, delicate filaments or white or mostly…
180. Clear_sky Clear sky Sky with a total cloud cover of less than one okta (or one-tenth in the United States).
181. Climate The prevailing or average weather conditions of a geographic region.
182. Climate Change A term used to describe short and long-term affects on the Earth's climate as a result of human activities such as fossil fuel combustion and vegetation…
183. Climate Feedback An interaction mechanism between processes in the climate system is called a climate feedback, when the result of an initial process triggers changes in a…
184. Climate Lag The delay that occurs in climate change as a result of some factor that changes only very slowly.
185. Climate Model Mathematical model for quantitatively describing, simulating, and analyzing the interactions between the atmosphere and underlying surface (e.g.
186. Climate modeling The simulation of the climate using computer-based models. See climate model, General Circulation Model.
187. Climate Sensitivity In IPCC Reports, equilibrium climate sensitivity refers to the equilibrium change in global mean surface temperature following a doubling of the…
188. Climate System (or Earth System) The five physical components (atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere) that are responsible for the climate and its variations.
189. Climate variability Climate (climatic) variability 1)In the most general sense, the term "climate variability" denotes the inherent characteristic of climate which manifests…
190. Climatological atlas Climatological atlas Atlas composed mainly of climatological charts. It represents especially the monthly and annual distributions of the principal…
191. Climatology The science that deals with the phenomena of climates or climatic conditions.
192. Cloud A claim to the title of a property that, if valid, would prevent a purchaser from obtaining a clear title.
193. Cloud amount Cloud amount (cover) That portion of the sky cover which is attributed to clouds.
194. cloud base The lowest portion of a cloud.
195. cloud base height For a given cloud or cloud layer, the lowest level of the atmosphere where cloud properties are detectable.
196. cloud condensation nucleus A particle, either liquid or solid, upon which water condenses to form cloud droplets.
197. cloud cover The amount of the sky obscured by clouds when observed at a particular location.
198. cloud deck The top of a cloud layer, usually viewed from an aircraft.
199. cloud fraction Fraction of sky covered by clouds, observed directly or derived from SW irradiance.
200. cloud ice water The concentration (mass/vol) of ice water particles in a cloud.