Survey of Oceanography
Homework Set 1
Due 2 February 2004

Late homework will cost 15 points per week or part of a week it is late.

The goal of this assignment is to learn more about the role of the oceans in climate and the CO₂ problem.

1. List at least six ocean-related problems facing society.
   
2. Please list at least three important greenhouse gasses.
   
• Which gas has the strongest influence over earth's climate?.
• Are any of the greenhouse gasses primarily produced by man? If any, please list.


3. How do greenhouse gasses keep earth's surface warmer than an earth without greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?
   
4. How much has CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere changed in the last 40 years?
   • Give your answer in parts per million, and as a percentage of the value in 1960.
   • Is the present value very unusual in the history of earth?
   
   
5. Feedback loops greatly modify global warming.
   • Give one example of a positive feedback loop. Does it increase or decrease global warming due to increase in greenhouse gases?
   • Give one example of a negative feedback loop. Does it increase or decrease global warming due to increase in greenhouse gases?
   
   
6. Give an example of a sampling problem appropriate to global warming and the role of the ocean in climate. See Chapter 2: Role of Observations in Oceanography of the online web book on physical oceanography (scroll down to the Box on Sampling Error.)
   • Where is the error the largest (geographical area)?
   • How can the sampling error be reduced?
   
   
7. How much has earth's temperature changed over the last 20,000 years?

Revised on: 5 September, 2004