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Climate Feedbacks

CLIMATE OF HOPE

ALDEN ADOLPH, ST. OLAF COLLEGE

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Hello! I am…

  • A snow scientist
  • An engineer
  • A professor
  • A partner and parent
  • A cat lover
  • A jogger and skier
  • An unabashed “Swiftie”

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The Plan

    • Studying Climate: Where we need to know more
    • Feedback Loops in the Climate System
    • Studying and Teaching Snow Albedo
    • Life as a Field Scientist

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Cook County Illinois Average Daily Maximum Temperature

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Modeling global climate is complex!

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Positive and Negative Feedbacks

  • …an explanation involving pie

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Positive Feedback

More people come to my house to eat pie

The pie is good and it is more fun with more people

People spread the word that the pie party is GREAT

I make more pies

This can go on forever….except

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My house may be small…

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And when baking too many pies, I have to cut some corners….

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Negative Feedback

A LOT of people are coming over to have pie

The pie is not great and it is crowded

People spread the word that the pie party is overrated

I bake some pies

Fewer people come over for pie. Negative feedback continues until we reach an equilibrium

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Climate Feedbacks

    • Water vapor and temperature
    • Methane and permafrost
    • Snow and ice albedo and temperature

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Temperature Rises

Atmosphere holds more water vapor

Water vapor is a GHG

More heat is trapped

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Temperature Rises

Arctic permafrost thaws

Methane (a GHG) is released

More heat is trapped

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Grass

0.2

Open ocean

0.06

Sea ice

0.6

Fresh snow

0.9

Forests

0.1-0.15

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Temperature Rises

Snow and ice melt

Darker, more absorbing surfaces exposed

More sunlight is absorbed by surfaces

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Climate Feedbacks

    • Water vapor and temperature
    • Methane and permafrost
    • Snow and ice albedo and temperature

Understanding and being able to model these feedbacks is critical for accurately predicting the effects of increased greenhouse gas emissions

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Snow albedo is affected by many factors!

  • Snow grain shape and size
  • Impurities in the snow
  • Lighting conditions
  • Surface roughness
  • Wetness

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Larger grains lead to lower albedo

LACHAPELLE, 1969, http://www.metafysica.nl/ontology/general_ontology_29m1aa.html

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Impurities in snow also reduce albedo

Black Carbon

Dust

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https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9336928

https://www.wilmaslawnandgarden.com/en_gb/service/blog/growing-plants-in-soil-substrate/

https://travelola.org/2012/07/16/dust-desert-uyuni-bolivia/

Organic Carbon

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Dust on Snow – April 11, 2019 in Northfield, MN

https://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/190410_190411_goes16_splitWindow_Central_US_blowing_dust_anim.gif

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Studying snow in Minnesota!

Measuring snow albedo

Measuring

snow depth

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Measuring

grain size

Measuring

snow density

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Collecting snow samples for impurity analysis

Measuring

snow liquid water content

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Teaching about albedo!

  • Ice Drilling Program (https://icedrill-education.org/) Activity

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Teaching about albedo!

  • Virtual Field Lab in the works!
  • Coming in 2025

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Research in Greenland

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Jobs in Polar Science

  • Researchers (Students, Professors, National Lab Scientists)
  • Engineers
  • Science Techs
  • Logistics Coordinators
  • Program Managers
  • IT Specialists
  • Communicators (Writers, Artists)
  • Policy Makers
  • Santa Claus

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There are many ways to be involved in studying climate change or developing solutions!

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The more people we have involved in addressing this complex challenge, the better!

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Questions?

THANKS FOR COMING!

ALDEN ADOLPH, ST. OLAF COLLEGE

ADOLPH1@STOLAF.EDU

Scan for links to

Climate Explorer and

Ice Drilling Program Resources