CLIMATE CHANGE

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

By Charles Rhodes, Xylene Power Ltd.

a = trailing subscript indicating a time prior to the industrial revolution

b = trailing subscript indicating a present time

c = trailing subscript indicating a future time

d = leading character indicating a differential change

Ac = cross-sectional area of spherical planet Earth = 127.39 X 10^12 m^2

Albedo = Fr = fraction of incident solar radiation reflected from the Earth

An = area of carbon dioxide absorption band on the thermal emission graph

Anm = the value of An corresponding to a very large carbon dioxide concentration

Ao = total surface area of Earth's oceans = 361 X 10^12 m^2

Ap = surface area of polar ocean ~ 14.506 X 10^12 m^2

As = surface area of spherical planet Earth = 509.55 X 10^12 m^2

C = speed of light = 2.997925 X 10^8 m / s

CaCO3 = calcium carbonate or limestone

Carbon Dioxide Infrared Absorption Band = the wavelength range 13 um to 18 um where carbon dioxide strongly absorbs electromagnetic radiation

Cb = Stefan-Boltzmann constant = 5.6697 X 10^-8 W m^-2 K^-4

CH4 = methane

Climate Change = long term change in annual average temperature

Co(F) = infrared absorption constant for CO2 or H2O as a function of radiation frequency F

Combustion = burning

CO2 = carbon dioxide

Cp = heat capacity of water = 1.0 cal / gm-deg K

D = atmospheric concentration of CO2 or H2O

Degrees C = temperature on Celsius scale

Degrees K = absolute temperature scale (273.15 degrees K = 0 degrees C)

Do = average depth of oceans = 3790 m

Emissivity = a proportionality factor indicating the tendency of a surface to emit thermal radiation. For a mirror like shiny surface emissivity = 0. For an ideal black surface emissivity = 1. The value of the emissivity at any particular wavenumber is Ftw. The weighted average value of emissivity is Ft.

Environment Canada = a Canadian governmental organization that measures and records temperatures and other weather data at various locations in Canada

Equinox = a time when the rotation axis of the earth is perpendicular to a line between the Earth and the Sun. An equinox occurs about March 21 and about September 21.

Ev = ocean evaporation rate in m^3 / year

F = radiation frequency, where: (Lamda) X F = C;
or
F = mass flow of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere from combustion of fossil fuels, depending on the context.

Fa = mass flow of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere from combustion of fossil fuels before the industrial revolution.

Fb = mass flow of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere from combustion of fossil fuels at a present time.

Fc = mass flow of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere from combustion of fossil fuels at a future time.

Fm = fraction of net heat captured by the oceans that causes melting of polar ice

Fv = net mass flow of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere due to volcanic action

Fossil Carbon = carbon contained in coal, oil, natural gas and peat

Fossil Carbon Emissions Tax = a tax intended to discourage combustion of fossil fuels

Fossil Fuels = coal, oil, natural gas and peat

Fp = fraction of incident solar power absorbed by the planet Earth that evaporates water

Fs = fraction of net ocean water evaporation that converts dissolved bicarbonate into carbonate, releasing CO2 gas

Fr = albedo = fraction of incident solar radiation reflected by the Earth

Ft = emissivity = Integral from Z = 0 to Z = infinity of:
{Ftw(Z) [15 / Pi^4] Z^3 dZ / [exp(Z) - 1]}

Ftw = wavenumber dependent emissivity

G = acceleration of gravity at the Earth's surface = 9.80665 m / s^2

Global Warming = the increase in inland atmospheric temperature caused by the excess carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere at locations far from any local carbon dioxide source

Greenhouse Effect = the tendency of the atmosphere to make the temperature at the Earth's surface warmer than it would be if there was no atmosphere

Greenhouse Gases = polarized gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone that contribute to the Greenhouse Effect

H = Planck's constant = 6.6256 X 10^-34 joule-sec

Ha = Net heat absorbed but not re-radiated per unit area per unit time

Hf = Heat of fusion of water = 79.72 cal / gm

Ho = Solar Irradiance = 1367 W / m^2

Ht = total net heat flux captured by the oceans

Hv = Heat of vaporization of water = 1200 BTU / lb @ 60 degrees F = 2270 kJ / kg

H2O = water

H2CO3 = carbonic acid

Infrared = electromagnetic radiation with a longer wavelength than visible light

IPSP = Integrated Power System Plan

IRIS = InfraRed Interferometer Spectrometer (A satelite mounted instrument that measures the infrared radiation intensity as a function of wavenumber emitted by a spot on the Earth)

K = Boltzmann constant = 1.38054 X 10^-23 joule-K^-1; or K = degrees Kelvin absolute temperature, depending on the context

Kc = mass of releaseable carbon dioxide stored in calcium bicarbonate solution per m^3 of ocean water = .055 kg CO2 / m^3

Kd = constant relating the rate of dissolving of atmospheric carbon dioxide in exposed water to the mass of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

L = angle of latitude

Lamda = a Greek letter used as a symbol for the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, (Lamda) = C / F

Local Albedo = the fraction of incident solar radiation reflected by a local area of the Earth's surface that may be only a few km wide.

Local Warming = the greenhouse warming caused by the local atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration

M = mass of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Mars Global Surveyor = a spacecraft that in November 1996, while on its way from Earth to Mars, recorded an infrared spectrum of the Earth that simplifies the understanding and analysis of carbon dioxide warming on Earth.

Micro Fusion = an electro-nuclear method of producing heat

Mo = total mass of oceans

Mortality = human death rate

NASA = National Aeronautics And Space Administration

NIST = National Institute of Science and Technology

N2O = nitrous oxide

Ontario Energy Board (OEB) = an Ontario government agency that approves electricity rates, transmission line projects and the Integrated Power System Plan (IPSP) in the Province of Ontario

Ontario Power Authority (OPA) = an Ontario government agency that conducts electricity system planning and that purchases electricity for supply to the people of Ontario

Ozone Depleting Substances = substances that when mixed with the atmosphere cause ozone to revert into oxygen

O3 = ozone

P = radiated power per unit area

Pi = ratio of circumference of a circle to its diameter = 3.14159

Po = radiated power per unit area by an ideal black surface where:
Ftw(W) = 1 for all values of W.

Planetary Albedo = fraction of incident solar radiation reflected from the exposed face of the earth = .297. The Planetary Albedo is also known as the Bond Albedo.

ppmv = parts per million by volume. For example, an atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration of 380 ppmv means that 380 out of every 1,000,000 molecules of gas in the atmosphere are carbon dioxide molecules.

R = radius of planet Earth

Rayleigh Scattering a wavelength dependent mechanism by which light scatters off the Earth's atmosphere.

Rf = world wide average annual rainfall in m / year

Ro = density of water ~ 1 gm / cm^3 = 1000 kg / m^3

Solar Irradiance = intensity of solar radiation measured by a spacecraft orbiting the earth outside the Earth's atmosphere = 1367 W / m^2

Solar Radiation = electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun

T = absolute temperature or time, depending on the context

Ta = actual surface temperature for radiative emission

Tag = ground level temperature

Te = surface temperature of an ideal body

Tea = value of Te averaged over the Earth's surface

TES = Thermal Emission Spectrometer (a spacecraft mounted instrument that measures the infrared radiation intensity as a function of wavenumber emitted by the Earth or a planet)

Th = Half life of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Thermal Emission = infrared electromagnetic radiation emitted by a warm body. Thermal Emission is also known as Thermal Radiation.

Thermal Radiation = infrared electromagnetic radiation emitted by a warm body. Thermal Radiation is also known as Thermal Emission.

To = exponential decay time constant for excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, where:
To = 1 / Kd

Tv = time for the bulk ocean temperature to respond to a change in the heat absorption rate

W = angular frequency = 2 Pi F

Wavenumber = F / C, used in place of frequency F at infrared and optical wavelengths

Z = (H F) / (K T), a collected term used too simplify thermal radiation equations

This web page last updated December 7, 2009