CPST 3030 Assignment #1

1] When referring to the rotation of our earth, the Coriolis Effect is the deflection of objects within its reference frame. North of the equator we have to account for a shift to the right. This means winds and ocean water travel in a more complex path due to it. The trade winds are an example of this effect. The equator of the earth spins the fastest therefore having the greatest impact on the Coriolis Effect. At the equator we have an example of an atmospheric circulation pattern called the Hadley cell. There are two other cells, Ferrel and Polar, where all three play a big role in our climate. The winds carry thermal energy which are transported around the earth affecting a regions climate. Anything in the air is also transported by these wind cells including temperature and pollution. Water is also transported in these winds through evaporation. This causes rain water in the form of clouds to move through locations. An area with a change in pressure because of heat will naturally bring winds. However, when the heat creates a low pressure center, the Coriolis Effect causes the wind to circulate the pressure center instead of simply rushing towards it. This explains cyclonic and anticyclonic winds. Atmospheric circulation is also affected by the differing elevations of the earths surface and the difference in heating and cooling capacities of land and water. The Coriolis Effect does vary with these different conditions. Many other phenomena are caused by the Coriolis Effect where some are predictable and some are not.

Sources: http://etap.org/demo/Earth_Science/es5/instruction1tutor.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_circulation http://essayweb.net/geology/quicknotes/coriolis.shtml

2] What was Hardins solution and was it reasonable? The solution Hardin suggests for the tragedy of the commons is to privatize common lands. That is, controlled or limited access to grounds that are usually free for all to enter. For example, anyone can go fishing and catch as much as they please. Some people are excessively altruistic and will overfish in their location. The point of privatizing a commons area is to decrease exploitation of natural resources by regulation. There are numerous allocation methods to determine rights to a commons. These include methods on the basis of wealth, lotteries, first-come first-serve, and general merits. The unregulated extraction of resources from a commons is not the only problem privatizing can solve. Pollution left by human activity would be significantly reduced because of the regulations in affect. However, this is not an easy task to regulate. For pollution, government incentives should be created that make it more affordable to properly dispose of waste and pollution rather than simply dumping into a natural commons. This is a reasonable solution for the tragedy of the commons where there should be a redefinition of property rights and government action.

What does history/tradition teach us regarding the commons? In the past, common grounds were shared and for everyone to freely use with no restrictions. Now there have been regulations placed in parts of the world that try to slow/stop these negative effects. The air in our atmosphere is an example of commons used by everyone on earth. Before any resolutions were made by the UN and others, factories polluted harmful chemicals into the air with no restrictions. These factories now have controlled outputs and can only emit certain amounts. Overfishing has occurred in the past and a great example is the Atlantic cod. The fisheries collapsed in the 1990s due to excessive fishing around the Newfoundland area. The thought was that the ocean had an inexhaustible resource of fish and other resources. The overfished cod lead to a huge depletion and had a negative impact on the whole marine ecosystem. From historical examples we should learn that earths resources are finite and should be used in moderation. Commons left for the public will always be used improperly unless there is a moderating body such as a government. However, this should be a government of laws, not men.

3] Sulfur Cycle: This is a biogeochemical cycle involving the movement of sulfur through various mediums. Sulfur is essential to us because it is a component of proteins and vitamins. Sulfur is emitted into the atmosphere by natural causes and by human activity. Naturally, sulfur is released from volcanic eruptions, bacterial processes, and evaporation from water. Sulfur enters the atmosphere in the form of Sulfur dioxide (SO2). The sulfur reacts with oxygen to produce sulfur trioxide (SO3). Depending on the local atmosphere the sulfur can react to form other chemicals such as sulphate (SO42). Sulfur dioxide can also react with water to form sulphuric acid (H2SO4). All of these sulfur salts settle back onto earth and can even dissolve in rain to come down as acid deposition. Plants absorb these sulfur salts through transpiration and release the sulfur back into the atmosphere. Animals eat sulfur containing plants in order to get their protein and vitamin intake. However, human activity has impacted this natural cycle extensively. Through the burning of fossil fuels such as coals and oil, the sulfur content in the atmosphere has increased greatly. Factories are also a major cause of excessive sulfur emissions which are released in the form of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulphide (H2S). The excess sulfur in the atmosphere dissolves in rainwater and pours down in the form of acid rain. This is damaging to both infrastructure and people.

Sources: http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/1348.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur_cycle

4] Coral Reefs: CO2 - About 30% of carbon dioxide we emit ends up in oceans. This is contributing to the rising temperatures and increasing acidification of the ocean. The excess pollution of CO2 is negatively affecting coral reefs. Studies have shown that coral growth has slowed substantially and is showing signs of dissolving. At this rate in a few decades there will be no more corals unless action is taken to cut emissions. Pesticides Pesticide run-off has proven to be harmful for corals. Farmers use toxic chemicals containing metals such as mercury and arsenic. The soil erodes with these pesticides in them and can reach coral reefs. Even in small quantities, the pesticides slow coral growth and limit their ability to regenerate. The young corals are most affected by pesticides. Without proper irrigation systems and better farming practices, the run-off will continue to reach corals and have detrimental effects. Eutrophication Nutrients such as nitrates and phosphorous can cause eutrophication in a coral reef area. These nutrients come from human pollution on land and reach coral reefs by erosion and run-off. With these excess nutrients algae growth is enhanced leading to oxygen depletion. In these hypoxic conditions corals are killed off. A large algae bloom will also block needed sunlight for corals. Also, diseases are intensified with excess nutrients and are made more harmful to corals. Tundra: CFCs Chlorofluorocarbons are known to be harmful to the earths ozone layer as they deplete ozone at a dangerous rate. Winds carry these gases to the poles and deplete the ozone in that region. With a thinner ozone layer, UV rays from the sun penetrate at higher levels and can cause damage to plants, animals, and other wildlife. Oil Oil pollution occurs from human activity including pipeline leaks and spills. Oil pollution in the tundra has shown to be a harder task to deal with than other places. The lack of sunlight and low temperatures reduces the decomposition speed of the oil. Oil spillage

Sources: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090309162125.htm http://www.coral.org/node/382 http://sitemaker.umich.edu/gc2sec7labgroup3/pollution http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_with_coral_reefs#Pollution http://www.thearctic.is/articles/overviews/changing/enska/index.htm