Marissas+Journal

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Chapter 1 Summary:
It is very evident that our climate and global weather patterns are fluctuating. One of the biggest debates in progress today is whether humans are causing global warming or not. Our weather naturally changes over time, and recorrects itself as in ice ages and droughts, but are these increases we see today normal, or human exaggerated? Or even human induced?

It is important to distinguish the difference between climate and weather. Weather is erratic, and cannot be easily predicted beyond a few days. Climate is an average of weather over an extended period of time. The weather is obviously changing, mostly due to humans, but the question is whether the climate will be affected. More than likely, it will be, but the average temperature is only predicted to rise a few degrees Celsius.

Forecasting the global climate change is a difficult task because this has to be based on weather. Weather is not as accurately predicted for next month, or next year, as it is for tomorrow, or next week. The hurdle encountered when attempting to calculate the future climate change, is that the forecasts can change drastically. What if the predictions for the next 5 months are off, that means that the calculations for next year will be off, then the next year, and so on. The biggest problem is the reliability of the weather forecasts we are able to predict, and the variability of the human factor. If humans miraculously find a way to cut off their greenhouse gas consumption, and begin to reduce the CO2 present in the atmosphere, the climate forecast will be drastically different than the actual. Another issue is the rate at which things in our environment change. It takes a long time for the global temperature to change; it does not happen overnight. And it takes a while for the icecaps to melt, and for sea levels to rise; it won't happen while you're out at the grocery store.

The biggest contributor humans have to global warming is greenhouse gases, one of the most human produced being CO2. If humans can find out how to reduce their CO2 emissions, the greenhouse gases could eventually be reduced, and hopefully slow global warming. In order to reduce CO2 emissions, humans must end the affair they are having with coal products. The burning of fossil fuels is the biggest cause of CO2 emissions.

So, the climate is changing; humans have a role in it. How do we fix it, and to what cost? The global temperature is predicted to change by 2-5 degrees C by 2100. The change may not seem like much, but will wreak havoc on our global environmental systems. So, how do we fix the greenhouse gas emissions? The problem is that no matter which route we take to curtail greenhouse gas emissions, it will be costly. There is no way to get around it. But, the question is, how much money is our health, piece of mind, and the environment worth? Are we willing to set back the global market advancement a year or two to help reduce greenhouse gases and protect our environment? Many scientists have proposed things to help mitigate the greenhouse gases, but they are costly, and many require more technology than what is currently available.

Habitable Planet Video Response:
September 7, 2010

I have been fairly lucky in my encounters with "bad weather". Obviously, living in the Carolina's I've experienced my fair share of thunderstorms, but we moved here from Seattle after hurricane Andrew, and any other major ones. The only hurricane I can remember is hurricane Fran a few years ago and we just got about a week of rain from it. We did have a small tornado hit our neighborhood about 4 years ago in the middle of summer, but it didn't do any major structural damage to the houses and only took down a few trees. As far as the video goes, the two researchers discussed, Pieter Tans and Kerry Emanuel, have two very different approaches to hurricanes and the weather associated with them.

Pieter Tans, the first researcher mentioned, believes that the global climate affects hurricanes. He studies the greenhouse gases and their affects on the environment and climate, then in turn relates them to the frequency of hurricanes and significant weather occurances. Kerry Emanuel on the other hand, thinks the exact opposite way around. Emanuel believes hurricanes affect the weather patterns and that by studying the frequency and severity of hurricanes, the future weather patterns and climate can be predicted.

Both researchers not only think differently, but also work very differently with their data. Tans studies the palpable results as his primary source of data. He analyzes air samples collected from remote areas all around the world to determine where major "sinks" are located. Sinks are major gas absorbers, so a large forest or green space that would bring in CO2. Tans studies the greenhouse gases of the atmosphere, carefully analyzing each sink and source. His way of thinking says that the humans are emiting more greenhouse gases and CO2 than previous years through sources, such as big cities. If the sources out weigh the sinks, then there will be a large concentration of greenhouse gases. Tans believes that if we can figure out what the earth is doing with this excess gas and large concentrations, then we will be able to predict the weather patterns. Emanuel gets the bulk of his data from computer models and hurricane machine simulations. He then looks at the results from computerized models of hurricanes and simulations done in hurricane machines and contrasts it with data from real hurricanes. Based on these differences and what accounts for the differences, Emanuel believes that he can better predict what the climate will being doing in the future, and what the hurricanes will be doing as well. Emanuel's approach to hurricanes is that the hurricanes create the climate. Based on his studies of simulations and real hurricanes, the hurricane forces essentially "churn" the water. This pushes the warm water down and the cold water up. The current this creates has the same affect on the climate as do wind currents. So he thinks that the water temperatures change from hurricanes, which then affects climate changes. His thinking though, goes against all known values and theories that we currently have about weather and if proven true, would change all that we know and how we predict weather and climate.

Essentially, Tans and Emanuel have exact conflicting views, and each have very different ways of approaching their views and collecting their data. Tans tends to think that the climate dictates what weather we have, such as hurricanes. While Emanuel tends to think the other way around, that hurricanes cause the climate change that is occuring. Tans collects "hard" data from around the world via air samples whereas Emanuel collects his data through the computer simulations and hurricane simulators and then cross-references the results with real hurricane data. Both researchers have valid ways of looking at the current environmental problem of greenhouse gases and hurricanes, just very different approaches and questions they wish to prove.

=First Steps Towards Choosing a Research Project:= September 21, 2010

1) What is the research question being asked by this project? In this project, the researcher is looking to find the amount of infrared emissions from an object, more than likely their school. So, I would try to find the infrared emissions from my school and probably the surrounding area since my school is so small. “What are the amounts of IR emissions coming from the school?” One could also compare this hard data with the predicted data from our previous homework assignment. “How accurate was my estimate of IR emissions from my school?” And to apply this learned data, one could inquire about reducing the carbon footprint of the school and even the IR emissions. “How could the carbon footprint/IR emissions be lowered for my school?” 2) What are the methods being used to answer those research questions? There are several different ways to collect the data about Infrared Radiation. The first is by using data compiled by other researchers and create a library of sorts for surfaces. By using these known values for IR emissions, one could match the surface at their school to the surface with IR value in the library. Another method is to use an IR camera or gun to directly calculate the infrared radiation. In addition, one could alter their digital camera slightly to create their very own personal IR camera, which seems like the best option to me.

3) What data or information has been collected to date? The main bit of information that has been collected on calculating IR emissions so far was given to us in one of the websites linked to the document. The website discusses the infrared emissions from various materials, which can be compared and used to deduce the emissions from my own school.

4) What might the next step, your next step be? The next step would be to pick a research topic/question and run with it. To me, the most intriguing one would be the “extension” project on calculating the carbon footprint for the school. So first, I would need to calculate the IR emissions, and would use the online library website given to us, along with several other sites, and probably also with a digital camera adapted to show IR emissions. One interesting way to go about this would be calculate the IR emissions in every option shown here, the materials/emissions library, an IR camera/gun, and an adapted digital camera and compare each of these to each other and what could cause for the variations in data, if any are present, as well as compare these to the assignment that we “colored” for homework. Then, using the most accurate of these, create a carbon footprint for the school.

Research Questions:
November 2, 2010

1) Is a green roof or a white roof better for the environment? This can be based on multiple things including albedo, insulation, and economic effects. I believe the best way to do this would be to do a small scale model, if possible.

2) What is the carbon footprint of your school? What can be done to reduce the carbon footprint? This can be a very in depth process on the side of what can be done to reduce the carbon footprint.

3) Calculate the carbon footprint of your home. What are some things that can be done to reduce the carbon footprint? I realize this is very similar to number two, but a lot of different things can be done with each. Also, it is easier to fiddle with different situations and experiments at your personal home rather than at a school.

Asking Good Research Questions:
November 10, 2010 "Is a white roof or "green" roof more efficient, in the realms of both energy and IR emissions?"

1) Does the question deal with a topic or issue that interests me enough to spark my own thoughts and opinions? Yes 2) Is the question easily and fully researchable given the time and resources that you will have access to during the spring semester? Yes 3) What type of information do I need answer the research question? I will need instruments that allow me to take IR emissions readings and measurements (which Dr. S said can be provided by NCSSM) I will need a way to create a planted roof, obviously boxes to similuate the roofs (I will start out with carboard boxes), and I a way to create a window pane/window for sealing out water if Kayla and I choose to that route. It is possible that I will use a pre-planted roof manufactured by local companies as my green roof. 4) Is the scope of this information reasonable? Yes 5) Given the type and scope of the information I need, is my question too broad, too narrow, or just right? I have a feeling that my question is probably too broad, but I know that as I begin my research and begin experimenting and collecting data then I will be easily able to narrow my question. 6) What sources will have the type of information that I need to answer the research question? Consider whether you will need to collect data and if so what instrumentation will you need, data that has already been collected, journals, books, internet resources, government documents, other researchers. I know already of an experiment that was done at Penn State that is very similar to this, there have also been many other experiments conducted on this topic. I believe that it shouldn't be terribly hard to find information and research on this topic, but for some aspects I may need to dig a little bit. Journals should provide good information, as well as documents from the EPA, and private companies. 7) Can I access these sources? Yes, again there may be a few things I'll have to dig for, but I believe it shouldn't be too large of a problem to obtain information and access to these documents.  8) Given my answers to the above questions, do I have a good quality research question that I actually will be able to answer by doing research? Yes. I think so, and I am very interested in the topic. Again, I think it may be a bit too broad, but I think that as I begin my research, the definite topic and question will start to form and narrow.

Research Topic Articles:
November 12, 2010

My main article, a study done at Penn State University: [] My second article: (on Green roofs, basically everything I will need to know about them.) Then my third, and final article: (Some background information on the urban heat island effect and what part the white and green roofs plan in the heat island effect.)