MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS
UO "BELARUSIAN STATE ECONOMIC UNIVERSITY"
ESSAY
by discipline: Fundamentals of ecology and energy conservation
on the topic of: Greenhouse effect: causes and consequences
Checked by: T.N. Filipovich
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The idea of the mechanism of the greenhouse effect was first outlined in 1827 by Joseph Fourier in the article "Note on the temperatures of the globe and other planets", in which he considered various mechanisms of the formation of the Earth's climate, while he considered them as factors affecting the overall heat balance of the Earth ( heating by solar radiation, cooling due to radiation, internal heat of the Earth), and factors affecting heat transfer and temperatures of climatic zones (thermal conductivity, atmospheric and oceanic circulation).
In considering the influence of the atmosphere on the radiation balance, Fourier analyzed the experiment of M. de Saussure with a vessel blackened from the inside and covered with glass. De Saussure measured the temperature difference between the inside and outside of such a vessel exposed to direct sunlight. Fourier explained the rise in temperature inside such a "mini-greenhouse" compared to the outside temperature by two factors: blocking of convective heat transfer (glass prevents heated air from leaving the inside and cool air from outside) and different transparency of glass in the visible and infrared range.
It is the latter factor that received the name of the greenhouse effect in later literature - by absorbing visible light, the surface heats up and emits thermal (infrared) rays; Since glass is transparent to visible light and almost opaque to thermal radiation, the accumulation of heat leads to such an increase in temperature at which the amount of heat rays passing through the glass is sufficient to establish thermal equilibrium.
Fourier postulated that the optical properties of the Earth's atmosphere are similar to the optical properties of glass, that is, its transparency in the infrared range is lower than the transparency in the optical range.
CAUSES OF THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
The constantly increasing volumes of fuel burned, the penetration of industrially produced gases into the atmosphere, extensive burning and deforestation, anaerobic fermentation and much more - all this has led to the emergence of such a global environmental problem as the greenhouse effect.
The main greenhouse gas chemicals are the following five gases:
Carbon dioxide (50% of the greenhouse effect);
Chlorofluorocarbons (25%);
Nitric oxide (8%);
Ground-level ozone (7%);
Methane (10%).
Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere as a result of the combustion of various fuels. About 1/3 of the amount of carbon dioxide is due to the burning and clearing of forests, as well as the processes of desertification. Decreasing forests means reducing the amount of green woody plants that can absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Every year, the content of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere increases by an average of 0.5%.
Chlorofluorocarbons contribute about 25% of the total greenhouse effect. They have a double danger for humans and the nature of the Earth: first, they contribute to the development of the greenhouse effect; secondly, they destroy atmospheric ozone.
Methane is one of the most important greenhouse gases. The methane content in the atmosphere has doubled over the past 100 years. The main source of methane entering the Earth's atmosphere is the natural process of anaerobic fermentation, which takes place in wet rice industries, in animal husbandry, in wastewater treatment fields, in the decomposition of urban and housing and communal wastewater, in the processes of decay and decomposition of organic matter in household waste dumps and other Oil pollution of the land surface and the World Ocean also makes a significant contribution to the increase in free methane in the atmosphere of our planet.
Nitric oxide is formed in many technological processes of modern agricultural production (for example, during the formation and use of organic fertilizers), as well as as a result of the burning of ever-increasing volumes of various fuels.
POSSIBLE GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE SCENARIOS
Global climatic changes are very complex, so modern science cannot give an unambiguous answer what awaits us in the near future. There are many scenarios for the development of the situation. To determine these scenarios, factors that slow down and accelerate global warming are taken into account.
Factors accelerating global warming:
Emissions of CO 2, methane, nitrous oxide as a result of man-made human activities;
Decomposition, due to an increase in temperature, of geochemical sources of carbonates with the release of CO 2. The earth's crust contains 50,000 times more carbon dioxide in a bound state than the atmosphere;
An increase in the content of water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere, due to an increase in temperature, and hence the evaporation of ocean water;
The release of CO 2 by the World Ocean due to its heating (the solubility of gases decreases with increasing water temperature). As the temperature of the water rises, the solubility of CO2 in it decreases by 3% for each degree. The oceans contain 60 times more CO 2 than the Earth's atmosphere (140 trillion tons);
Decrease in the albedo of the Earth (reflectivity of the planet's surface), due to melting of glaciers, changing climatic zones and vegetation. The sea surface reflects much less sunlight than the polar glaciers and snows of the planet, mountains without glaciers, and also have a lower albedo, tree vegetation moving northward has a lower albedo than tundra plants. Over the past five years, the Earth's albedo has already decreased by 2.5%;
Emission of methane during thawing of permafrost;
Decomposition of methane hydrates - crystalline icy compounds of water and methane contained in the polar regions of the Earth.
Factors slowing down global warming:
Global warming causes a slowdown in the speed of ocean currents, a slowdown of the warm Gulf Stream will cause a decrease in temperature in the Arctic;
With an increase in temperature on Earth, evaporation increases, and hence cloudiness, which is a certain kind of obstacle to the sun's rays. The cloud area grows by about 0.4% for every degree of warming;
With an increase in evaporation, the amount of precipitation increases, which contributes to waterlogging, and bogs, as you know, are one of the main CO 2 depots;
An increase in temperature will contribute to the expansion of the area of warm seas, and hence the expansion of the range of mollusks and coral reefs, these organisms are actively involved in the deposition of CO 2, which is used to build shells;
An increase in the concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere stimulates the growth and development of plants, which are active acceptors (consumers) of this greenhouse gas.
Here are 5 scenarios for the future of planet Earth:
Scenario 1 - global warming will occur gradually. The earth is a very large and complex system, consisting of a large number of interconnected structural components. The planet has a mobile atmosphere, the movement of air masses of which distributes thermal energy over the latitudes of the planet, the Earth has a huge accumulator of heat and gases - the World Ocean (the ocean accumulates 1000 times more heat than the atmosphere) Changes in such a complex system cannot occur quickly. Centuries and millennia will pass before any tangible climate change can be judged.
Scenario 2 - Global warming will occur relatively quickly. The most "popular" scenario at the present time. According to various estimates, over the past hundred years, the average temperature on our planet has increased by 0.5-1 ° C, the concentration of CO 2 has increased by 20-24%, and methane by 100%. In the future, these processes will continue and by the end of the XXI century, the average temperature of the Earth's surface may increase from 1.1 to 6.4 ° C. Further melting of the Arctic and Antarctic ice can accelerate the processes of global warming due to a change in the planet's albedo. According to some scientists, only the planet's ice caps, due to the reflection of solar radiation, cool our Earth by 2 ° C, and the ice covering the ocean surface significantly slows down the heat transfer processes between the relatively warm ocean waters and the colder surface layer of the atmosphere. In addition, above the ice caps, there is practically no main greenhouse gas - water vapor, since it is frozen out.
Global warming will be accompanied by a rise in sea levels. From 1995 to 2005, the level of the World Ocean has already risen by 4 cm, instead of the predicted 2 cm.If the level of the World Ocean continues to rise at the same rate, then by the end of the XXI century the total rise in its level will be 30-50 cm, which will cause partial flooding of many coastal areas, especially the populous coast of Asia. It should be remembered that about 100 million people on Earth live at an altitude of less than 88 centimeters above sea level.
In addition to the rise in the level of the World Ocean, global warming affects the strength of the winds and the distribution of precipitation on the planet. As a result, the frequency and scale of various natural disasters (storms, hurricanes, droughts, floods) will increase on the planet.
Currently, 2% of all land is affected by drought; according to forecasts by some scientists, by 2050, drought will cover up to 10% of all land on the continents. In addition, the distribution of precipitation by seasons will change.
In Northern Europe and the western United States, the amount of precipitation and the frequency of storms will increase, hurricanes will rage 2 times more often than in the 20th century. The climate of Central Europe will become changeable; in the heart of Europe, winters will become warmer and summers rainy. Eastern and southern Europe, including the Mediterranean, is facing drought and heat.
If you do not stop its growth, the balance on Earth can be disturbed. The climate will change, hunger and disease will come. Scientists are developing various measures to combat the problem, which should become global.
The essence
What is the greenhouse effect? This is the name for an increase in the temperature of the planet's surface due to the fact that gases in the atmosphere tend to retain heat. The earth is heated by the radiation of the sun. Visible short waves from the light source penetrate unhindered to the surface of our planet. As the Earth heats up, it begins to emit long heat waves. In part, they penetrate through the layers of the atmosphere and "go" into space. reduce bandwidth, reflect long waves. Heat remains at the surface of the Earth. The higher the concentration of gases, the higher the greenhouse effect.
The phenomenon was first described by Joseph Fourier at the beginning of the 19th century. He suggested that the processes taking place in the earth's atmosphere are similar to what exists under glass.
Greenhouse gases are steam (from water), carbon dioxide (carbon dioxide), methane, ozone. The former takes the main part in the formation of the greenhouse effect (up to 72%). The next in importance is carbon dioxide (9-26%), the proportion of methane and ozone is 4-9 and 3-7%, respectively.
Recently, one can often hear about the greenhouse effect as a serious environmental problem. But this phenomenon also has a positive side. Due to the fact that the greenhouse effect exists, the average temperature of our planet is about 15 degrees above zero. Without him, life on Earth would be impossible. The temperature could only be "minus" 18.
The reason for the appearance of the effect is the active activity of many volcanoes on the planet millions of years ago. At the same time, the content of water vapor and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased significantly. The concentration of the latter has reached such a value that a super-strong greenhouse effect has arisen. As a result, the water of the World Ocean practically boiled, its temperature became so high.
The emergence of vegetation everywhere on the Earth's surface caused a fairly rapid absorption of carbon dioxide. Heat build-up has decreased. Equilibrium was established. The average annual temperature on the planet's surface turned out to be at a level close to the present.
Causes
Strengthening the phenomenon is facilitated by:
- Industrial development is the main reason that carbon dioxide and other gases that increase the greenhouse effect are actively emitted and accumulated in the atmosphere. The result of human activity on Earth is an increase in the average annual temperature. Over the century, it has risen by 0.74 degrees. Scientists predict that in the future, this growth may be 0.2 degrees for every 10 years. That is, the intensity of warming is increasing.
- - the reason for the increase in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. This gas is absorbed by vegetation. The massive development of new lands, coupled with deforestation, accelerates the rate of accumulation of carbon dioxide, and at the same time changes the living conditions of animals and plants, and leads to the extinction of their species.
- Burning fuel (solid and oil), waste leads to the emission of carbon dioxide. Heating, power generation, transportation are the main sources of this gas.
- The growth in energy consumption is a sign and condition of technical progress. The world's population is growing by about 2% per year. Energy consumption growth - 5%. The intensity increases every year, humanity needs more and more energy.
- The increase in the number of landfills leads to an increase in the concentration of methane. Another source of gas is the activity of livestock farms.
Threats
The consequences of the greenhouse effect can be fatal to humans:
- The polar ice caps are melting, and this is the reason for the rise in sea levels. As a result, coastal fertile lands are under water. If flooding occurs at a high rate, there will be a serious threat to agriculture. Crops are dying, the area of pastures is shrinking, and sources of fresh water disappear. First of all, low-income strata of the population, whose lives depend on the harvest and the growth of domestic animals, will suffer.
- Many coastal cities, including highly developed ones, may end up under water in the future. For example, New York, St. Petersburg. Or whole countries. For example, Holland. Such phenomena will necessitate the massive displacement of human settlements. Scientists suggest that in 15 years the ocean level may rise by 0.1-0.3 meters, and by the end of the 21st century - by 0.3-1 meters. In order for the above-mentioned cities to be under water, the level must rise by about 5 meters.
- An increase in air temperature leads to the fact that inside the continents the period of snow lying is shortened. It begins to melt earlier, as the rainy season ends faster. As a result, the soil turns out to be overdried, unsuitable for growing crops. Lack of moisture is the cause of land desertification. Experts say that an increase in average temperature by 1 degree in 10 years will lead to a reduction in forest areas by 100-200 million hectares. These lands will become steppes.
- The ocean covers 71% of the surface area of our planet. As the air temperature rises, the water also heats up. Evaporation increases significantly. And this is one of the main reasons for the intensification of the greenhouse effect.
- When the water level in the world's oceans rises, the temperature becomes a threat to biodiversity, and many species of wildlife may disappear. The reason is changes in their habitat. Not every species can successfully adapt to new conditions. The consequence of the disappearance of some plants, animals, birds, other living beings is a violation of food chains, the balance of ecosystems.
- Rising water levels are causing climate change. The boundaries of the seasons are shifting, the number and intensity of storms, hurricanes, and precipitation are increasing. Climate stability is the main condition for the existence of life on Earth. Stopping the greenhouse effect means preserving human civilization on the planet.
- High air temperatures can adversely affect human health. Under such conditions, cardiovascular diseases are aggravated, and the respiratory organs suffer. Heat abnormalities lead to an increase in the number of injuries, some psychological disorders. A rise in temperature leads to a more rapid spread of many dangerous diseases, for example, malaria, encephalitis.
What to do?
Today the problem of the greenhouse effect is a global environmental issue. Experts believe that the widespread adoption of the following measures will help to solve the problem:
- Changes in the use of energy sources. Reduction of the share and amount of minerals (carbon-containing peat, coal), oil. Switching to natural gas will significantly reduce the emission of CO2. An increase in the share of alternative sources (sun, wind, water) will reduce emissions, because these methods allow you to obtain energy without harm to the environment. No gases are emitted during their use.
- Changes in energy policy. Increase in efficiency in power plants. Reducing the energy intensity of manufactured products at enterprises.
- Implementation of energy saving technologies. Even the usual insulation of house facades, window openings, heating plants gives a significant result - fuel savings, and, therefore, a smaller amount of emissions. The solution of the issue at the level of enterprises, industries, states entails a global improvement in the situation. Each person can contribute to solving the problem: saving electricity, properly disposing of garbage, insulating one's own home.
- Development of technologies aimed at obtaining products in new, environmentally friendly ways.
- The use of recyclable resources is one of the measures to reduce waste, the number and volume of landfills.
- Restoring forests, fighting fires in them, increasing the area as a way to reduce the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
The fight against greenhouse gas emissions today is carried out at the international level. World summits devoted to this problem are being held, documents are being created aimed at organizing a global solution to the issue. Many scientists around the world are looking for ways to reduce the greenhouse effect, maintain balance and life on Earth.
More and more often in the media one can come across articles that predict the most dire consequences, the main "culprit" of which is the greenhouse effect. But is this phenomenon really so dangerous?
the greenhouse effect?
In order to accurately imagine the mechanism of this phenomenon, it is enough to carry out a simple experiment. This will require a small pot with a plant and a glass dish or jar that completely covers it. The pot should be placed in a sunlit area and covered with a suitable item. After some time, it will be possible to notice how traces of steam are formed on the walls of the glassware, and if you remove it, you can feel that the temperature inside it is slightly higher than in the whole other room. This is the greenhouse effect. Although the scientific definition looks a little different. So, the greenhouse effect is the negative environmental consequences of the life of human organisms.
This definition is partly correct, but only partly. His adherents reject other information that the greenhouse effect, the causes of which will be discussed below, also serves as a regulator of a temperature that is comfortable for most organisms. Therefore, one should understand the occurrence of the phenomenon under consideration.
Greenhouse Effect: Causes - True and False
For a long time, the activity of living organisms, mainly plants, was considered the main reason for this phenomenon. Scientists explained that when the planet was heated by solar energy, part of it was absorbed, and the rest was reflected from the surface. But the presence of the atmosphere around the Earth in a certain way delayed the return return, raising the temperature to a comfortable hydrocarbon form of life for the development. In such conditions, plants could carry out the process of photosynthesis, enriching the lower oxygen.
But today the greenhouse effect is considered by many to be exclusively a negative phenomenon associated only with the industrial activity of a person. They argue that due to anthropomorphic effects, the amount of carbon dioxide that circulates in the air significantly exceeds the consumption possible for photosynthesis. This is also superimposed on the emission of other gases that increase the temperature, such as methane or the developing industry, constant forest fires, and the destruction of the ozone layer around the planet.
The extremely negative reaction with which the adherents of the second approach associate the greenhouse effect allows them to predict many negative consequences for the Earth, ranging from an increase in ultraviolet radiation levels and ending with a second world flood. At the same time, it is tactfully silent about the fact that the temperature on the planet's surface has a wave-like history, and right now a jump in increase is being established.
Consequences of the greenhouse effect
Its main and positive aspect is maintaining the temperature on the Earth's surface in the range that allows all living things to develop.
But there are much more negative points. This is the melting of permafrost, a decrease in the reflective surface, a change in climatic zones, and much more. However, as recent studies of what the greenhouse effect is and what is its impact on the environment show, most of these consequences have slightly different sides.
So, the slowing down of currents, incl. The Gulf Stream, a change in climatic zones, can be provoked not only by the greenhouse effect. According to the latest data of scientists, in the consequences often attributed to the phenomenon under consideration, both the movement and the wavy change in the global temperature, as well as the gradual displacement, are “to blame" from false.
Speaking of the greenhouse effect, one immediately imagines a large greenhouse, gentle rays of the sun penetrating through the glass, bright green beds and a rather high temperature inside, when winter is still reigning outside.
Speaking of the greenhouse effect, one immediately imagines a large greenhouse, gentle rays of the sun penetrating through the glass, bright green beds and a fairly high temperature inside, when winter is still reigning outside. Yes, this is really so, most clearly this process can be compared with what is happening in a greenhouse. Greenhouse gases, which are abundant in the atmosphere, are represented only in the role of glass; they transmit and retain heat in the lower air layers, ensuring the growth of plants and human life. Today, more and more often, the greenhouse effect is called an ecological term that has become a disaster. Thus, nature cries out for help, and if nothing is done, humanity will have only 300 years before the inevitable end of the world. It is important to understand that the greenhouse effect on Earth has always existed, without it normal existence of living organisms and plants is impossible, and we owe a comfortable climate to it. The problem is that destructive human activities have taken on such scales that can no longer pass without a trace, affecting global, irreversible changes in the environment. And in order to survive, the population of our Planet needs the same global solidarity in resolving this serious issue.
The essence of the greenhouse effect, its causes and consequences
The vital activity of mankind, the burning of millions of tons of fuel, increased energy consumption, an increase in the vehicle fleet, a significant increase in the amount of waste, production volumes, and so on, leads to an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere. Statistics show that over the past two hundred years, carbon dioxide in the air has increased by 25%, in the entire geological history this has not happened yet. Thus, a kind of gas cap is formed above the Earth, which traps the return thermal radiation, returning it back and leading to climatic imbalance. With an increase in the average temperature at the Earth's surface, the amount of precipitation also increases. Remember that condensation always appears on the glass in a greenhouse or greenhouse, in natural nature this happens in a similar way. It is impossible to accurately calculate all the destructive consequences of this, but one thing is clear, man has started a dangerous game with nature, an urgent need to change his mind in order to prevent an ecological catastrophe.
The reasons for the aggravation of the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere include:
- economic activity, which changes the gas composition and causes dustiness in the lower air layers of the Earth;
- combustion of carbonaceous fuels, coal, oil and gas;
- exhaust gases of automobile engines;
- operation of thermal power plants;
- agriculture associated with excessive rotting and an excess of fertilizers, a significant increase in livestock;
- extraction of natural resources;
- emission of household and industrial waste;
- deforestation.
Surprisingly, it is a fact that air has ceased to be a renewable natural resource, which it remained before the beginning of intensive human activity.
Consequences of the greenhouse effect
The most dangerous consequence of the greenhouse effect is considered to be global warming, which leads to an imbalance in the heat balance on the planet as a whole. Already today, each of us has experienced an average increase in temperature on ourselves, a phenomenal heat in the summer months and sudden thaws in the middle of winter, this is a frightening phenomenon as a result of global atmospheric pollution. And droughts, acid rains, dry winds, tornadoes, hurricanes and other natural disasters have become a terrible norm of life these days. Scientists' data indicate far from comforting forecasts, every year the temperature rises by almost one degree, or even more. In this regard, tropical rainfall intensifies, the borders of arid territories and deserts grow, glaciers begin to melt rapidly, areas of permafrost disappear and the territory of taiga is significantly reduced. And this means that the harvests will sharply decrease, the inhabited areas will be flooded with water, many animals will not be able to adapt to rapidly changing conditions, the level of the World Ocean will rise and the general water-salt balance will change. Scary, but the current generation may be witnessing the fastest warming on planet Earth. But, as world practice shows, for some corners, global warming also has a positive effect, making it possible to develop agriculture and livestock raising, this insignificant benefit is lost against the background of a massive negative impact. Debate is raging around the greenhouse effect, research and testing is underway, people are looking for ways to reduce its harmful effects.
Modern ways of solving the problem
There is only one way out of this situation: to find a new type of fuel, or radically change the technology of using existing types of fuel resources. Coal and oil, when burned, emit 60% more carbon dioxide, an active greenhouse gas, than any other fuel to produce a unit of energy.
What you need to do to avoid the threat of the greenhouse effect:
- to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, especially coal, oil and natural gas;
- use special filters and catalysts to remove carbon dioxide from all emissions into the atmosphere;
- to increase the energy efficiency of thermal power plants through the use of hidden environmentally friendly reserves;
- to increase the use of alternative energy sources, wind, sun and so on;
- stop cutting down green spaces and establish targeted landscaping;
- to stop the general pollution of the Planet.
Now there is an active discussion of such measures to reduce anthropogenic impact as the regular removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, using high-tech devices, to liquefy and inject it into the waters of the World Ocean, thereby approaching natural circulation. There are ways to solve the problem, the main thing is to take it all together, the population, the government and the younger generation, and carry out a huge, but so useful, work to cleanse Mother Earth. It's time to stop consumerism and start investing time and energy in your future, the bright life of the next generations; it's time to give to nature what we regularly take from it. There is no doubt that an ingenious and enterprising humanity will cope with this very difficult and responsible task.
Introduction
The protection of the natural environment and the rational use of natural resources is one of the pressing global problems of our time. Her decision
is inextricably linked with the struggle for peace on Earth, for the prevention of nuclear catastrophe, disarmament, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation of states.
In recent decades, we have all observed a sharp increase in temperature, when in winter, in the place of negative temperatures, we observe thaws up to 5 - 8 degrees Celsius for months, and in the summer months - droughts and dry winds, drying up the soil of the earth and leading to its erosion. Why is this happening? Scientists argue that the reason, first of all, is the destructive activity of mankind, leading to a global change in the Earth's climate.
The burning of fuel in power plants, a sharp increase in the amount of waste from human production activities, an increase in road transport and, as a consequence, an increase in carbon dioxide emissions into the Earth's atmosphere with a sharp reduction in the forest park zone, led to the so-called greenhouse effect of the Earth.
The essence of the greenhouse effect
What happens to the Earth's climate?
Human activities can cause the globe to heat up beyond its limits.
There are opposite opinions that the Earth's climate is changing, on the contrary, in the direction of cooling. And, in general, in recent years, meteorologists from different countries have come to the conclusion that something has been upset in the comprehensive weather system on the globe. In their opinion, the climate on earth is beginning to change not for the better. Some meteorologists believe that a general natural disaster is approaching, which will be difficult to prevent. What should we fear: drought, crop failure, hunger, or, conversely, count on a gradual improvement in weather and a return to the climatic conditions of the first half of the 20th century, considered the best in world history.
Most scientists agree that the atmosphere is, nevertheless, not cooling, but warming up. The reason for this is the tremendous changes made by man. Now, according to meteorologists, human activity is becoming an increasingly important factor affecting the climate balance of the Earth. The reason for this can be various factors, however, many scientists associate this with the greenhouse effect.
the greenhouse effect
Long-term observations show that as a result of economic activity, the gas composition and dustiness of the lower layers of the atmosphere change.
Millions of tons of soil particles are lifted into the air from the plowed lands during dust storms. During the development of minerals, during the production of cement, during the application of fertilizers and the friction of automobile tires on the road, during the combustion of fuel and the release of industrial waste, a large amount of suspended particles of various gases gets into the atmosphere. Determinations of the composition of the air show that there is now 25% more carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere than 200 years ago. This is undoubtedly the result of human economic activity, as well as deforestation, the green leaves of which absorb carbon dioxide.
With an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air, the greenhouse effect is associated, which manifests itself in the heating of the inner layers of the Earth's atmosphere. This is because the atmosphere allows most of the sun's radiation to pass through.
Some of the rays are absorbed and heats the earth's surface, and from it the atmosphere heats up. Another part of the rays is reflected from the surface of the Planet and this radiation is absorbed by carbon dioxide molecules, which contributes to an increase in the average temperature of the Planet. The greenhouse effect is similar to glass in a greenhouse or greenhouse (hence the name "greenhouse effect").
Greenhouse gases
Consider what happens to bodies in a glass conservatory. High energy radiation penetrates the greenhouse through the glass. It is absorbed by the bodies inside the greenhouse. They then themselves emit lower energy radiation that is absorbed by the glass. Glass sends some of this energy back, supplying the objects inside with additional heat. Likewise, the earth's surface receives additional heat as greenhouse gases absorb and then release lower energy radiation.
The gases that cause the greenhouse effect in their increased concentration are called greenhouse gases. These are mainly carbon dioxide and water vapor, but there are other gases that absorb the energy emanating from the Earth. For example, chlorofluorine containing hydrocarbon gases, such as freons or freons. The concentration of these gases in the atmosphere is also increasing.
Natural gas
Natural gas used in the energy sector is a non-renewable energy resource, at the same time it is the most environmentally friendly type of traditional energy fuel. Natural gas is 98% methane, the remaining 2% is ethane, propane, butane and some other substances.
When gas is burned, the only truly dangerous air pollutant is a mixture of nitrogen oxides. At thermal power plants and in heating boilers using natural gas, carbon dioxide emissions, contributing to the greenhouse effect, are half as much as at coal-fired power plants that generate the same amount of energy.
The use of liquefied and compressed natural gas in road transport makes it possible to significantly reduce environmental pollution and improve air quality in cities, that is, to "slow down" the greenhouse effect. Compared to oil, natural gas does not cause such pollution of the environment during production and transportation to the place of consumption.
The world's natural gas reserves reach 70 trillion cubic meters. If the current production volumes are maintained, they will be enough for more than 100 years. Gas fields are found both separately and in combination with oil, water, and also in a solid state (the so-called gas hydrate accumulations).
Most of the natural gas fields are located in hard-to-reach and ecologically vulnerable areas of the Zapolyarnaya Tundra. Although natural gas does not cause a greenhouse effect, it can be classified as a "greenhouse" gas, as it emits carbon dioxide, which contributes to the greenhouse effect.
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide - carbon dioxide, is constantly formed in nature during the oxidation of organic substances: decay of plant and animal residues, respiration, and fuel combustion. The greenhouse effect occurs due to human disturbance of the carbon dioxide cycle in nature. The industry burns a huge amount of fuel - oil, coal, gas. All of these substances are composed primarily of carbon and hydrogen. Therefore, they are also called organic, hydrocarbon fuels.
During combustion, as is known, oxygen is absorbed and carbon dioxide is released. As a result of this process, every year humanity emits 7 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere! It is even difficult to imagine this value.
At the same time, forests are being cut down on Earth - one of the most important consumers of carbon dioxide, moreover, they are being cut down at a rate of 12 hectares per minute !!! So it turns out that more and more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere, and is consumed by plants less and less.
The carbon dioxide cycle on Earth is disrupted, therefore, in recent years, the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, albeit slowly but surely, has been increasing. And the more it is, the stronger the greenhouse effect.
Chlorofluorinated gases.
Halogens or chlorofluorinated gases are widely used in the chemical industry. Fluorine is used to obtain some valuable secondary derivatives, for example, lubricants that can withstand high temperatures, plastics that are resistant to chemical reagents (Teflon), and fluids for refrigeration machines (freons or freons). Freon is also emitted by aerosols and refrigerators. Freon is also believed to destroy the ozone layer in the atmosphere.
One of the most common freons is difluorodichloroethane (freon-12) - gas, non-toxic, does not react with metals, colorless and odorless. It easily liquefies under pressure and turns into a liquid with a boiling point of 30 degrees Celsius. It is used in refrigeration plants and as a solvent for the formation of aerosols. Chlorine is used for the preparation of numerous organic and inorganic compounds. It is used in the production of hydrochloric acid, bleach, hypochlorites and chlorates, etc. A large amount of chlorine is used to bleach fabrics and cellulose used for papermaking.
Chlorine is also used for sterilizing drinking water and disinfecting waste water. In non-ferrous metallurgy, it is used for the chlorination of ores, which is one of the stages in the production of some metals. Certain organochlorine products have become especially important in recent years.
For example, chlorine-containing organic solvents - dichloroethane, carbon tetrachloride, are widely used for the extraction of fats and the degreasing of metals. Some organochlorine products are effective in crop pest control.
On the basis of organochlorine products, various plastics, synthetic fibers, rubbers, and leather substitutes (pavinol) are produced. Since chlorofluorinated gases are widely used in industry, their production is constantly growing, which means that the emissions of these gases into the atmosphere also grow.
Chlorofluorinated gases are "greenhouse gases", therefore, due to their increased concentration in the atmosphere, the greenhouse effect process is faster. In addition, freons, which are chlorofluorinated gases, destroy the ozone layer in the atmosphere. Pesticides are made of these gases, which, although they fight against agricultural pests, also disrupt the ecological balance.
Stratospheric ozone also affects climate. The absorption of ultraviolet radiation by ozone leads to heating of certain layers of air high in the stratosphere. These layers do not allow gaseous impurities to penetrate into the stratosphere. The thermal "cap" is an important factor in the formation of tropospheric air and, consequently, the Earth's climate. Therefore, any types of human activity leading to a decrease in the average ozone content in the stratosphere can have very serious long-term consequences for the climate, human health, and the state of all living nature.
Consequences of the greenhouse effect
1. If the temperature on Earth continues to rise, this will have a major impact on the global climate.
2. More rainfall will occur in the tropics, as the additional heat will increase the water vapor in the air.
3. In arid regions, rains will become even more rare and they will turn into deserts as a result of which people and animals will have to leave them.
4. The temperature of the seas will also rise, which will lead to flooding of the low-lying areas of the coast and an increase in the number of severe storms.
5. Rising temperatures on Earth can cause sea levels to rise because:
a) water, heating up, becomes less dense and expands, expansion
sea water will lead to an overall rise in sea level;
b) an increase in temperature can melt part of the perennial ice covering some land areas, for example, Antarctica or high mountain ranges.
The resulting water will eventually drain into the seas, raising their levels. It should be noted, however, that melting ice floating in the seas will not cause sea level rise. The Arctic ice sheet is a huge layer of floating ice. Like Antarctica, the Arctic is also surrounded by many icebergs.
Climatologists have calculated that if the Greenland and Antarctic glaciers melt, the level of the World Ocean will rise by 70-80 m.
6. Residential land will shrink.
7. The water-salt balance of the oceans will be disrupted.
8. Trajectories of movement of cyclones and anticyclones will change.
9. If the temperature on Earth rises, many animals will not be able to adapt to climate change. Many plants will die from lack of moisture and animals will have to move to other places in search of food and water. If an increase in temperature leads to the death of many plants, then after them many species of animals will also die out.
In addition to the negative consequences of global warming, several positive ones can be noted. On the face of it, a warmer climate appears to be a boon, as heating bills can decrease and the growing season in mid to high latitudes can increase.
Increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide can speed up photosynthesis. However, potential yield gains could be wiped out by disease damage from insect pests, as higher temperatures will speed up their reproduction. Soils in some areas will be of little use for growing staple crops. Global warming would probably accelerate the decomposition of organic matter in soils, which would lead to additional releases of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere and accelerate the greenhouse effect. What awaits us in the future?
Global warming
Back in 1827, the French physicist J. Fourier suggested that the Earth's atmosphere performs the function of glass in a greenhouse: air allows solar heat to pass through, but does not allow it to evaporate back into space. And he was right. This effect is due to some atmospheric gases such as water vapor and carbon dioxide. They transmit visible and "near" infrared light emitted by the sun, but absorb the "far" infrared radiation generated when the earth's surface is heated by the sun's rays and has a lower frequency (Fig. 12).
In 1909, the Swedish chemist S. Arrhenius first emphasized the enormous role of carbon dioxide as a regulator of the temperature of the near-surface layers of the air. Carbon dioxide freely passes the sun's rays to the earth's surface, but absorbs most of the earth's thermal radiation. This is a kind of colossal screen that prevents the cooling of our planet.
The temperature of the Earth's surface is steadily increasing, increasing over the XX century. by 0.6 ° C. In 1969, it was 13.99 ° C, in 2000 - 14.43 ° C. Thus, the average temperature of the Earth is currently about 15 ° C. At a given temperature, the planet's surface and atmosphere are in thermal equilibrium. Heated by the energy of the Sun and infrared radiation of the atmosphere, the surface of the Earth returns to the atmosphere on average an equivalent amount of energy. This is the energy of evaporation, convection, thermal conductivity and infrared radiation.
Fig. 1 Schematic representation of the greenhouse effect due to the presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
Recently, human activity introduces an imbalance in the ratio of absorbed and released energy. Before human intervention in global processes on the planet, changes occurring on its surface and in the atmosphere were associated with the content of gases in nature, which, with the light hand of scientists, were called "greenhouse" gases. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide and water vapor (Fig. 2). Now they have added anthropogenic chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Without a gas blanket enveloping the Earth, the temperature on its surface would be 30-40 degrees lower. The existence of living organisms in this case would be very problematic.
Rice. 2. The proportion of anthropogenic gases in the atmosphere with the greenhouse effect of nitrogen is 6%
Greenhouse gases temporarily trap heat in our atmosphere, thereby creating the so-called greenhouse effect. As a result of man-made human activities, some greenhouse gases increase their share in the overall balance of the atmosphere.
Greenhouse gas emissions
Greenhouse gases allow the sun's rays to pass through but interfere with the long-wavelength heat radiation of the earth's surface. Some of this absorbed thermal radiation from the atmosphere is radiated back to the earth's surface, creating a greenhouse, or greenhouse, effect.
Carbon dioxide (CO 2) is believed to play a major role in the formation of a heat trap in the upper atmosphere.
According to Rosstat, in the Russian Federation the share of carbon dioxide in total greenhouse gas emissions is about 72%, methane is about 22%.
To calculate greenhouse gas emissions, Rosstat generates and submits to Roshydromet the following data:
Balance of fuel and energy resources
Production data for the most important products
Freight turnover of transport by type
Transportation by pipelines
Cultivated areas, livestock and poultry, fertilization, food consumption, etc.
Other federal executive bodies:
State registration of forest resources, forest felling
Formation, use, disposal, disposal of production and consumption waste
Aggregate greenhouse gas emissions in the RF (million tons) CO 2
Information quality assurance
The primary measures for checking the quality of the data used in the calculations are carried out according to special intradepartmental methods by the forces of the departments responsible for their collection and generalization.
Secondary control and verification of data, parameters and calculations performed on the basis of the information provided is carried out by the IGKE of Roshydromet.
Quality control procedures include:
Formal control of activity data, parameters and calculations;
Cross-validation of data, parameters and calculations;
Verification of procedures for collecting and storing activity data, parameters,
calculation and other materials, including information on checks.
Currently, the increase in CO 2 concentration is estimated at an average of 0.3-0.5%; methane - about 1%; nitrogen oxides - 0.2% per year. According to some reports, the greenhouse effect is 50% dependent on carbon dioxide and 33% on methane.
In Russia, due to the general decline in production, greenhouse gas emissions in 2000 amounted to 80% of the 1990 level. Therefore, in 2004 Russia ratified the Kyoto Agreement, giving it a legal status. Now (2012) this agreement is in effect, other states (for example, Australia) are joining it, but nevertheless the decisions of the Kyoto agreement remain unfulfilled. However, the struggle for the implementation of the Kyoto agreement continues.
The consequences of the increased greenhouse effect on the biosphere are unclear, the most likely forecast is global warming.
Similar information.
Loading...
