Air pollution
control
The limitations, prevention, reduction, or management of air pollution, so
there will be no harmful or objectionable substances or extreme energy (heat,
chill, noise, radioactivity) in large enough quantities to be added to natural air,
in turn, not to adversely affect the natural air’s usefulness.
Anthropogenic
Made by people or resulting from human activities. Usually used in the
context of emissions that are produced as a result of human activities.
Atmosphere
The gaseous envelope surrounding the earth. The dry atmosphere consists
almost entirely of nitrogen (78.1% volume mixing ratio) and oxygen (20.9%
volume mixing ratio), together with a number of trace gases, such as argon
(0.93% volume mixing ratio), helium, radiatively active greenhouse gases
such as carbon dioxide (0.035% volume mixing ratio), and ozone. In addition
the atmosphere contains water vapor, whose amount is highly variable but
typically 1% volume mixing ratio. The atmosphere also contains clouds and
aerosols. The atmosphere can be divided into a number of layers according to
its mixing or chemical characteristics, generally determined by temperature.
The layer nearest the earth is the troposphere, which reaches up to an altitude
of about 8 km (about 5 miles) in the polar regions and up to 17 km (nearly
11 miles) above the equator. The stratosphere reaches to an altitude of about
50 km (31 miles) and lies above the troposphere. The mesosphere extends up
to 80–90 km and is above the stratosphere, and finally, the thermosphere, or
ionosphere, gradually diminishes and forms a fuzzy border with outer space.
There is very little mixing of gases between layers.
Black carbon
Soot produced from coal burning, diesel engines, cooking fires, wildfires, and
other combustion sources. These particles absorb solar energy and have a
warming influence on the climate.
Black carbon
aerosol
Black carbon (BC) is the most strongly light-absorbing component of particulate matter (PM) and is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels,
biofuels, and biomass. It is emitted directly into the atmosphere in the form of
fine particles (PM2.5).
Carbon capture
and sequestration (CCS)
Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is a set of technologies that can
greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions from new and existing coal- and
gas-fired power plants, industrial processes, and other stationary sources of
carbon dioxide. It is a three-step process that includes capture of carbon
dioxide from power plants or industrial sources, transport of the captured
and compressed carbon dioxide (usually in pipelines), and underground
injection and geologic sequestration, or permanent storage, of that carbon
dioxide in rock formations that contain tiny openings or pores that trap and
hold the carbon dioxide.
Carbon capture
and storage
The process of capturing carbon dioxide and injecting it into geologic formations underground for long-term storage. “Carbon capture and storage” is
same as “carbon capture and sequestration.”
Carbon cycle
(a) All parts (reservoirs) and fluxes of carbon. The cycle is usually thought of
as four main reservoirs of carbon interconnected by pathways of exchange.
The reservoirs are the atmosphere, terrestrial biosphere (usually includes
freshwater systems), oceans, and sediments (includes fossil fuels). The annual
movements of carbon, the carbon exchanges between reservoirs, occur
because of various chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes.
The ocean contains the largest pool of carbon near the surface of the earth, but
most of that pool is not involved with rapid exchange with the atmosphere.
(b) Circulation of carbon atoms through the earth systems as a result of
photosynthetic conversion of carbon dioxide into complex organic compounds by plants, which are consumed by other organisms, and return of
the carbon to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide as a result of respiration, decay
of organisms, and combustion of fossil fuels.
1 Effect of Global Warming and Climate Change on Glaciers and Salmons
25
control
The limitations, prevention, reduction, or management of air pollution, so
there will be no harmful or objectionable substances or extreme energy (heat,
chill, noise, radioactivity) in large enough quantities to be added to natural air,
in turn, not to adversely affect the natural air’s usefulness.
Anthropogenic
Made by people or resulting from human activities. Usually used in the
context of emissions that are produced as a result of human activities.
Atmosphere
The gaseous envelope surrounding the earth. The dry atmosphere consists
almost entirely of nitrogen (78.1% volume mixing ratio) and oxygen (20.9%
volume mixing ratio), together with a number of trace gases, such as argon
(0.93% volume mixing ratio), helium, radiatively active greenhouse gases
such as carbon dioxide (0.035% volume mixing ratio), and ozone. In addition
the atmosphere contains water vapor, whose amount is highly variable but
typically 1% volume mixing ratio. The atmosphere also contains clouds and
aerosols. The atmosphere can be divided into a number of layers according to
its mixing or chemical characteristics, generally determined by temperature.
The layer nearest the earth is the troposphere, which reaches up to an altitude
of about 8 km (about 5 miles) in the polar regions and up to 17 km (nearly
11 miles) above the equator. The stratosphere reaches to an altitude of about
50 km (31 miles) and lies above the troposphere. The mesosphere extends up
to 80–90 km and is above the stratosphere, and finally, the thermosphere, or
ionosphere, gradually diminishes and forms a fuzzy border with outer space.
There is very little mixing of gases between layers.
Black carbon
Soot produced from coal burning, diesel engines, cooking fires, wildfires, and
other combustion sources. These particles absorb solar energy and have a
warming influence on the climate.
Black carbon
aerosol
Black carbon (BC) is the most strongly light-absorbing component of particulate matter (PM) and is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels,
biofuels, and biomass. It is emitted directly into the atmosphere in the form of
fine particles (PM2.5).
Carbon capture
and sequestration (CCS)
Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is a set of technologies that can
greatly reduce carbon dioxide emissions from new and existing coal- and
gas-fired power plants, industrial processes, and other stationary sources of
carbon dioxide. It is a three-step process that includes capture of carbon
dioxide from power plants or industrial sources, transport of the captured
and compressed carbon dioxide (usually in pipelines), and underground
injection and geologic sequestration, or permanent storage, of that carbon
dioxide in rock formations that contain tiny openings or pores that trap and
hold the carbon dioxide.
Carbon capture
and storage
The process of capturing carbon dioxide and injecting it into geologic formations underground for long-term storage. “Carbon capture and storage” is
same as “carbon capture and sequestration.”
Carbon cycle
(a) All parts (reservoirs) and fluxes of carbon. The cycle is usually thought of
as four main reservoirs of carbon interconnected by pathways of exchange.
The reservoirs are the atmosphere, terrestrial biosphere (usually includes
freshwater systems), oceans, and sediments (includes fossil fuels). The annual
movements of carbon, the carbon exchanges between reservoirs, occur
because of various chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes.
The ocean contains the largest pool of carbon near the surface of the earth, but
most of that pool is not involved with rapid exchange with the atmosphere.
(b) Circulation of carbon atoms through the earth systems as a result of
photosynthetic conversion of carbon dioxide into complex organic compounds by plants, which are consumed by other organisms, and return of
the carbon to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide as a result of respiration, decay
of organisms, and combustion of fossil fuels.
1 Effect of Global Warming and Climate Change on Glaciers and Salmons
25