Climate change is a natural process that causes global temperatures to fluctuate over a certain period. Some people believe that unnatural factors are also causes of climate change. Theories that climate fluctuations are occurring at concerning paces have sparked an increased desire to understand the factors.
A phenomenon known as the greenhouse effect is believed to be one of the major causes of climate change. The greenhouse effect occurs when certain gases, such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane, are heavily concentrated in the atmosphere. It is believed that these gases absorb radiation that is emitted from the Earth’s surface. This causes that radiation to be trapped in the atmosphere. As a result, the Earth’s temperature rises.
Carbon dioxide is considered one of the biggest perpetrators of this global warming process. Many scientists believe that the oceans are natural keepers of carbon dioxide. The amount that can be stored is affected by temperature. As the Earth becomes warmer, theories suggest that the oceans can store less carbon dioxide. When these increasing amounts of gas are released, they cannot escape the atmosphere. This process of release and trapping becomes a cycle.
Humans are believed to be aggravating causes of climate change due to a number of activities. Burning fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas, and coal is one of them. Burning these substances produces more carbon dioxide. It is assumed that limiting the use of fossil fuels has a positive effect on global warming.
Aerosols are another human aggravation to climate change. Aerosols are small particles in the air that can impact the temperature up or down, depending on the type. Some aerosols, such as the type produced by volcanoes, cause cooling and are not related to human activity. Other aerosols, such as smog and smoke from forest fires, result from people. These aerosols are said to have warming effects because they absorb the sun’s energy.
It was once believed that the sun’s output varied only slightly. Newer theories based on satellites containing radiometers suggest that the radiation from the sun may have a significantly greater variance. If varying output from the sun is proven to be a constant reality instead of a trend, it would only be logical to expect climate change, according to some scientists.
The causes of climate change is a subject that is surrounded by much debate. The issue has been analyzed by a variety of professionals. Some of them wholly reject the idea that any significant climate changes are taking place. Others warn that the rate of change must be minimized for the sake of human livelihood.