EARTH SCIENCE GLOSSARY

A

Air Quality Index (AQI): the system that tracks smog and particulate pollution with Index Values that range from good to Hazardous.

An Inconvenient Truth: written by Al Gore in 2007, this is the first call to climate action that profoundly illustrates how humanity impacts Earth’s environment to create the planetary crisis we must solve.

Anthropocene Epoch (Greek for “new man”): Earth’s present day geological age referred to by many scientists, that defines the era of the human caused impact on climate and the environment.

Atmosphere: one of the five major climate systems and the envelope for layers of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases that surround Earth stretching up about 6,214 miles before space. Small amounts of carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen are included as well. There are five major layers and several secondary layers, some of which are listed in this glossary.

Atmospheric River: a “River in the sky” formed by massive long narrow collections of water moisture with an average size of the Mississippi River. A critical piece of Earth’s climate puzzle because they are responsible for 90% of the water vapor movement from the tropics to the poles.

Atmospheric Thirst or, Evaporative Demand: is the taking of water moisture from Earth’s soil, vegetation and water supplies. As Earth’s temperatures warm, the atmosphere absorbs more water leaving the environment dryer, resulting in less consumable water, as well as making the planet’s surfaces more prone to wildfires, droughts, etc.

B

Bathtub Ring: the white high water mark on lake canyon walls indicating the lake’s current water level is below capacity. This condition is brought on by drought and human water removal.

Biodiversity: the variety of all living things and their interactions.

Biofuels: a form of renewable energy that is derived from the part of crops and animals we don’t eat, nor the parts of vegetation that we don’t utilize. Corn sales for making ethanol is an example. Cow and pig manure for making biogas, as well as wood pellets are other examples. However, the world’s 1.5 billion cows burping methane offsets some of the positives of biofuels. Also, there is not enough volume of biofuels to be a significant contributor as a clean energy source.

Biome: a region defined by its temperatures, soil and amount of water and light; such as an aquatic biome or desert and grassland biomes.

Biosphere: where all living organisms exist on Earth.

Bomb Cyclone or Weather Bomb: a storm of very rapid and increasing intensity caused by the fast deepening of a low pressure weather system.

Business As Usual: when government and corporate leadership actions remain unfazed by the impacts of Climate Change and the required phase out of fossil fuel production. 

C

Carbon Capture and Sequestration, or Storage (CCS): performed prior to the CO2 infiltrating our air, i.e. before it leaves the smokestacks. Ideally, the poisonous gas is contained then buried below Earth’s surfaces, never to appear in the atmosphere.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2): a clear gas that originates in natural sources such as volcanoes, plant and animal decay; as well as human sources involving the production and burning of coal, oil and gas.

Carbon Dioxide Parts Per Million (CO2 ppm): a scientific atmosphere measurement denoting the registered level of carbon dioxide in our air supply. This concentration of CO2 particles has increased by about 40% since 1960, and won’t go away for hundreds of years.

Carbon Neutrality: achieved when nations evenly balance the CO2 released into the atmosphere with the amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere.

Clean Air Act: enacted in 1963, to regulate all sources of environmental pollutants- except greenhouse gases. Amended many times, it went to great lengths to contain most forms of air and water pollution, and therefore, reduce health risks.

Clean Energy: reliable, safe, proven sustainable sources of power collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished by sunlight, wind, water movement, steam and Earth’s core.

Climate: weather conditions that prevail over a very long period of time such as tropical climate or desert climate.

Climate Abandonment Zones: areas where flooding, wildfires, heat waves, etc. cause people to permanently leave in search of a stable and safe weather environment.

Climate Adaptation: the preparation for ongoing adjustments due to the past, present and future impacts of Climate Change; such as a change in lifestyle to accommodate warmer temperature and humidity. 

Climate Anxiety: a feeling of helplessness, distress, fear or anger brought about by an unseemly irrevocable impact of global warming.

Climate Betrayal: or climate crime, of intentionally putting the world’s efforts to cool off our planet on life support.

Climate Change: long term shifts in air temperatures and weather patterns that’s been coming from natural causes for 4.5 billion years, and human causes for 170 years.

Climate Change Education - A critical climate tool that’s growing. Climate literacy must be taught in U.S. schools in order to teach young people about Earth’s planetary crisis.

Climate Migration: displacement of any species due to a permanent change in habitat that results from insufficient food, drinking water or shelter.

Conference of Parties (COP): the decision making body within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that has the final say-so when addressing Climate Change on behalf of every nation on Earth.

Crisis: an emergency that can be solved by sound decision making - doing what right and/or obvious to conquer the obstacle.

Cryosphere: precipitation that remains frozen while reflecting the sun’s radiation back into space. Ice, snow, glaciers and permafrost rule this particular climate system.

D

Deadpool: the insufficient water level in a dam that no longer can provide enough pressure to keep the hydroelectric turbines spinning, thereby shutting down an entire electricity source. 

Decarbonization: reduction or elimination of CO2 infusion into the atmosphere through the substitution of renewable energy sources. 

Deforestation: the human impact of tree removal for consumption purposes, or by wildfires, leading to the loss of about one third of Earth’s forests. 

Deglaciation: global warming’s ability to advance the melting of glaciers and ice sheets far ahead of the preindustrial era’s natural rate of ice mass retreat. 

Desalination: the process of removing salt from seawater to create an alternative source for drinking and agricultural water.

Direct Air Capture (DAC): the process of vacuuming carbon that is blanketed throughout Earth’s atmosphere - a necessary procedure that is nearly unaffordable at this time. 

Dirty Energy: see Fossil Fuels.

E

Earth Livability: the opportunity for all species to exist and receive the correct amount of air, water, food and shelter- generation after generation.

Ecology: the study of living things, their relationship to one another and the environment surrounding them.

Ecosystem: a biological community comprised of all living organisms in a given locale and the environment within which they exist.

El Niño, La Niña: abnormal Pacific Ocean climate activity caused by warmer or cooler water temperatures that have global impacts such as increased aridity and flooding. 

Electric Vehicles (EV’s): transportation powered by batteries instead of a gas engine that one day will number in the hundreds of millions of vehicles, planes, boats, etc. that will eventually reduce carbon emissions by 40%-50% depending on material factors. This is not the solution to Climate Change, yet it will offer substantial relief to the crisis.

Electrical Grid: the power system for mankind that must adapt to accommodating a world changing from gas powered transportation to the electric powered method of moving people and commerce from one place to another.

Emissions: the release of excessive, harmful gases into the atmosphere that are collectively known as greenhouse gas.

Endangered Species Act: signed in 1973, a U.S. Federal law to restore populations of threatened plants and animals prior to extinction. The objective is to save imperiled species from total elimination as a “consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation.”

Energy Transition: the transformation of power sources from coal, oil and gas (dirty energy) to wind, solar, etc. (clean energy).

F

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): America’s disaster relief fund, while many states have disaster relief agencies of their own. Unfortunately, FEMA’s long term financial stability is in question due to the rising number of billion dollar weather disasters.

 Fire Whirl: also known as firenado, or fire twister. A wildfire caused whirlwind consisting of a vertical column of flames brought on by rising heat and turbulent winds.

Fossil Fuel: coal, oil and natural gas fired sources of energy, formed in the millions of years past from the decayed remains of decomposed plants and animals.

Fusion Energy: a form of a renewable power source that produces carbon-free energy by using lasers to create heat and pressure, similar to how a star performs. There is no radio active waste involved, but the technology is in the very early stages of development.

G

Geoengineering: the manipulation of the atmosphere, thought by some to be a method of offsetting the melting of Earth’s ice. It is a highly controversial climate altering technology in which sulfur and similar chemicals are released in the sky to reflect more sunlight back into back into space. Minimal progress has been made.

Geology: the science that specializes in Earth’s physical nature and its history, particularly as recorded in rocks.

Geothermal Energy: clean energy formed from heat within Earth’s core that consistently produces electricity.

Global Carbon Cycle: Earth’s millions of years old built-in process of carbon moving in balance from the atmosphere to plants, oceans, animals and soils. From there, carbon naturally drifts back to the atmosphere in a revolving cycle, and without it and other gases, Earth would exist as a frozen world. All naturally synchronized - until a few decades ago when human caused CO2 accumulated beyond reason, surpassing nature’s boundaries.

Global Warming: the long term heating of our planet’s surface as a result of heat trapping atmospheric pollutants - primarily human caused CO2.

Global Water Cycle: Earth’s natural system whereby water evaporates into water vapor, then condenses to form clouds, which in turn, gives back to Earth in the form of precipitation. The majority of this activity occurs over oceans which are now warming, thereby increasing the rate of evaporation, thus more rain.

Greenhouse gas: the polluting chemicals in Earth’s atmosphere produced by fossil fuel that traps heat, like an immovable electric blanket covering our planet. The name is derived from the glass walls of a structure built for plants during cold seasons. The walls are exposed to sunlight which makes the interior much warmer than the exterior since the inside temperature can’t readily escape.

Greenwashing: false, or pretend, climate action to make society believe an entity cares about transitioning to clean energy.

H

Heat Dome: when heavy air traps warm air, like a lid. Greenhouse gas causes a thicker atmosphere that pushes warmer air down and compresses it into a smaller volume causing it to become hotter. As the hot air tries to escape, the unrelenting pressure from above forces it back down, creating the dome effect.

Hectare: one hectare equals 2.472 acres; while one acre equals .405 hectares. Common for Europe and Australia. 

Hemisphere: a reference point for the vertical or horizontal half of Earth. Either north and south, or east and west.

High Pressure System: a weather condition mostly associated with clear skies and dryness because the pressure pushes air down and into lower pressure areas.

Holocene Epoch: began roughly 12,000 years ago with the end of the last Ice Age. Also referred to as “The Age of Man” as all of human recorded history has happened within the Holocene Era.

Hydrogen Energy: a not-so-clean power source that occurs when electrolysis splits water to produce hydrogen and oxygen. It is a polluter since CO2 and methane are required to separate it from other chemicals. Therefore, not a good definition of clean energy.

Hydropower: renewable energy that uses water motion to produce electricity. Unfortunately, most global locations have been taken, while at the same time, these freshwater sources are being tested by warming temperatures. 

Hydrosphere: refers to all waters on Earth.

I

Ice-Free Arctic: refers to the not to distant future when the Arctic summer sea ice will melt to a prescribed record low, a tipping point, of 386,000 square miles vs. the 2,400,000 square mile average from 1981-2010.

Inflation Reductions Act: signed by President Biden on 8/16/2022, it is our nation’s largest investment in history towards reducing carbon pollution. Up until this time, Congress circumvented nearly every opportunity for meaningful climate action at a federal level.

International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): the United Nation’s body of authority, formed in 1988, that is the one and only international governance that can unite humankind towards a solution to our warming planet. In 2015, nearly thirty years after its origination, the IPCC officially notified the world that Earth’s average temperature cannot rise more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) over the pre-industrial average temperature, without devastating environmental consequences. 

Invasive Species: a non-native animal, leach or plant that overtakes and relies on a new environment which causes harm to nature, an economy or human health, while giving nothing in return.

J

Jet Stream: moves weather systems across the U.S. “Rivers of Air” reaching heights of 4-8 miles, they are fairly narrow bands of strong winds that form when warm air masses from the south collide with cooler air masses from the north. They blow from west to east, but dip as colder air drops closer to Earth’s surface, or warm air rises into the atmosphere. There is one near each of the poles, and one north and south of the equator. With the advent of global warming, the jet streams become slower and wavier, thus allowing additional tropical warm air, as well as rising Arctic temperatures to be trapped over North America, Asia and Europe.

K

Kilometer: one kilometer equals .621 miles, while one mile equals 1.603 kilometers. A very common measurement in many foreign countries. 

L

Lithium: a soft, silvery white metal that is the “heart” of EV rechargeable batteries, mobile phones and laptops. While there is enough of a world supply, the only question deals with accessibility. 

Lithosphere: this is the outer crust where fossil fuels are found; as well as the upper mantle in Earth’s core, comprised of many tectonic plates and is bounded by the atmosphere above. 

Low Pressure System: an area where converging winds rotate in the same direction as our planet, which causes warm air to rise resulting in clouds and rain.

M

Meter: one meter equals 3.28 feet while one foot equals .305 meters. This, the metric system, is used by every country in the world except the USA and two small nations.

Microplastics: plastic fragments that are less than .2 inches in length, and most often invisible to the human eye. Synthetic textiles are the greatest contributor to a pollutant than can last for many, many years in the oceans, soils, plants - and bodies of every living thing!

Millennium: a period or cycle of one thousand years. Plural: Millennia. 

N

Natural Capital: the benefits to humanity from worldwide ecosystems; namely breathable air, drinkable water, healthy vegetation and oceans, as well as biodiversity.

Nonoplastics: smaller than microplastics and a human health concern. At 1/1000th the average width of a human hair, they lead to the plastic contamination within the human body.

Nuclear Energy: a renewable power source that is efficient, dependable and 100% emissions free.  It risky due to the possibility of a nuclear meltdown and the endless question of where to store the lethal radioactive waste where it won’t one day leak. This waste component is the direct opposite of clean energy.

O

Ocean acidification: the reduction of the required saltwater ph level caused by an over abundance of CO2 absorbed out of the atmosphere. Sometimes referred to as the “osteoporosis of the sea.” The resulting acidic condition eats away at the minerals used by marine life, thus negatively impacting people’s dependency on the ocean as a food source.

One Point Five Degrees Celsius (1.5 C): most of the world uses Celsius to measure temperature. Established by the 2015 landmark international pledge in Paris, 1.5 C is the benchmark by which the world’s average temperature will not increase over the average temperature of the pre-industrial revolution era. 

Ozone Layer: absorbs most of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, without which life on Earth is not possible.

P

Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch: a giant raft of a floating rubbish habitat made up of coastal plants and animals being carried out to sea. It is about two times the size of Texas and projected to triple in size within the next 15 years if the throw-away waste behavior continues.

Planet Damage: a global warming fingerprint that becomes an ecological scar, such as wildfires, tornados, etc.

Polar Vortex: the entire winter weather circulation above the poles that contains an immense area of low pressure and cold air flowing counterclockwise. 

Pollution: a chemical or substance that has detrimental effects on the environment- primarily greenhouse gas and discarded plastic.

Precipitation: frozen or liquid water that falls from the sky and settles on Earth’s surface.

Pre-industrial: the 1750-1850 reference period before the arrival of the Industrial Revolution machines and tools that defined world economies.

Q

R

Rare Earth Elements (REE): the key to clean energy’s wind turbines and electric vehicles. Examples are lithium, nickel, cobalt and graphite and all are plentiful, but not easy to extract from within Earth’s surface.

Renewable Energy: Earth’s climate future in order to halt global warming. See clean energy.

Ring of Fire: a semicircular formation of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

S

Savanna: a grassy plain habitat located in tropical regions with minimum trees, such as the East Africa Plains, that are frequented by animal herds.

Shrubification of the Arctic Tundra: shorter, harsh winters with running water replacing frozen water that creates shrub expansion.

Solar Energy: extreme clean energy captured from sunlight using a wide range of technologies to generate power. Unlike other energy sources, it will never run out and it’s available worldwide.

Stratosphere: the second atmospheric layer above Earth’s surface that has a fairly even temperature and minimal clouds. A deep, dryer layer that extends upward about 32 miles where a the critical ozone layer lies.

Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW): a high altitude rapid warming event that can weaken or collapse the Polar Vortex. Should this occur, a major ground level shift in weather patterns is likely.

T

Techtonic Plates: enormous pieces of Earth’s crust and mantle that are stacked into seven major and eight minor plates - where continents are embedded. They move perhaps a centimeter per year and will remain in place for millions of years.

Terra Firma: land.

Thunberg, Greta: born in 2003 in Stockholm, Sweden, the lead youth movement climate activist who is credited with being the most influential person for challenging world leadership to mitigate climate change. 

Ton: this measurement of weight has three alternatives. The U.S. short ton equaling 2000 lbs.; the British long ton of 2240 lbs. and the metric tonne at 2204 lbs. that is used by the majority of nations.

Troposphere: the first layer of the atmosphere where weather events occur, and extends upwards from Earth’s surface about eight miles where passenger planes fly. This is where greenhouse gas is most dense.

Two Point Seven Degrees Fahrenheit (2.7 F): serves as the tipping point beyond which the increase in Earth’s average annual temperature must not exceed the average temperature of pre-industrial times.  Fahrenheit is used exclusively by the U.S. and a handful of smaller nations.

U

U.S. Drought Meter: a map that updates drought location and intensity issued by the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska.

V

W

Weather: the state of our air at a given location and time period.

Wet Bulb Temperature: measures the safe temperature and humidity limits beyond which humans can’t cool themselves by evaporating sweat through the skin. The maximum heat a body can take is approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit at 100% humidity.

White Natural Hydrogen: a renewable energy form that is not a pollutant since no CO2 or methane is required, unlike industrial hydrogen that must be fabricated using the two poisonous gases. It is still too early to determine if white (green) hydrogen is forever renewable, and it is in the infancy stages of extraction and commercialization.

Wind Energy: the use of wind turbines to create electricity. Concerns center around times when there is minimal or no wind, the threat to bird life, a constant low level noise and limited locations.

X

Y

Z

Zero Emissions: Earth’s perfect state of being where no human created device, particularly mobile machinery used for transport, emits excessive pollutants that disrupt our biosphere.