Witness To A Changing Earth: A Geologist’s Journey Learning About Natural and Human-caused Global Change

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

CHAPTER 1 GLOBAL WARMING

PATTERNS PROVIDING EVIDENCE FOR GLOBAL WARMING

Increased CO₂ and CH₄ in the atmosphere and warming climate

Ocean acidification from increased absorbtion of atmospheric CO₂

Rising ocean temperatures and sea levels

Diminishing polar ice, mountain glaciers, permafrost and gas hydrates

16 record breaking air temperatures of the past 136 years since 2001

More intense extreme weather events e.g hurricanes, droughts, wildfires

Increasing animal extinction rates

CHAPTER 2 MY GLOBAL CHANGE STUDIES

MY FIRST SCIENTIFIC LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CHANGE

MASTERS DEGREE LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CHANGE

ADVENTURES WHILE STUDYING CRATER LAKE

PhD GRADUATE SCHOOL LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CHANGE

ADVENTURES DURING PhD STUDIES