Climate Change Part 3 - Impacts ViewThe Climate Change Part 3 lesson uses GIS and media to explore a critical area of climate change research: glacial melting and its potential impact on the ocean currents. How are climate and ocean currents interlocked? Evidence shows increased melting of glaciers in Greenland. The addition of fresh water to the North Atlantic threatens to alter the ocean's salinity in the North Atlantic region. The North Atlantic is also home to a key area of the Oceanic Conveyor Belt, where colder, denser water sinks and initiates the conveyor. Given the role that salinity plays in maintaining the Oceanic Conveyor Belt, a decrease in salinity due to the addition of fresh water (which is less dense) threatens to slow or shut down the Oceanic Conveyor Belt. If the conveyor shuts down, it will no longer bring warm ocean waters from the south to areas of Northern Europe. Since the ocean plays an important role in the local climate balance, this could lead to a dramatic drop in local temperatures for Northern Europe. This lesson can be used on its own or in combination with two other lessons (Part 1-Greenland and Part 2-Ocean View). When used together, this set of lessons will give students a deeper understanding of the phenomena of climate change. The other two lessons can be found in the ArcView 9.x lessons section of the K-12 website http://www.esricanada.com/english/3780.asp Before starting this lesson, please read the Teacher's Guide provided. A master answer sheet is available for teachers , just send an email to k-12@esricanada.com. * PLEASE READ: By downloading this lesson and data you have been deemed to agree to the terms below: THE LESSON AND DATA ARE PROVIDED "AS-IS," WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, BY STATUTE OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NONINFRINGEMENT. THE AUTHOR OF THE LESSON AND DATA ("AUTHOR") DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE USE OF THE LESSON AND DATA SHALL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE. THE USER OF THE LESSON AND DATA ("USER") BEARS ALL RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE LESSON AND DATA. IN NO EVENT SHALL AUTHOR BE LIABLE TO THE USER FOR COSTS OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES, LOST PROFITS, LOST SALES OR BUSINESS EXPENDITURES, INVESTMENTS, OR COMMITMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH ANY BUSINESS, LOSS OF ANY GOODWILL, OR FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THIS USE OF THE LESSON(S), HOWEVER CAUSED, ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE AUTHOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. THESE LIMITATIONS SHALL APPLY NOTWITHSTANDING ANY FAILURE OF ESSENTIAL PURPOSE OF ANY LIMITED REMEDY.
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