andrew.g


 * Topic 4: Describe how natural phenomena can affect climate **

Factors that can shape climate are climate forcings. These include such processes as variations in solar radiation, deviations in the Earth's orbit, mountain-building and continental drift, and changes in greenhouse gas concentrations. There are a variety of climate change feedbacks that can either amplify or diminish the initial forcing. Some parts of the climate system, such as the oceans and ice caps, respond slowly in reaction to climate forcing because of their large mass. Therefore, the climate system can take centuries or longer to fully respond to new external forcings.
 * __Causes:__**

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the El Niño part of the cycle involves warmer-than-usual sea temperatures, great amounts of rainfall (in the northern hemisphere) and low atmospheric pressure. The most extreme results of an El Niño event have included flooding from Ecuador to the Gulf of Mexico, massive marine life die-offs in the Pacific, hurricanes in Tahiti and Hawaii, and concurrent droughts in many other parts of the world from Southern India to Australia to Central America. In contrast, cooler sea temperatures, high atmospheric pressure and drier air characterize the La Niña phase of the Southern Oscillation. During La Niña, currents bring nutrients up from the deep water, providing feast, rather than famine, for marine organisms. And accompanying strong winds blow moisture away, making for cloudless skies and dry conditions in equatorial countries from the International Date Line east to South America.
 * The Effects of El Niño**
 * The Effects of La Niña**


 * Stage one:** MSW ( Municipal Solid Waste ) is collected and delivered to a centralized Biosphere process facility. Each facility recycles up to 100% of the total tonnage of MSW collected and economically viable at a little as 5-8 tons/hr which can be constructed in closed facilities of as little as 3,000 square feet (280 m2).
 * Stage two:** The MSW collected will be sorted to separate compost production, plastics and rubber recovery, metals, and glass. It typically operates at a rate of tons/hour. Each receiving line separates MSW into two feedstock streams comprising putrescible (organic) and non-putrescible (non-organic) materials.
 * Stage three:** All other materials in the waste stream is forced through a Biosphere Densifier 3, which compacts the MSW into 20g flakes with 15-20% moisture termed Biosphere Flakes 4 at the rate of 30 tons/hour, these flakes drive the biosphere process.
 * Stage four:** The biosphere flakes are converted into 1000 (degree) C, 1800 (degree) C flux using a Biosphere Venturi 5. It is designated to produce an inert ash which is then recycled into a concrete products for the building industry, thus ensuring up a 100% recycling of all MSW handled through the biosphere process. With this, it completely replaces traditional landfills and dumpsites as a method of waste disposal.
 * Stage five:** The 1000 (degree) C to 1800 (degree) C flux produced in stage four is then used to power a gas turbine for micro power generation.