Air quiz - solutions

1. What is global warming ?
□	the current increase in the average temperature during summer 
□	the current increase in the average temperature of our planet’s air, oceans and crust
□	the current increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans and its projected continuation
□	the projected increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases in the future

2. What is the Kyoto protocol ?
□	a law to stop the use of CFC which harm the ozone layer
□	an international guideline for the promotion of natural ressources and protection of biodiversity
□	an international rule forcing all countries to declare and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 50% for 2012.
□	a guideline signed by many countries aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

3. Which unit is used to measure ozone ?
□	millimeters units
□	Dobson units
□	Edison units
□	m³ units

4. Why is ozone depletion in the stratosphere worrying ?
□	because the ozone layer protect us from the greenhouse effect
□	because the ozone layer protects us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays 
□	because it is harmful for us to breathe ozone
□	because it causes icebergs to melt down

5. Which one of these is false ?
□	the ozone hole over the Antartic is caused by chemical reactions with chemicals released by men
□	the ozone hole over the Antartic reaches its maximum in June 
□	the ozone hole over the Antartic is seasonal
□	the ozone hole over the Antartic is much smaller in December, when the ozone-destroying chemical reactions have stopped 

6. Which of these satellites is not used to collect meteorological data ?
□	Meteosat-8
□	SeaWIFS
□	Quickbird 
□	Aqua

Tropical storms with winds reaching 33 m/s have different names depending on their location.
7. In the Northwest Pacific Ocean (west of the dateline) they are called:
□	hurricane
□	severe cyclonic storm
□	typhoon
□	severe tropical cyclone
8. In the Southeast Indian Ocean, they are called :
□	hurricane
□	severe cyclonic storm
□	typhoon
□	severe tropical cyclone
9. In the North Atlantic Ocean, they are called :
□	hurricane
□	severe cyclonic storm
□	typhoon
□	severe tropical cyclone
10. In the North Indian Ocean, they are called :
□	hurricane
□	severe cyclonic storm
□	typhoon
□	severe tropical cyclone

11. What is “smog” ?
□	a layer of ozone in the stratosphere
□	a ground level mixture of ozone and of fine particles of air pollutants 
□	air pollutants causing the ozone hole
□	a cloud which produces acid rains

12. What is the common ground for RADAR (RAdio Detection and RAnging) and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) techniques ?
□	both generate their own outgoing signal (they are active sensor systems)
□	both can only receive a signal (they are passive sensor systems)

13. How have carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations evolved since 1997 in Hawaii? 
□	mean CO2 concentrations have decreased 
□	CO2 concentrations oscillate every year but the mean is staying at the same level since 1997
□	mean CO2 concentrations have increased 
□	we don’t know because CO2 concentrations are impossible to measure 

14. What is El Niño ? 
□	a climatic event characterized by very strong trade winds promoting vigorous upwelling of cold water along the coast of Peru. 
□	a climatic event characterized by unusually warm sea surface temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. 
□	a climatic event characterized by unusually cold sea surface temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. 
□	a climatic event characterized by weak trade winds promoting vigorous upwelling of cold water along the coast of Peru. 

Water quiz - Solutions

1. One of the most important greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide (CO2). Do you know which one of these processes does not produce CO2 ?
□	photosynthesis by plants
□	burning of fossil fuel
□	volcanic eruptions
□	respiration by animals

2. What is a coral ?
□	an algae
□	a plant
□	an animal
□	a rock

3. What is an atoll ?
□	an artificial island
□	an island with a lagoon
□	a ring-shaped coral reef surrounding a lagoon
□	a corallian island 

4. Which of these is false ?
□	healthy reefs are growing continuously because live coral grows on the accumulated skeletons of dead coral
□	coral colour comes from associated species of algae living together with coral polyps
□	slight changes in water temperatures, low salinity and high sunlight levels do not cause coral bleaching
□	coral bleaching occurs when associated algae is expelled from the coral tissue, which loses its colour and eventually dies

5. This Formosat image shows the ice fragments issued from the disintegration of the Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antartica. 
Go to „Ice melting“ page for a detailed view.

Can you estimate the size of the longest berg (or longest part of berg) you can see in this image ?
□	250 m
□	500 m
□	750 m
□	1000 m

Wilkins shelf disintegration, Antartica (08/03/08). 
Source: National Cheng-Kung University and National Space Organization (Taiwan).

6. What is the Gulf stream ?
□	a warm ocean current in the North Atlantic ocean
□	a cold ocean current in the North Atlantic ocean
□	a warm ocean current in the North Pacific ocean
□	a cold ocean current in the North Pacific ocean

7. Why do you think delta areas expand continuously ?
□	because sediments carried by river water tend to deposit at the end of the waterways 
□	because people keep building artificial islands by land reclamation
□	because sea level is lowering due to climate change
□	none of the above is correct

8. Why do phytoplankton blooms often form in upwelling areas ?
□	because deep water coming to the surface is particularly rich in nutrients
□	because deep water coming to the surface is particularly clean
□	because deep water coming to the surface is particularly cold 
□	because typical coastal deserts tend to develop inland

9. Have a closer look at the image below. 
Go to the „Oil spill“ page for a detailed view.
The full extent of the marine pollution - on 13 December 1992 - is shown in dark green. What was still left three weeks later is in lighter colour. 

What can you say ?
□	after 3 weeks, the oil spill looks like it has almost disappeared compared to 13 december 1992
□	after 3 weeks, the extend of the oil spill looks reduced and some of the oil has moved south
□	after 3 weeks, the extend of the oil spill looks bigger than on 13 December 1992
□	after 3 weeks, the oil spill has moved away from the coast

Oil spill in La Coruña, Spain (13/12/92 and 2/01/93).
Source: ESA.

10. Compare both images of the White River of Arkansas.
Look at the detailed image. Help the authorities and the insurance companies by telling them which parts are flooded : What can you see ?
□	the forest and the city of Clarendon are flooded 
□	the city of Clarendon is safe but the bridges of the US 79 are flooded
□	the forest is flooded but the city of Clarendon is safe
□	the city of Clarendon is flooded but the bridges of the US 79 are not 

11. What is phytoplankton ?
□	microscopic algae that can be toxic
□	the most abundant type of life found in the ocean
□	microscopic marine plants
□	all of the above

12. Under which conditions can a phytoplankton bloom occur ?
□	only under favourable light conditions 
□	only under massive nutrients arrival
□	under favourable light conditions or under massive nutrients arrival
□	none of the above

13. Very high resolution satellites have a ground resolution of around a meter per pixel. Which of the following is not a very resolution satellite ?
□	IKONOS
□	Quickbird
□	ASTER/Terra
□	Kompsat

Land quiz - Solutions

1. Which of the following can cause tropical deforestation?
□	timber harvest and logging (fuel and construction)
□	construction of new roads and buildings
□	conversion to crop plantation, pasture and farms
□	all of the above

2. In which colour appears vegetation in false-colour composite images ?
□	blue
□	red
□	green
□	black

3. Have you understood what a classified image is ? Which one these affirmations is true ?
□	the classified image can highlight the main surface cover types
□	the classified image can show information which wasn’t discernable on the original image
□	the classified image was produced through computer calculations
□	all of the above

4. What is a mosaïc image ?
□	an artificial view of Earth made of overlapping individual images
□	a real view of Earth made with one image showing a vast portion of the Earth surface
□	several artificial views of Earths combined in a time-serie
□	a cloud-free image 

5. and 6. Compare both images of Lake Ichkeul in Tunisia.
Go to the „Natural Heritage“ page for a detailed view. 

5. On which image is the water level higher ?
□	2001
□	2005
□	this is not visible on the images
□	
6. On which image can you spot aquatic plants in the lake (appearing in red) ?
□	2001
□	2005
□	this is not visible on the images

7. Do you remember what has been threatening the park and the venue of migrating birds ?
□	air pollution increase 
□	salinity increase 
□	hunting increase
□	deforestation

8. What is in UNESCO World Heritage list ?
□	a list of national parks or wildlife reserves forming part of the natural heritage considered as having outstanding universal value 
□	a list of sites forming part of the cultural and natural heritage considered as having outstanding universal value 
□	a list of cultural sites considered as having outstanding universal value 
□	a list of natural sites considered as having outstanding universal value 

9. What is specific to the Lena delta in Russia ?
□	the delta is frozen 7 months of the year 
□	the delta forms fertile wetlands 5 months of the year
□	the delta is included in a protected wildlife reserve because it is an important site for birds and fishes
□	all of the above

10. Where are the tallest dunes in the world located ?
□	in the Namibia Desert
□	in the Atacama Desert
□	in the Sahara Desert
□	in the Antartic

11. Which one is the world’s largest desert ?
□	the Namibia Desert
□	the Atacama Desert
□	the Sahara Desert
□	the Antartic

12. Compare the satellite images of the Escondida mine with the ground picture.
The photograph who took the picture on the right was facing East. Which is the orientation of the satellite image ? 
□	top is North, bottom is South
□	top is East, botton is West
□	top is South, bottom is North
□	top is West, bottom is East

13. How satellite data could be helpful for farmers ?
□	by identifying stressed plants even before stress symptoms are visible to the human eye
□	by identifying where crop suffer from water deficiency
□	by identifying where crop are attacked by pests
□	all of the above

14. How were the artificial islands of Dubaï and Barhain built ?
□	by land reclamation 
□	by construction on existing coral reefs
□	by amalgamating several natural islets into a bigger island
□	by extending existing natural islets