Glossary

Refers to factors that affect various components of the climate. The “classic” climate factors include incoming sunlight, the distribution of land and ocean, and height above sea level. Atmospheric circulation, as a secondary climate factor, is often of critical importance for the climate of a given place or region. Earth’s climate is not solely determined by the sun and other external climate factors (major volcanic eruptions, meteor strikes, etc.) but also by a diverse range of interactions between Earth’s atmosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and biosphere (internal climate factors). Human influences (greenhouse effect), as external climate factors, are becoming increasingly important for the climate of the near future.