Module 3 Flashcards
What’s the difference between shortwave and longwave radiation?
Shortwave radiation is emitted by hot objects. This includes gamma rays, x-rays, ultraviolet, visible light, and your infrared
Long wave radiation is admitted by ”cooler” objects. Includes the thermal infrared part of the spectrum
Define the term solar constant.
Amount of solar radiation received at the top of the earths atmosphere, at right angles to the sun, is constant
Solar constant = 1367 W/m2
Explain Wein’s displacement law, a principle of electromagnetic radiation
All objects radiate energy and wave links related to their surface temperatures: the hotter the object, the shorter than mean wavelength of maximum intensity emitted
Explain the principle of electromagnetic radiation: Stefan-Boltzmann law
Hotter objects email more radiation than cooler ones. Earth Emits much less radiation than the sun. Small temperature increases result in large increases in emitted radiation.
Explain the composition of the troposphere.
The troposphere is from earth surface to an average altitude of 12 km. It makes up 90% mass of the atmosphere. The tropopause is at -57°C; 18 km near the equator, 12 km mid latitude, 8 km near poles. This is the zone where most weather phenomenon occurs and it contains majority of non-marine organisms in the biosphere.
Describe the thermal structures in the troposphere.
A temperature inversion is produced whenever radiation from the surface of the earth (long wave) exceeds the amount of radiation received from the sun (shortwave)
Describe the composition and thermal structure of the stratosphere.
18 km to 50 km altitude. stratopause located at an altitude of 50 km or -5°C. Contains ozone layer that absorbs UV radiation temperature increases with altitude because of the absorption of ultraviolet radiation by the ozone layer
Is Located after the tropopause
What is the environmental lapse rate?
Troposphere is warmed from its base by long wave radiation. Temperature decreases with altitude:This is the environmental labs rate. Average cooling rate of 6.5°C per kilometre
Describe the various components of the radiation balance for shortwave radiation
21% reflected the space by clouds, 3% reflected by surface, 7% scattered to space by dust, 3% absorbed by clouds, 3% absorbed by AutoZone, 18% absorbed directly by atmosphere, 20% reflected radiation down to earth or indirect radiation, 25% direct radiation reaching earth. 31% total reflectivity or albedo of Earth
Total short wave energy absorbed by earth in someway is about 69%
Describe the various components of the radiation balance for long wave radiation
21% radiated by atmosphere, 45% radiated by surface, 3% radiated by Ozona, 3% greenhouse effect. Total long wave energy lost by Earth space in some way is equal to 69%
What’s the difference between direct and indirect radiation?
Direct radiation is the uninterrupted flow of incoming radiation that reaches earth, amounts to 25%. Remaining 75% is subject to absorption, reflection, scattering, and refraction.
Indirect radiation, or diffusion, is radiation redirected towards the surface.
What is reflection and its relationship to albedo?
Reflection is that portion of incoming radiation that bounces directly back into space without being absorbed or performing any work.
Albedo is the ratio of reflected solar radiation short wave to the incoming shortwave radiation
Explain the process of scattering and Rayleighs scattering rule.
Scattering changing direction of light movement, without altering the wavelengths
Scattering rule: the shorter the wavelength, the greater the scattering, the longer the wavelength, the less scattering.
This gives the atmosphere it’s blue colour
What is counter radiation?
Long wave radiation emitted from atmosphere and earth surface
Define heat capacity.
Specific heat is heat capacity of a substance. High specific heat; amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 g of water by 1°C
Or
Heat capacity is a physical property of matter, defined as the amount of heat to be supplied to a given mass of a material to produce a unit change in the temperature.Joule per kelvin
What a fax to the changes in elevation in the stratosphere have an air temperature?
Temperature increases with altitude because of the absorption of ultraviolet radiation by the ozone layer
What affect did changes in elevation in the mesosphere have on air temperature?
Temperature decreases with altitude
What effect do changes in elevation in the thermosphere have an air temperature?
Solar radiation interacts with oxygen molecules; temperature increases with altitude
What are the five principal air temperature controls?
Latitude, seasons and length of day, altitude/elevation, cloud cover, and Maritime versus Continental locations
What Affect does latitude have an air temperatures?
From equator to poles, earth ranges from continually warm, to seasonally variable, to continually cold.
Relates to annual variation in the angle of incidence of sun’s rays and day length.
Describe the relationship between time of day and air temperatures.
Sunrise and sunset: low angle of incidence, low insulation. Solar noon: high angle of incidence, high insulation.
Angle of incidence varies in the seasons. Low angle of incidence in the winter, high angle in the summer.
What is a temporal lag?
In regards to time of day and air temperatures: occurs between highest angle of incidence and warmest temperature of the day
Describe the relationship between altitude and air temperature.
Temperature decreases with increasing altitude due to the environmental lapse rate. Air density decreases with increase in altitude; thin air has a low capacity to absorb radiation and generate sensible heat.
Describe the relationship between cloud cover and air temperatures.
Clouds absorb and scatter insulation; albedo of 21%. Moderate air temperatures: cooler days, warmer nights
Describe the land water heating difference.
Note: there are four points
Evaporation is higher overwater surfaces; latent heat exchange between surface and atmosphere.
Transparency affects transmission of solar radiation, solar radiation penetrates too much greater depths in water that in soil and rock.
Specific heat is heat capacity of a substance; water has a higher specific heat then soil or rock, so water heats or cools more slowly.
And movement increasing mixing and reduce temperature differences in water
What are the effects on temperature in Maritime versus Continental locations?
Marine or maritime affect describes locations that exhibit the moderating influences of the ocean, usually along coastlines or on islands.
Continental effect refers to areas less affected by the sea and therefore having a greater range between maximum and minimum temperatures on both a daily and yearly basis.
Note: this is due to the land water heating differences
