Seasons Flashcards
How does sun angle influence the amount of solar radiation received?
-as sun angle goes down, the amount of solar radiation received goes down
What are the 2 reasons that influence the amount of solar radiation received?
1) Beam SPREADING
2) Beam DEPLETION
What is “BEAM SPREADING”
- as sun angle decrease solar radiation is spread over a larger area
- ->less intense
What is “BEAM DEPLETION”
- reflection + absorption of solar radiation by atmos.
- ->as sun angle decreases, path length increases
- –>more depletion and less solar radiation received
How does “SUN ANGLE” Vary? (3 ways)
1) DECREASES WITH LATITUDE (sphericity-creates warm tropics, cole poles)
2) Varies with TIME OF DAY (due to Earth’s rotation; highest= noon sun angle)
3) Varies with TIME OF YEAR (due to characteristics of Earth’s orbit around the sun)
Explain Circle of Illumination
- cuts Earth in half separating light side from dark side
- tells us about day length
The highest sun angle ever experienced at the north pole 90^N is
23.5^
Travelling from the south pole to the north pole on the June solstice
-day length would gradually increase
Over the course of a year, the most variation in the amount of solar radiation received at the top of the atmosphere occurs
at the poles
What is the tilt of the North End of the Axis in Relation to the sun during the Equinoxes
No tilt
What is the latitude where sun is directly overhead at noon during the Equinoxes
0^ Equator
Length of Daylight in the Northern Hemisphere during Equinoxes
12 hours
Latitudes with no Sun during Equinoxes
none
Tilt of the North End of the Axis in Relation to the sun during the June Soltices
tilting towards the sun
Latitude where sun is directly overhead at noon during the June Soltice
23.5^N, Tropic of Cancer
