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    The document summarizes Earth-Sun geometry and how it influences seasons. It discusses the Earth's rotation causing day and night and its revolution around the sun in an elliptical orbit. The tilt of the Earth's axis relative to its orbit around the sun causes the seasons due to variations in solar altitude and day length at different times of the year. During summer, the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun causing higher solar altitude and longer days, while the opposite is true in winter. Equinoxes occur when the sun is directly overhead at the equator, and solstices mark the highest and lowest positions of the sun, resulting in the longest and shortest days of the year in each hemisphere.

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    The document summarizes Earth-Sun geometry and how it influences seasons. It discusses the Earth's rotation causing day and night and its revolution around the sun in an elliptical orbit. The tilt of the Earth's axis relative to its orbit around the sun causes the seasons due to variations in solar altitude and day length at different times of the year. During summer, the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun causing higher solar altitude and longer days, while the opposite is true in winter. Equinoxes occur when the sun is directly overhead at the equator, and solstices mark the highest and lowest positions of the sun, resulting in the longest and shortest days of the year in each hemisphere.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    21 views8 pages

    2-EarthSun NF PDF

    Uploaded by

    mechgokul
    The document summarizes Earth-Sun geometry and how it influences seasons. It discusses the Earth's rotation causing day and night and its revolution around the sun in an elliptical orbit. The tilt of the Earth's axis relative to its orbit around the sun causes the seasons due to variations in solar altitude and day length at different times of the year. During summer, the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun causing higher solar altitude and longer days, while the opposite is true in winter. Equinoxes occur when the sun is directly overhead at the equator, and solstices mark the highest and lowest positions of the sun, resulting in the longest and shortest days of the year in each hemisphere.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 8

    Earth-Sun Geometry

    Topics
    Readings: 1. Introduction
    A&B: Ch. 2 (p. 2. Orbital Geometry
    42-50) a) Rotation
    CD Tutorial: b) revolution
    Earth-Sun 3. Seasons
    Geometry a) Solstices &
    Equinoxes
    www: 2. Earth- b) Sun’s altitude
    Sun Geometry c) Length of Day
    4. Noon Sun Angle

    G109: Weather & Climate

    Introduction: Earth-Sun Geometry


    • The Sun is

    • Latitudinal and seasonal changes of the


    amount of radiation reaching the surface drive
    atmospheric circulations and winds
    • How much solar energy is received on Earth
    depends on:
    ƒ
    ƒ
    ƒ
    • Distance traveled and angle of incidence vary
    during the Earth’s orbit around the Sun
    • Two principal motions: and
    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry
    Orbital Geometry: Rotation

    • Each day the Earth rotates on its axis


    ƒ Axis: imaginary line through the planet between
    the North (N) and South (S) poles
    • Rotation gives us Day
    and Night
    ƒ

    • Looking down on the


    North Pole, the Earth
    rotates
    → Sun

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry

    Orbital Geometry: Revolution


    • Each year the Earth revolves in an orbit
    around the sun, on the Ecliptic
    ƒ Ecliptic: imaginary plane which intersects the
    sun, on which the earth orbits
    •

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry


    Orbital Geometry: Revolution
    • Earth’s revolution is an elliptical orbit
    ƒ P: Perihelion = Closest Approach – 147x106 km,
    January 3
    ƒ A: Aphelion = Furthest Distance – 152x106 km,
    July 4
    • Aphelion/Perihelion ~6% change in distance
    ƒ

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry

    Seasons

    • Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5° relative to the


    ecliptic
    • Axis remains pointed in the same absolute
    direction (to the North Star) as it journeys
    around the sun
    • Orientation relative to the sun changes
    ƒ June:
    ƒ December:

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry


    Seasons

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry

    Seasons: Equinoxes and Solstices


    • Based on the annual “migration” of the direct rays
    of the sun – a yearly cycle
    Sun directly Northern Southern
    overhead hemisphere hemisphere
    June 21-22

    Sept. 21-22

    Dec. 21-22

    Mar. 21-22

    • Equinoxes:
    • Weather (Meteorological Seasons) doesn’t fall
    neatly into these Astronomical Seasons
    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry
    Seasons

    • Tilt of the Earth on the Ecliptic causes


    i. Variations in Solar Altitude = angle of sun above
    horizon
    • Variations in

    ii. Variations in Length of Day


    • Variation in

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry

    Seasons: Solar Altitude


    Altitude : angle of the sun above the horizon
    Zenith : angle of the sun from vertical (straight above)
    • In Summer –
    • In Winter –
    • Variations in solar
    altitude influence the
    amount of energy
    received at Earth's
    surface in 2 ways:
    i. Energy concentration /
    intensity
    ii. Atmospheric path
    length

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry


    Seasons: Solar Altitude

    i. Concentration/intensity of sun's ray


    When rays overhead (90°) When rays are at a lower
    energy is concentrated on (oblique) angle, a larger
    small area Æ intense light area illuminated Æ less
    intense

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry

    Seasons: Solar Altitude


    ii. Angle of sun determines

    • When sun is lower in


    sky
    → Longer path (up to
    15 times longer)
    → More chance for

    → Reduces intensity of
    radiation at the surface

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry


    Seasons: Length of Day
    • Length of day (sun above horizon) varies:
    ƒ
    ƒ
    • Circle of Illumination:
    splits day and night
    • Summer at high latitude
    ƒ Sun is at lower altitude
    (relative to mid-latitudes)
    →
    ƒ Length of day is longer
    →

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry

    Calculating Noon Sun Angle

    • Principle: For every 1° of latitude we move


    away from the location where the sun is
    directly overhead, the solar altitude drops by
    1°
    • Sample Problem: What is the altitude of the
    sun at noon in Bloomington on June 21?
    Assume Bloomington is at 40° N.

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry


    Calculating Noon Sun Angle
    • Problem: What is the altitude of the sun at noon in
    Bloomington (40° N) on June 21?
    • Calculation – 3 steps
    a. At what latitude is the sun overhead at the given date?

    b. How many degrees of latitude separate that location from the


    place of interest? (Note: may need to cross equator)
    Bloomington:
    Sun overhead:
    Difference:
    c. Subtract the answer of (b) from 90º → noon sun angle

    The maximum solar angle for Bloomington is


    Note: the result has units of angle-degrees °

    G109: Weather and Climate 2: Earth-Sun Geometry

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