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Lecture 2
Lecture 2
Earth Radiation
• The Earth absorbs solar radiation only during the daylight hours;
however, it emits infrared radiation continuously, both during the
• The
day and at night.
Earth’s surface behaves (almost) as a blackbody, making it a
much better absorber and emitter of radiation than the
• Water
atmosphere.
vapor and carbon dioxide are important atmospheric
greenhouse gases that selectively absorb and emit infrared
radiation, thereby keeping the Earth’s average surface temperature
•
warmer than it otherwise would be.
Cloudy, calm nights are often warmer than clear, calm nights
because clouds strongly emit infrared radiation back to the Earth’s
•
surface.
It is not the greenhouse effect itself that is of concern, but the
•
enhancement of it due to increasing levels of greenhouse gases.
As greenhouse gases continue to increase in concentration, the
average surface air temperature is projected to rise substantially
by the end of this century.
Radiations
• The Sun is the ultimate energy source for our atmosphere
♦ The peak of the solar emission is in the visible
wavelengths
♦ As the solar light travels through the atmosphere it is
• Reflected (albedo) by clouds and particles
• Absorbed by air molecules and clouds
• Scattered by molecules and particles
• Transmitted to the surface of the Earth
♦ The latter two portions heat the Earth’s surface,
•
which, in turn, warms the air above
The maximum of the Earth emission is in the infrared (IR)
•
part of the spectrum
The Earth is close to thermal equilibrium: the amount of
received energy is equal to the amount of emitted energy
♦ Jupiter, for example, is not in thermal equilibrium
The solar energy budget
The Earth Energy Balance
Seasons
• The long-term (monthly) weather on the Earth varies:
♦ With time (summer, winter…)
♦ With latitude (equator versus middle latitudes)
♦ With the geographic location (coastal areas versus
•
continental areas)
These variations of the climate are a result of:
♦ Different length of the day (the time during which a
given latitude receives energy from the sun)
♦ Different amount of solar energy that is received at a
given location at a given time of the year
♦ The different response of the Earth surface to the
incoming solar energy (oceans and continents)
How much solar energy do we get?
•
rays strike the Earth’s surface
All three factors depend on the
season
The orbit of the Earth around the Sun
The Orbit of the Earth
The Orbit of the Earth
• The Earth orbits the Sun on a slightly elliptical (almost circular) orbit.
• The Earth is closer to the Sun during the northern hemisphere (NH)
winter than during the NH summer
♦ One would conclude that during the winter the temperatures should
be higher since the Sun is closer???
♦ The change of the distance to the Sun is less than 4%
•
♦ This has NO significant impact on the seasonal climate!
The Earth axis of rotation is tilted with respect to the ecliptic at 23.5
degrees.
♦ The inclination of the Earth axis is the reason for the changing
weather during a year.
• The duration of the day changes
• The angle at which the sun rays hit the surface of the Earth at
a given latitude changes.
♦ What would happen if the tilt was larger? What if it was smaller?
The solar energy at different latitudes
Seasonal Variations of the Received
Solar Energy
Seasonal Changes on the Earth:
vegetation and seawater temperature
Summer in the Northern Hemisphere
•
• coming solar energy is less than during the summer.
The length of the day decreases to the north.
The noon sun is lower on the horizon -the average in-
•
overhead
In the winter
♦ the sun is rising south
of east
•
♦ The noon sun is very low
In the summer
♦ The sun is rising north
of east
♦ The noon sun is high
The Sun’s position in the sky