Key Things We Learn Today

• Why we’re alive

• Why we’re worried about CO2 and climate change
• Why the sky is blue, sunsets are red, leaves are
green
• Why our summer is warmer than winter even though
we’re farther from the Sun in July
• How flapping your arms can save fruit from frost
• Why water is a big deal for temperature changes
• How wind chill works
• How to tackle one style of MC exam question
Topic 4:
Radiation & Energy

66-102: Atmosphere and Climate

Winter 2019

Reading: Chapter 2, pp30-46, pp46-54

 Transfers of Heat
Heat energy may be transferred three different ways:

Convection
The transfer of heat by
movement of a fluid
(i.e. water or air).
Conduction
The transfer of heat within
a solid substance.
Radiation
Heat energy that travels
in the form of waves.
 Laws of Radiation
Fundamental Law
All objects both emit and absorb radiation.
The particular wavelengths, and the
quantity/proportion they emit or absorb, are
dependent on the material.

Wien’s Law
The higher the object’s temperature, the shorter
the wavelength of radiation.

Stefan-Boltzmann Law
The higher the object’s temperature, the greater
the intensity of radiation emitted.
 Wavelengths of Radiation

Figure 2.8

Wavelength =
the distance
between two
wave crests

As energy increases, wavelength decreases.

As temperature increases, wavelength decreases.
As energy increases, temperature increases.
Electromagnetic Spectrum of the Sun

Figure 2.9

Because the Sun is hot, it emits most of its

radiation at shorter wavelengths.

µm = 1 x 10-6 m
 Shortwave and Longwave Radiation

Figure 2.10

The Sun emits shortwave radiation (visible, ultraviolet).

The Earth emits longwave radiation (infrared).

 Absorption and Equilibrium
All objects both emit and absorb radiation
(this keeps the Earth in balance).

Some objects are selective absorbers (they only

absorb specific wavelengths of radiation).

Some atmospheric gases are selective absorbers.

Why is this important?

It is the reason for the greenhouse effect.
 The Greenhouse Effect
How does it work?

Atmospheric window:

Main greenhouse gases:

- carbon dioxide
- water vapour
- methane
Figure
2.11
Figure
2.11
Figure
2.11
The Greenhouse Effect

Figure 2.12
 The Greenhouse Effect
How does it work?
Greenhouse gases allow shortwave radiation to pass
through but they absorb longwave radiation.

Atmospheric window: a band of wavelengths where

radiation ‘passes through’ a gas or set of gases

Main greenhouse gases:

- carbon dioxide
- water vapour
- methane
 Enhancing the Greenhouse Effect
The greenhouse effect itself is not a concern: it is a
requirement for life on Earth.
However the enhancement of the greenhouse effect
by humans is a concern.

Why?
Adding greenhouse gases results in climate change.

Increasing CO2 enhances the greenhouse effect.

Why?
Because CO2 in the atmosphere absorbs longwave
radiation from the Earth.
 Scattering
When shortwave radiation enters the atmosphere, it
strikes air molecules which cause the radiation to
scatter.

Air molecules are small and they scatter shorter

wavelengths (blue) better than longer ones (red).

This is why the sky is blue!

 Scattering
Clouds appear white because the water droplets (or
ice crystals) in clouds come in many sizes and thus
scatter all different wavelengths equally.

When our eyes see all wavelengths of visible light at

the same time, we see the colour white.

Thicker clouds appear grey in colour.

Why?

Because more sunlight is absorbed by thicker clouds.

 Sunrises and Sunsets
At sunrise and sunset, the rays of the Sun must
pass through more of the lower atmosphere.

The lower atmosphere contains larger particles that

can better scatter the longer wavelengths.

What is the result?

A sky that appears yellow,
orange, or red.

Figure 2.15
 Shortwave Radiation

Figure 2.17

Approximately 30% of the solar energy reaching the

Earth’s atmosphere is reflected back to space.
This means the Earth has an albedo of 0.30.
 Albedo
Definition:
The proportion of radiation returning from a surface
compared to the amount originally striking it.

Albedo is a measure of the amount of reflectivity of

a material.

It ranges on a scale from 0 to 1 and varies

depending on the surface.
 Shortwave Radiation

Figure 2.17

What happens to the 70% of solar energy that is not

reflected back to space?
The Greenhouse Effect

Figure 2.12
 The Shortwave Radiation Balance
What happens to the 70% of solar energy that is
not reflected back to space?

19% is absorbed by the atmosphere and clouds.

51% is absorbed by the Earth’s surface.

This is why the Earth’s surface warms faster than

the atmosphere.
The Energy Balance

Figure 2.18
 Gains at the Earth’s Surface:
- shortwave radiation from the - longwave radiation from the
Sun atmosphere

Figure 2.18
 Losses at the Earth’s Surface:
- longwave radiation from - latent heat lost when
the Earth water evaporates
- convection to warm the air

Figure 2.18
 At the Top of the Atmosphere:
Gains: - shortwave radiation Losses: - longwave radiation
from the Sun from the atmosphere

Figure 2.18
 The Energy Balance
A disruption in the Earth’s energy balance results in
a changing global temperature.

Example: Adding more greenhouse gases to the

atmosphere will:
• increase the amount of longwave radiation
absorbed by the atmosphere, and
• decrease the amount of longwave radiation that
escapes out to space.

This will warm the climate.

 Transferring Energy
Although the Earth maintains a global energy
balance, it is not evident at all latitudes.

Figure 2.19
 Transferring Energy
Although the Earth maintains a global energy
balance, it is not evident at all latitudes.

Figure 2.19
 Solar Angle

Figure 2.21

A higher solar angle results in the same amount of

shortwave radiation spread over a smaller area.
 Solar Angle
At the equator,
there is a high solar
angle, and a higher
energy intensity per
square metre.

Toward the poles,

there is a lower
solar angle, and a
lower energy
intensity per square
metre.

Figure 2.24
 Energy at the Tropics
Why do the tropics receive more energy than the
poles?
Because of the angle of the Sun (the solar angle).

Depending on the time of year, the Sun is directly

overhead of a latitude somewhere between
23.5°N and 23.5°S.

What is the result of this?

A high solar angle at the tropics, therefore more
energy per square meter impacts the surface
there.
 Transferring Energy
There is an energy surplus in low latitudes and an
energy deficit in high latitudes.

Figure 2.19
 The Earth in Space
The Earth revolves around the Sun once every
365.25 days (this accounts for the seasons).

The path of the Earth around the Sun is an ellipse

(this accounts for perihelion and aphelion).

The Earth makes one full rotation on its axis once

every 24 hours (this accounts for day and night).
 The Seasons

The seasons are caused by the Earth’s axis

being tilted at a 23.5° angle. Figure 2.22
 The Seasons
The seasons are a result of:
- the Earth revolving around the Sun
- the tilt of the Earth’s axis

Equinoxes:
Vernal (March 21)
Autumnal (September 22)

During an equinox, the Sun is directly overhead of

the Equator.
 The Seasons
Solstices:
Summer (June 21)
Winter (December 21)

At the summer solstice, the Sun is directly over the

Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N).

At the winter solstice, the Sun is directly over the

Tropic of Capricorn (23.5°S).
 Hours of Daylight
At the equator,
day and night are
always 12 hours
long each.

Toward the poles,

daylight grows
longer in summer
and shorter in
winter.

Figure 2.24
 Apparent Paths of the Sun

Figure 2.26
The apparent path of the Sun in the sky varies by
latitude.
 Climatic Variations
In the northern hemisphere, locations that face
south will be exposed to more sunlight than
locations that face north.

Implications:

- agricultural production

- moss and fungus growth

- home construction
 Variations in Hours of Daylight
During an equinox, all locations on Earth experience
approximately 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night.

Daylight is longest on the summer solstice and

daylight is shortest on the winter solstice.

Day Length
Location June 21 Dec 21
(summer solstice) (winter solstice)
Windsor 15h 16min 9h 6min
Winnipeg 16h 21min 8h 5min
Yellowknife 20h 1min 4h 56min
 Hours of Daylight

Figure 2.23

Which locations will experience at least one day each

year of 24 hour daylight and 24 hour darkness?
Anywhere north of the Arctic Circle or south of the
Antarctic Circle: > 66½º latitude
(notice that’s 90º - 23½º.....)
 Definition of the Seasons
Astronomical versus Climatological

Astronomical definition:
A season begins at an equinox or a solstice.
Climatological definition:
Winter defined by the Season First Day
three coldest months, Winter December 1
summer by the three Spring March 1
warmest months.
Summer June 1
Autumn September 1
In the southern hemisphere, the seasons are
opposite of the northern hemisphere.
 Effects of the Seasons
Why are tree leaves green?
The chlorophyll pigment in leaves reflects the green
wavelength.

What causes leaves to change colour in autumn?

As chlorophyll production slows in autumn, the
other pigments in the leaves (i.e. carotene) are
exposed and reflect the longer wavelengths
(yellow, orange, red).

What causes chlorophyll production to slow?

Fewer hours of direct sunlight, lower solar angle,
less energy to use in photosynthesis
 Effects of Seasons
Trees respond to the reduction in daylight as much
as to cooler temperatures.
End of Chapter!