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Energy Balance in the Atmosphere

Energy Balance in the Atmosphere. Weather. State of the atmosphere at any given time and place Components Temp, wind, humidity, cloudiness, etc… Dynamic. Climate. Characteristic weather of a region Temp and precipitation Yearly, decade ave. E.B. in the Atm.

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Energy Balance in the Atmosphere

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  1. Energy Balance in the Atmosphere

  2. Weather • State of the atmosphere at any given time and place • Components • Temp, wind, humidity, cloudiness, etc… • Dynamic

  3. Climate • Characteristic weather of a region • Temp and precipitation • Yearly, decade ave.

  4. E.B. in the Atm • Surface events driven by solar heating • Weather and climate affected by complex variables • Ex. Solar radiation distribution • Buffalo vs. McKinney

  5. Of Waves and Packets • We receive 1/2,000,000,000th of Sun’s total output • Light behaves as both a packet of energy/particle (photon) and as a wave • Speed of light in a vacuum • 3x108 m/sec

  6. 273 K = 0°C

  7. Seeing things differently… The sun

  8. It’s Such a Good Vibration • Photons transmit energy causing: • Vibration of molecules (increased temperature) • Chemical/physical reactions in our skin

  9. Such a Sweet Excitation • Excitations of electrons • Subsequent release of energy

  10. Emission of Radiation • Everything omits radiation that is above -273ºC • As Temp ↑ = Energy ↑ = Wavelength ↓

  11. Absorption • Sun (~6000ºC) emits high energy • Earth absorbs it and then reemits it… but its temperature is lower • Emits low energy, long wavelength, invisible, infrared heat radiation

  12. Clouds give off heat (internal plus re-emitted sunlight) 45 (new stuff) +19=64 Amount Earth loses to space is 153-96 = 57 Of total energy released, 96 is trapped 153 is energy released from Earth

  13. Albedo • Colder on cloudy days • Warmer on cloudy nights

  14. Scattering • Amount of scattering inversely proportional to wavelength of light • Blue scatters the most, so sky is blue Tank vs. me

  15. Temperature, Heat, Conduction • T: proportional to average speed of atoms • Heat: Average energy * # of atoms • Conduction: transport of heat by direct collisions

  16. Convection • Gases too mobile to be in contact • Radiant energy (waves) interact with gas molecules causing them to vibrate faster • Occupy greater volume, less density

  17. Latent Heat • Energy released or absorbed when a substance changes state Sweating keeps you cool Melting snow can cool the Earth

  18. Heat Storage • Specific Heat: Amount of energy needed to raise the T of 1 gram of water by 1ºC • Rocks = low specific heat • Water = high specific heat • Lakes in the summer time vs. winter time • Inlands vs. coast lines

  19. Our Spherical Earth • Earth = sphere • Unequal distribution of sun’s rays

  20. Seasons • In addition to being spherical, the earth’s axis is tilted 23.5 degrees from vertical • If not for tilt, there would be no seasons. Fall equinox Sept. 21st Summer Solstice June 21st Winter solstice Dec. 21st Spring equinox March 21st

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