Videos to try:

1. Videos to try: • http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX764d5f64416274614f5e63&t=Seasons • http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX674c51737f7a505b044f67&t=Seasons • http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX0b0d62416f6b5279704106&t=Seasons(best one, start here ) http://www.stolaf.edu/people/giannini/biological%20anamations.html

2. What causes the Earths systems to circulate (seasons, weather, climate)? The Earth’s Circulation System

3. Solar Energy as Radiation Figure 1.1 Nearly 93 million miles separate the sun and earth, yet solar radiation drives earth's weather. (light from the sun travels the distance in about 8 minutes)

7. Earth's Atmosphere Thin Gaseous envelope Figure 1.2 99% of atmospheric gases, including water vapor, extend only 15 miles above earth's surface. Most of our weather, however, occurs within the first 5 to 8 miles.

8. Composition of Atmosphere • Nitrogen - 78% • Oxygen - 21% • Water Vapor – 0 to 4% • Carbon Dioxide - .037% • Other gases make up the rest

9. Atmospheric Gases Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and most other gases are invisible. Clouds are not gas, but condensed vapor in the form of liquid droplets. Ground based smog, which is visible, contains reactants of nitrogen and ozone. Ozone – is the primary ingredient of smog!

10. Atmospheric Greenhouse Effect • The warming of the atmosphere by its absorbing and emitting infrared radiation while allowing shortwave radiation to pass through. The gases mainly responsible for the earth’s atmospheric greenhouse effect are water vapor and carbon dioxide.

12. Aerosols & Pollutants Human and natural activities displace tiny soil, salt, and ash particles as suspended aerosols, as well as sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons as pollutants. Figure 1.6

13. Pressure & Density Gravity pulls gases toward earth's surface, and the whole column of gases weighs 14.7 psi at sea level, a pressure of 1013.25 mb or 29.92 in.Hg. The amount of force exerted Over an area of surface is called Air pressure! Air Density is The number of air Molecules in a given Space (volume)

14. Vertical Pressure Profile Atmospheric pressure decreases rapidly with height. Climbing to an altitude of only 4 miles where the pressure is 500 mb, would put you above one-half of the atmosphere’s molecules.

15. 303 km 210 miles Ionosphere 68 miles 25 km 20 km 10 km

16. Atmospheric Layers • 8 layers are defined by constant trends in average air temperature (which changes with pressure and radiation), where the outer exosphere is not shown. • Exosphere • Thermosphere • Mesopause • Mesosphere • Stratopause • Stratosphere • Tropopause • Troposphere Ionosphere

17. Atmospheric Gases Natural Changes Artificial Changes High in Atmosphere: Filters out lots of UV radiation (radiation shield)-can be destroyed by pollutants Low in Atmosphere: forms from pollutants “mixing” in sun and is a key part of smog Ozone (O3)- smells like bleach - irritate your respiratory system- reduce lung function- aggravate asthma- inflame and damage cells that line your lungs- aggravate chronic lung diseases- cause permanent lung damage 

22. Atmospheric Gases Natural Changes Artificial Changes Besides natural places, CO2 comes from power plants (coal plants), forestry, cars and manufacturing industries (often in poor countries with less air regulations)smog Most common green house gas- keeps earth temperature stable “ like a winter coat” Carbon Dioxide (CO2) -

23. Variable & Increasing Gases Nitrogen and oxygen experience little change, but carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, and chlorofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases experiencing increases amounts. CO2 has risen more than 18% since 1958. Fossil fuels are the biggest problem!

25. Weather vs. Climate Weather is made of the combination of: a) air temperature b) air pressure c) humidity d) clouds e) precipitation f) visibility g) wind Climate represents long-term (e.g. 30 yr) averages of weather.

27. Satellite Instruments Meteorologists may study larger weather patterns with space borne instruments, while ground-based tools often measure a single point. (GOES SAT) Meridians Longitude Latitude Middle Latitudes – 30-50N Middle-latitude cyclonic storm Hurricane Thunderstorm Tornado – most violent disturbance in atms Figure 1.10

28. Air is heated and cools by sunlight. The warmed air rises up and eventually cools to repeat the process. Warm air = Less dense Cold Air = More dense

32. Surface Weather Map Meteorologists generate diagrams of observed weather from ground-based instruments. This surface map overlaps in time with the previous satellite image. Figure 1.11 Low High Fronts Wind Direction

33. Impacts of Weather 1/5 Figure 1.12

34. Impacts of Weather 2/5 Figure 1.13

35. Impacts of Weather 3/5 Figure 1.14

36. Impacts of Weather 4/5 Figure 1.15 146 people die each year In US from flash floods

37. Impacts of Weather 5/5 Lightning strikes earth 100 times every second Figure 1.16

38. What causes the Earths systems to circulate (seasons, weather, climate)? • Sun:Unequal heating of earth atmosphere keeps air and oceans circulating around (gives us different temps, wind & water currents) • Gravity: Keeps earth revolving around sun and pulls • heaver air particles down to bottom of atmosphere (air-pressure) • Tilt of the Earth: Unequal heating of the earth’s Atmosphere and oceans… • Weather and Climate • Latitude (how far from equator are you) • Elevation (how much atmosphere is above you) • Atmospheric gases (Ozone, carbon dioxide, methane) • Ocean Currents - driven by differences in water temperatures • (affects climate on land)

39. Wildfire + Dust-devil “Fire Devil”