Solar Radiation

Week 5: Ecosystems and the Physical Environment Pt 2

by Kate Polivka

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​Only 47% of solar radiation is absorbed the surface of the Earth. The rest:

• ​Absorbed by the atmosphere

• ​Reflected by clouds

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Albedo- The amount of solar energy REFLECTED from Earth's surfaces.

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​High reflectance= high albedo

​Low reflectance= low albedo

​Solar Radiation and Albedo

Draw

Circle where in this picture has the highest albedo

Draw

Circle an area in the picture with the lowest albedo

​The Atmosphere

​We saw that the atmosphere absorbs ~23% of solar radiation and reflects another 23%. It shields Earth from high energy radiation.

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•Gasses that make up our atmosphere:

o21% Oxygen

o78% Nitrogen

o1% Argon, Carbon Dioxide, Neon, and Helium

oGreenhouse gases (CFC s, CO2, CH4)

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​Layers of the Atmosphere

The atmosphere is divided into layers. While density of gasses decrease the farther you are from the Earth, temperature does not.

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​The atmosphere is separated into 4 layers:

• ​Troposphere (0-12km)

• ​Stratosphere (12-50km)

• ​Mesosphere (50-80km)

• ​Thermosphere (80–480km)

​•Troposphere (0-12km)

• Where weather occurs

• Temperature decreases with altitude

•Stratosphere (12-50km)

• Temperature increases with altitude- very stable

• Ozone layer absorbs U V

• Where jets fly

•Mesosphere (50-80km)

• Temperature decreases with altitude

​•Thermosphere (80–480km)

• Gases in thin air absorb x-rays and short-wave UV radiation = very hot

• Source of aurora

• Reflects radio waves without need for satellites

Multiple Choice

Which layer is the least dense?

• Troposphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Stratosphere

Multiple Choice

This gas makes up about 78% of our atmosphere

• Nitrogen

• Oxygen

• Carbon dioxide

• Greenhouse gas

​So we know that our atmosphere is where our weather is. But what makes weather?

​You may have heard that toilets in the southern hemisphere flush opposite from the toilets here.

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​This is attributed to the way the water and the

atmosphere move around the Earth due to its

spin- this is called the Coreolis Effect.

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​While the Coreolis Effect DOES control the

direction of winds and ocean currents, toilets DO NOT spin opposite way due to this force.

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​Winds and the Coreolis Effect

​•Earth’s rotation influences direction of wind

• Earth rotates from East to West

• Deflects wind from straight-line path​

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•Coriolis Effect (due to Earth’s tilt)

• Influenced by the Earth’s rotation on movement of air and fluids

• Turns them Right in the Northern Hemisphere

• Turns them Left in the Southern Hemisphere

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​We will look at surface and prevailing winds in class.

​Ocean Currents

​Just as the Coreolis Force moves air masses around the Earth, it also moves surface waters.

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​Surface currents hit a landmass

​and deflect.

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​Find the West Wind Drift and

​on the image and answer the

​question on the next page.

Open Ended

The West Wind Drift current is moves from west to east in a rather straight line. Other currents loop in a circle. Why is the West Wind Drift different?

​Weather vs. Climate

​While weather and climate both explain atmospheric conditions, they are measurements in two different timescales.

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​•Weather

oThe conditions in the atmosphere at a given place and time

oTemperature, precipitation, cloudiness, etc.

•Climate

oThe average weather conditions that occur in a place over a period of years

oTwo most important factors: temperature and precipitation

Multiple Choice

On January 11, 2020, Utica NY experienced over 6" of snowfall in the early morning hours. This is an example of...

• Climate

• Weather

• ENSO

• Transpiration