GEO 101, Atmospheric Processes and Patterns
You MUST also be registered for a GEO 101L Lab
LABS ARE LOCATED IN ILB 213
LABS START THIS WEEK !!
Teacher: Dr. Mimi Fearn
Helper:
Hunter Boykin
Tracy McClure
Syllabus
What is Geography?
Text book used in both GEO 101 and 102
New online readings instead of textbook
Attendance policy
Roll taking procedure
YOU are responsible for signing the roll
at the time it is passed around
Exams
Class Schedule
Power point slides/resources available on my website
geo = earth, graphy = writing or description
Geographers concerned with
"what is where and why is it there"?
Geography (in general) is a spatial science
concerned with distribution of natural and cultural
features on the earth's surface. Seeks to explain
observed spatial distributions.
Physical geography is a spatial science concerned
with distribution of natural features on the earth's
surface.
www.southalabama.edu/geography/fearn
Brief History of Geography
Ancient Greeks studied
geography = study of terrestrial earth
cosmography = study of skies
“Geography” as term used by Eratosthenes (Greek) 250 B.C
Worked at library at Alexandria (Egypt)
accurately determined circumference of earth
≈ 25,000 miles (40,000 km)
1
360° / 7.2° = 50
50 x 5000 stadia = 250,000 stadia
1 stadia ≈ 600 feet
250,000 stadia ≈ 28,000 miles
Obelisk at
Alexandria
Well at
Syene
7.2°
Dark Ages
After Roman empire collapsed
(500-1500 A.D.)
Age of exploration 1500 A.D.
Geographic knowledge = $$$$
Alexander Von Humboldt (1800)
Father of Physical Geography
Traveled extensively…Americas, Russia
Mapped soils, animals, vegetation, oceans, climate
Modern day sciences are highly specialized
Geography still "holistic"
(inclusive across disciplines)
Four divisions
(components)
of the earth
system
Hemispheres = equal halves of earth
Great circles divide earth into hemispheres
largest circle that can be drawn
shortest distance between two points
2
Land vs. water hemisphere
Land centered on Africa
Water centered on Pacific
Southern hemisphere is mostly water
Map shows
observation stations
and floats for
tracking sea ice.
Circle of Illumination divides light from dark hemisphere
Great circle
Eastern vs. western hemisphere
Americas = western
Eurasia + Africa = eastern
Northern hemisphere contains most land
Map shows clouds
on August 21, 1997.
Red is thunderstorms
Small circles do not divide the earth into hemispheres
Great circles
divide the Earth
into 2 equal
halves.
3
Major movements of the earth
Planetary orbits in “plane of ecliptic”
Except Pluto, which is no longer considered a planet
1. Galactic movement
2. Revolution
movement of the earth in its orbit around the sun
takes 365.25 days
sun ≈ 93 million miles (150 million km) away
Currently, earth’s orbit around the sun is an ellipse
Currently earth has an elliptic orbit with
Perihelion (closest, Jan 3); Aphelion (farthest, July 4)
Difference of 3 million mi
91,450,000 mi
94,550,000 mi
Major movements of the earth
3. Rotation
spinning of the earth on its axis
takes 24 hours  day & night
earth turns "counterclockwise"
if looking down at north pole
Rotational axis
currently tilted
23.5 degrees from
perpendicular.
Tilt
Angle of
inclination
sun rises in east & sets in west
4
Position of axis is
parallel to all other
positions along
orbital path.
Earth-sun Relations
Combination of tilt
and parallelism
causes seasons
Physical geography is a spatial science concerned with
distribution of natural features on Earth's surface.
11:26 CST
The information on these websites covers the material in
the class lecture. We will strive to provide this information
for each lecture. If you find a reference that you think is
better than one on this list, turn in a printout of the page
with your name on it. If it is indeed better than what we
have, you will receive 2 points extra credit on the
following exam. Our goal is to provide the equivalent of an
on-line textbook that is completely free. Help us.
Examine the information on the websites below for a
review of today’s material, do the homework assignment
on the Great Circle Mapper.
Jan. 18, 2011, 16:00 UTC = 10:00 AM in Mobile
http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/
Go to class website and look for lecture online references
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