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Earth ’ s energy balance at the top of the atmosphere and at the surface. What percentage of solar energy is absorbed by the surface?
Atmospheric influences on radiation (3 ways)
What cause the greenhouse effect? What are the major greenhouse gases? Why is methane important?
The three types of atmospheric scattering. What causes the blue sky? Why causes the reddish-orange sunsets?
Sensible heat flux (dry flux from warm to cold regions) and latent heat flux (wet flux from wet to dry regions).
Both proportional to surface wind speed

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No defined top to the atmosphere
The atmosphere is very shallow—and is less than 2% of the Earth’s thickness
Over 90% of atmosphere in the lowest 16km
& is where nearly all weather occurs

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Temperature – measure of average kinetic energy
(motion) of individual molecules in matter
Three temperature scales (units): Kelvin (K), Celsius (C),
Fahrenheit (F)
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All scales are relative degrees F = 9 ⁄
5 degrees C + 32 degrees K = degrees C + 273.15

Decreasing rate w/ height
(Lapse rate):
6.5 o C/km
Due to Solar winds, Cosmic rays
Due to ozone absorption of sunlight
Due to surface heating
(Longwave,
Latent heat,
Sensible heat)

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Definition of the boundary layer: "that part of the troposphere that is directly influenced by the presence of the earth's surface and responds to surface forcings of about an hour or less.
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(friction and heating) with a time scale
About 1 km deep. Often associated with turbulence.

Space shuttle Endeavour straddles mesosphere and stratosphere

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Isotherms – maps, connect lines of equal temperature

Seasonal variation of surface air temperature

Principal Controls on Temperature
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Latitudinal variations in net radiation
Land-Water Contrasts
Atmospheric Circulation
Ocean Currents
Altitude
Local Effects

Controls on temperature
1. Latitudinal Variations in Net Radiation
• tropic-to-tropic – energy surplus
• poles – energy deficits
• ~ 38 o N/S – balance
• imbalance of net radiation at surface 
Equator/Tropics vs. high latitudes
• drives global circulation
• agents: wind, ocean currents, weather systems

Daily/Seasonal Radiation Patterns
• insolation peak vs. temperature
• daily lag
• seasonal lag
• Lag is function of type of surface, wetness, wind, etc

Seasonal variation of surface energy budget
Storage change = net radiation - latent heat flux sensible heat flux

• T decreases poleward
• larger T gradient in winter
• isotherms shift seasonally
• NH steeper T gradient
• T over land > water in summer

Controls on temperature
2. Land-water contrasts
Surface influences heating:
• Heat Capacity – water > land… (water takes longer heat/cool)
• Mixing – fluids can be physically mixed
• Transparency – greater penetration (distributed over greater volume)
• Evaporation – consumes large amount of energy – big over water

Temperature Ranges (Summer minus Winter)
Large over land, small over ocean

Controls on temperature
3. Atmospheric circulation
• large scale circulation patterns resulted from pressure differences (gradients)
• generates winds  move warm/cold air around  affects temperature
• influences cloud cover

Controls on temperature
4. Ocean currents

Infrared Satellite image of the Gulf Stream
Red/orange = 25-29 o C
Yellow/green = 17-24 o C
Blue = 10-16 o C
Purple = 2-9 o C

Controls on temperature
5. Altitude
• Temperature decreases with increasing altitude
 ground acts as heat source

Controls on temperature
6. Local effects
• slope orientation: North vs Southfacing slopes  temperature/moisture regimes  vegetation forested vs open fields

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Thickness of the atmosphere: less than 2% of Earth ’ s thickness
Definition of temperature. 3 units.
Vertical distribution of temperature: 4 layers, what separate them?
Horizontal distribution of temperature.
6 factors.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Latitudinal variations in net radiation
Land-Water Contrasts
Atmospheric Circulation
Ocean Currents
Altitude
Local Effects