Distribution of Solar Energy Air Sea Interaction Distribution of Solar Energy

Uneven Solar Heating on Earth The Atmosphere and the Ocean act as one interdependent system, what happens in one causes changes in the other Redistribution of solar heat by the atmosphere and its influence on oceanic conditions Sunlight strikes low latitudes at a high angle, sunlight strikes high latitudes at a low angle Radiation passes through more atmosphere at higher latitudes Albedo= percentage of radiation reflected back into space, 30% average, Ice has higher albedo than soil When sunlight strikes the ocean at higher angles more is reflected, especially at higher latitudes Daily radiation varies day and night, yearly by seasons caused by Earths 23.5 degree tilt Fast Rotation of the Earth does not let one side heat up too much before night comes Earths 23.5 degree tilt causes the tropics to receive much greater annual radiation than the poles

SOLAR RADIATION RECEIVED ON EARTH

Atmosphere Troposphere- 0-7 miles up, where all weather is produced, temperature colder with altitude Density- warm air lighter, rises. Cold air denser sinks. Convection current-warm air rises cools and sinks Atmospheric pressure- 14.7 psi = 1 atmosphere at sea level, Pressure decreases with Altitude Air movement is from higher to lower pressure regions, warm air rising leaves low pressure at surface, cool air sinking causes high pressure at surface Hot air rises at the Equator to the top of the troposphere and moves towards the poles, the Air cools and sinks at the poles creating high pressure and then moves towards low pressure at the equator Atmospheric winds create most of the surface currents and waves in the ocean

ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION

CONVECTION CELL

Coriolis Effect The Coriolis effect causes moving objects on Earth to follow a curved path due to the Rotation towards the East, The change in Velocity with Latitude is the true cause of the effect In reality Objects travel in a straight path but the Earth moves underneath them, the further they travel the greater the effect In the Northern Hemisphere objects move to the Right of the intended direction Southern Hemisphere objects move to the Left of the intended path There is no Coriolis Effect for objects moving east or west along the Equator The Rate of change of rotational velocity increases as the pole is approached from the Equator

Oceanic Circulation Patterns

CORIOLIS EFFECT

Atmospheric Circulation on a Spinning Earth Hadley Cells- Heated Air at the Equator Rises, cools condenses and rains, this dry air moves North or South around 30 degrees it cools enough to Descend and completes the loop Ferrel cell- Each Hemisphere has a cell between 30 and 60 degrees, moves in accordance with the two adjoining cells, like interlocking gears Polar cell- Between 60 and 90 degrees This three cell model is idealized, factors which alter it are, the tilt of Earths rotation, lower heat capacity of continents, and the uneven distribution of land and ocean over Earths surface

ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION CELLS

Northern and Southern Hurricanes