Energy Transfer & Heat Transference cont. Chapter 4

Energy Essentials  Incoming solar radiation (insolation)  primary energy source for the atmosphere Land, oceans, clouds, atmospheric gases and dust intercept insolation Atmosphere and Earth’s surface heated by solar energy: unevenly distributed by latitude and season Angle of Incidence (fig. 4-19) Energy is more concentrated at the equator Energy is more widely spread at the poles

Daily March of Temperature Maximum insolation when the sun is at its zenith (highest angle in the sky; typically at noon) Highest temperature of the day is typically 2-3 hours after the sun has reached its zenith Due to surplus of solar energy in the atmosphere as well as release of long-wave radiation by the earth's surface

Temperature Characteristics of Land and Water Bodies Specific Heat Low specific heat High specific heat (approx. 5x that of land) Transmission Low transmission of energy High transmission of energy Mobility No mobility of energy/heat High mobility of energy/heat Evaporative Cooling Relatively low evaporation High evaporation Land heats up faster and to higher temperatures than water, however, cools off more rapidly than water Water heats up less quickly and to a lower temperature than land but cools more slowly than land due to depth Temperature differences are generally greater over land than over water.

Latent Heat Energy required to induce changes of state (phase change) in a substance, in this case, water Two most common types of phase change in the atmosphere: Evaporation – liquid to gas; cooling effect Condensation – gas to liquid; warming effect

Conductive heating – heating an object by direct contact Convective heating – heating by mixing air (gas) or water (liquid) molecules

Convective heating of atmosphere – similar motion to boiling water

Adiabatic Cooling & Warming Adiabatic = without a gain or loss of energy Expansion (Adiabatic Cooling) – air rises and cools, thus expanding in the upper atmosphere Decrease in pressure Compression (Adiabatic Warming) – air sinks and heats Increase in pressure fig. (4-16)

Vertical Temperature Patterns Environmental Lapse Rate - The average rate at which temperatures within the troposphere decrease with altitude

Atmospheric Inversions Circumstances can cause temperatures in the troposphere to increase with altitude. (fig. 4-29) These inversions are usually brief and located close to the earth's surface. Inhibit vertical air movement Diminishes possibility of rain Can increase air pollution due to stagnant air conditions. Inversion

Global Temperature Patterns -Ocean currents and global winds circulate radiation and energy from the sun throughout the world -Energy is dispersed from the equator toward the poles -Oceanic currents are driven by global wind patterns