1. Energy Transfer & Heat Transference cont.
Chapter 4

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

6. 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

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

8. Convective heating of atmosphere – similar motion to boiling water

9. 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)

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

12. 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

13. 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