define electromagnetic energy
- a wavelike form of energy
- travels at the speed of light
What are the five fundamental laws of physics?
- all matter at temps above 0 emit electromagnetic radiation
- substances emit radiation in a wavelike fashion
- substances that emit the maximum radiation’s temperature are called blackbodies
- the hotter the object, the shorter the wavelength of maximum emission
- the amount of energy passing through a unit is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source
define fission
splitting atoms
define fusion
hydrogen converted to helium
define solar constant
how much radiation reaches a perpendicular surface at the top of Earth’s atmosphere
what happens every 11 years?
solar activity reaches a fever pitch and solar flares erupt near sunspots on a daily basis
insolation and what factors cause variance in winter vs summer?
incoming solar radiation
- factors: sun angles and length of day
is solar radiation shortwave or longwave? what about terrestrial?
solar = shortwave
terrestrial = longwave
how much insolation that reaches earth is absorbed? what methods inhibit absorption?
50%, scattering, reflection, and diffuse reflection
scattering
SW radiation is scattered in all directions by gas molecules
___ wavelengths scatter more effectively ( why we have blue sky). Which colors are in sunlight?
shorter, all but some scatter better
diffuse reflection
scattering by particulate matter (more junk=more color)
absorption
conversion of radiant energy to heat energy
albedo
reflective percentage of a solid
radiation balance and formula
tells us the amount of radiation absorbed:
Q* = incoming SW - outgoing SW + incoming LW - outgoing LW
where is there net surplus and deficit of radiation? what balances this?
surplus around tropics, deficit in polars, weather balances it
energy balance and formula
tells us how the surplus somewhere is allocated
Q* = sensible heat flux + latent heat flux + soil heat flux
what is sensible heat flux?
heating boundary layer
what is latent heat flux?
evaporation
what is soil heat flux?
heating earth surface
solar noon
when the sun is at it’s highest point in a specific location
how do you find SEN?
SEN = 90 - Z
Z = latitudinal separation of LP and LS
LS = solar declination
LP = latitude of place
what is solar declination/subsolar point? and what is max height?
- latitude where the noonday son is directly overhead
- can be up to 90% in tropics
