ERTH 2403 Lecture 6: Atmospheric Circulation + Ocean Circulation
26 Oct 2018
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Document Summary
The calm layer: where airplanes usually fly because so calm, mesosphere layer above stratosphere 50-90 km. Temperature decreases with altitude; the cold layer: thermosphere layer above mesosphere >90 km, extends out to space, composition of the atmosphere, the atmosphere is composed of permanent gases, present in constant , 1. Light (short-wave) energy (about 51%) absorbed at the surface is converted into heat: heat leaves earth as infrared (long-wave) radiation, since input equals output over long periods of time, the heat budget is balanced. = earth is in thermal equilibrium: more heat at equator, less at poles, estimate heat budget of the earth, 100% of incoming radiation is eventually radiated out, 1. Ice near the poles reflects much of the energy: polar latitudes lose more heat than they gain. The coriolis effect deflects the path of moving objects: coriolis effect the observed deflection of a moving object.
