GEOG 2050 Lecture : Geography TWO NOTES
Document Summary
Earths energy budget: solar radiation varies, output form sun, distance of earth from sun, daily, seasonally, atmosphere functions as a filter, absorbs, gamma rays, x rays, uv rays, allows visible to reach earths surface. Earth"s atmosphere: reflection, insolation (light) is bounced off a surface without being absorbed or scattered. Energy essentials: energy pathways, short wave energy from the sun, long wave energy from the earth, transmission, passage of energy through the atmosphere. Exam question: at noon blue light (shorter wave lengths) most readily scatters, a low sun angles, blue light is so scattered that it is eventually absorbed, and only scattering of red light is visible. Reflection: occurs with insolation is bounced off surface without being absorbed or scatters (figure 4. 5, albedo (%) or intrinsic brightness reflective quality, proportion of insolation reflected. Albedo and absorption: albedo controls amount of insolation available for absorption(table.
