GEOG 2050 Chapter : GEOG Ch 4 And 5
Document Summary
Key concepts: transmission, scattering, diffusion, refraction, mirage, reflection, albedo, absorption, rayleigh scattering. Chapter 4 atmosphere and surface energy balances: energy essentials, energy balance in troposphere. Solar radiation varies: output from sun, distance of earth from sun, daily, seasonally, latitudes. Atmosphere functions as a filter: absorbs, gamma rays, x-rays, uv, allow visible light to reach earth"s surface. Energy pathways: short wave energy from the sun, long wave energy from earth. Transmission: passage of energy through atmosphere or water. Insolation input- all radiation received at earth"s surface direct and indirect. Water vapor: diffuse radiation- the downward component of scattered light. Shorter wavelengths scatter first and have greater scattering: violet to blue, smaller molecules. Longer wavelengths have less scattering: orange to red, larger molecules. Why is the sky blue at noon and red at dusk and dawn: at noon, blue light (shorter wave lengths) most readily scattered.
