GPHY 102 Lecture 5: The Global Energy System Cont. AND Air Temp
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Gphy102 lecture 5: the global energy system cont. Insolation is an acronym for incoming solar radiation: measured in units of watts per square meter. Flow from sun remains relatively constant but insolation received at any point depends on: angle of the sun above the horizon, length of time of exposure to the rays. ** insolation is greatest when the sun angles are vertical. *think of this diagram as a bucket of water (determined amount) being poured over a set area. Insolation is the greatest when the sun is above the horizon: both the height of the sun above the horizon and day length vary with latitude and the time of year. Solar insolation decreases as latitude increases: poles receive 40% of equator"s insolation. Insolation varies directly with seasons: tilt of earth redistributes large amount of energy from equatorial to polar regions. If the earth wasn"t tilted, just perpendicular, there would be a major difference in solar radiation.
