GGR100H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Stratus Cloud, Urban Heat Island, Heat Transfer
Document Summary
Albedo- reflection of sunlit back into the atmosphere. Ice has one of the highest albedos- when arctic ice melts, the water absorbs more sunlight than the ice did, cause the water to warm up, and further melt more ice. More shipping in the north and arctic ocean breaks up the ice and pollutes, further reducing the amount of ice, and warming the arctic. Short wave radiation reaches the earth and some is reflected back to space by the albedo and some is absorbed, and then some of that is also reflected as long wave. Gas molecules or dust redirect sw radiation w/out altering wavelength (diffuse radiation) Scattering redirects the radiation, making in diffuse, but does not change its wavelength. Dust, pollutants, ice crystals, pollution, water vapor all cause scattering of insolation refraction-bending of light due to sharp density differences, caused by temperature changes, or the presence of water. Heat mirages, due to different temperatures, which give air different densities.
