ENVR 1200 Midterm 2

Tropics

Latitudes where the Sun is

directly overhead at some point in

the year

what is the result of earth’s tilt

seasonality

solstice vs equinox

solstice: summer & winter. time the earth is most tilted into/away from sun.

• summer solstice = northern hemi summer, recieve most sunlight

• winter solstice = northern hemi winter
  
  equinox: the time earth is neither tipped away/into.

how does a surface reflect short-wave radiation?

thru albedo (low albedo = absorb more energy, high albedo = reflect more energy)

what is latent heat

is additional energy required to change phases (e.g., liquid -> gas)

what is earths atm filled w/

constant and variable gasses (short residence times, highly variable over space & time), mostly N and O, with some Ar (all constant) and small amts of trace gases and aresols

what is atm pressure

pressure exerted by the weight of the atm. decreases as u increase in elevation.

influences on horizontal temp variation

latitudinal, elevation and aspect, continentality, microclimates

what causes air movement

pressure gradient force (H to L pressure)
coroois force
frictional force

coriolis force

force acting on a mass moving in a rotating system, deflects the object perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the axis of rotation

northern hemisphere: deflection to the right
southern hemisphere: deflection to the left

tides

daily rise and fall of sea level

arising from gravitational forces

between the Earth and moon (and the

Sun, to a lesser extent) and Earth’s

rotation

(extra high tides are spring tides)

surface vs deep water

surface = mixed, affected by winds

deep = calm, cold, dense

two types of ocean currents

surface (reflect surface winds. surface winds cause frictional drag. and corolois)

deep-sea

gyres

In an ocean basin, surface currents move in circulation cells called

thermohaline circulation

global ‘conveyer belt’ of rising and sinking of

water driven by differences in water density

photic zone vs aphotic

photic: light penetration, photosynthesis done by phytoplankton
aphotic: darkness

where do nutrients come from

1. upwelled bottom-waters contain nutrients from dead organisms

2. land delivers to ocean via rivers or wind

dew point

temperature the air must be cooled to reach saturation

transpiration

movement of water thru a plant, and evap from leaves

radiation fog

surface cools at night

advection fog

saturated air moves over cooler land

fog

is condensation near the surface, usually because air reaches its dew point temperature

interception

precipitation that does not runoff

because it is instead held by leaves and branches of

vegetation, much more prone to evaporate

front

warm air is forced above cold

convectional precip

heating of the ground generates vertical air motion. if moisture and uplift is sufficient, causes convec precip

globally occurs along the ITCZ (covergent lifting)

t/f: THUNDER AND LIGHTINING ASSC W/ INTENSE CONVECTIVE LIFTING

true

storm surge

a rising of the sea as a result of atmospheric pressure

changes and wind associated with a storm

Contributes up to 90 percent of all hurricane-related fatalities