GPHY 209 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Subsolar Point, Ecliptic, Radiant Energy
26 Nov 2017
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Document Summary
Incoming solar radiation of energy: radiant energy reaches the earth, but we do not all receive the same amount, some places are hotter, some are cooler depending on the season. Atmosphere on mars is very thin: 160 times thinner than earth, no absorption of ir radiation, huge difference between the surface and air temperatures, no oxygen and huge amounts of radiation. Earth"s rotation: spinning of the globe on its axis- 24 hours, the earth is tilted at 23. 5, north or south pole direction-depending on perspective. Solstices (diagram: mark the southern and northern limit of the latitudes of the overhead sun, summer solstice- june 21st, winter solstice- december 21st. Equinoxes (diagram: every place on earth has 12 hours of day and night, and both hemispheres receive equal amounts of energy, equally spaced between solstices. Solar declination- the latitudinal position of the subsolar point: where the sun heats and at what angle determines the amount of incoming radiation.
