GEOB 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Background Radiation, Solar Constant, Solar Irradiance

• School: UBC
• Department: Geographical Biogeosciences
• Course: GEOB 102
• Professor: Greg Henry

Document Summary

Stefan-boltzmann law: hot objects radiate more energy (at all wavelengths) than cooler objects. Wien"s law: the hoter the object, the shorter the wavelength of peak radiaion. Outer smooth curve line, emission of an ideal blackbody . Variaion between predicion and reality shows that the sun is not completely a black body. Jagged line with shading, radiaion that passes through atmosphere(not absorbed by molecules) Unshaded area under curve, radiaion that is absorbed by atmosphere. Comparison between sun and earth, lots of wavelengths(of radiaion) doesn"t make it into the atmosphere on earth. Incoming solar radiaion or insolaion: flow of solar energy intercepted by the earth"s surface and atmosphere. Solar constant: average insolaion received at very top of atmosphere(thermopause) when earth is at its average distance from the sun. Not every part of the planet gets the equal insolaion, depends on the angle. Therefore, places at the tropics receive direct energy than poles(2. 5x more)