ENV200H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Surface 2, Arctic Ocean, Axial Tilt
Document Summary
Today: earth energy budget; seasons, atmospheric circulation, hadley calls, prevailing winds, coriolis effect, oceanic circulation: thermohaline circulation. The sun & latitude: sun does not reach all places uniformly (why?, temperature varies locally. Larger area of illumination: the tilt of the earth axis means that more heat is absorbed near the equator and progressively less towards the poles (this varies by season) Summer: southern hemisphere tilt on the opposite direction -> reason why they have opposite season. Axial tilt is the on that determines the season not he distance the earth has to the sun. The atmosphere: temperature differences drive circulation, continuous circulation moderates surface temperature on the earth, continuous circulation tries to balance the temperature around the earth, as air cools (and condenses), its density increases and falls slowly back to earth. 4. - rising air cools, radiates heat to the atmosphere, and becomes dense; moisture condenses, forming clouds and precipitation. 5. - air is pushed aside toward low pressure areas.
