CAS GE 100 Lecture 9: GE100 Lecture 9
23 Feb 2017
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Document Summary
Used for flood control, water storage, hydropower. Tallest earthen dam in us 770 ft. Forms second largest man-made lake in the state of california. High inflows to lake oroville caused dam operators to start using the concrete main spillway to control the lake level. Energy from the sun vs energy from the interior. 69% of incoming solar energy is absorbed, 31% reflected (albedo) The energy that is absorbed helps determine the temperature & drives the earth"s physical systems: hydrologic cycle, atmospheric circulation, waves, primary productivity. Crust moves about 2cm/year in north atlantic. Amount of new crust formed at ridges balanced by amount of crust destroyed. Differential solar radiation: radiation is higher at lower latitudes. Velocity of rotation is much higher at equator than, say, at the poles. As air moves through a circulation cell, the ability to hold water changes. Air picks up moisture as it moves along the ground.
