ENVIRSC 1A03 Chapter 3: Chapter 3.docx
18 Sep 2013
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Atmospheric infleunces on insolation process: absorption, scattering and transmission of solar radiation. Atmospheric gases, particulates and droplets all reduce the intensity of insulation. Has 2 effects the absorber gains energy: warms while the amount of energy delivered to earth"s surface is reduced. Solar radiation is the atmosphere"s heat source. Most gases are transparent to solar radiation , they do absorb terrestrial radiation. The global energy budget: a balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial radiation. Atmospheric influences on insolation: radiant energy is absorbed, reflected or transmitted (scattered) Absorption: particular gases, liquids and solids absorb energy: heat increases, gases are poor selective absorbers of energy. Reflection: redirection of energy, does not increase heat, albedo= percentage of reflected energy. Scattering: scattered energy diffuses radiation, reduces intensity, type determine by size of scattering agents. Diffuse light: the solar radiation that has been scattered by tiny atmospheric particles, scattered light travels equally in all directions (diffuse)
