CHAPTER 6 Air-Sea Interaction Fig. 6.11

The Earth’s interaction with the Sun and Atmosphere Life gets its energy from the _________. Solar energy also 1 2 3 Air and Sun Our Atmoshere is a mixture of gases 4 The four layers of the atmosphere include: 1. Troposphere – the lowest layer. 2. Stratosphere- 3. Mesosphere- 4. Thermosphere –

Physical properties of atmosphere Atmosphere mostly nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2) Temperature profile of lower atmosphere Troposphere – temperature cools with increasing altitude Fig. 6.4

Seasons Fig. 6-1

Seasons Earth’s axis of rotation tilted with respect to ecliptic Tilt responsible for seasons Vernal (spring) equinox = Mar 20 Summer solstice = une 21 Autumnal equinox = Sept 22 Winter solstice = Seasonal changes and day/night cause unequal solar heating of Earth’s surface

Uneven solar heating Angle of incidence of solar rays per area Equatorial regions more heat Polar regions less heat Albedo = Day/night Seasons

Climatic Zones

Insert Fig. 6-3

Physical properties of atmosphere Warm air, less dense (rises) Cool air, more dense (sinks) Moist air, less dense (rises) Dry air, more dense (sinks) Fig. 6.5

Movements in atmosphere Fig. 6.6

Coastal winds Solar heating Different heat capacities of land and water Sea breeze From ocean to land Land breeze From land to ocean Fig. 6.13

Florida’s Seasons Two Seasons= a Temperature= Precipitation= b

Movements in air Non-rotating Earth Fig. 6.7

Movements in air on a rotating Earth Coriolis effect causes deflection in moving body Due to Earth’s rotation to east Deflection to r______ in Northern Hemisphere Deflection to l______ in Southern Hemisphere

Movements in air on a rotating Earth Fig. 6.9

Fig. 6.10

Wind patterns in United States

Fronts and storms Air masses meet at fronts Storms typically develop at fronts Fig. 6.14

Fig. 6.15

Ocean weather and climate patterns Weather – conditions of atmosphere at particular time and place Climate – long-term average of weather Northern hemisphere winds move counterclockwise (cyclonic) around a low pressure region Southern hemisphere winds move clockwise (anticyclonic) around a low pressure region

Intertropical Convergence Zones (ITCZ) The equator is 0° latitude. The Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) equator is an imaginary line marking the temperature equilibrium between the hemispheres. It shifts north and south of the geographic equator with seasonal changes. The ITCZ equator is important because atmospheric and ocean circulation are approximately symmetrical on either side. The Winds Chapter 8 Pages 8-22 & 8-23

Monsoons and Cyclones Monsoons are seasonal wind pattern changes caused by heating or cooling on the continents. Summers= Winters= Cyclones are large rotating storm systems of low pressure air with converging winds at the center. Tropical cyclones= Extratropical cyclones = In both cases, cyclones form when moist wind gets drawn into a low-pressure area, causing it to twist around on itself. Cyclones appear to rotate the opposite way with respect to the Coriolis effect. When a cyclone forms, the low pressure pulling the wind into the pattern is stronger than the Coriolis effect. Cyclones help with the redistribution of heat that is important to all life on Earth. The Winds Chapter 8 Pages 8-23 to 8-25

Hurricane morphology and movement Fig. 6.17

Fig. 6.18

Earth’s heat budget Earth maintained a nearly constant average temperature because of equal rates of heat gain and heat loss Fig. 6.25

Greenhouse effect Trace atmosphere gases absorb heat reradiated from surface of Earth Infrared radiation released by Earth Solar radiation mostly ultraviolet and visible region of electromagnetic spectrum Fig. 6.24

Global warming over last 100 years Average global temperature increased Part of warming due to anthropogenic greenhouse (heat-trapping) gases such as CO2

Fig. 6.28 Fig. 6.29

Possible consequences of global warming

Reducing greenhouse gases Greater fuel efficiency Alternative fuels Re-forestation Reduce CO2 emissions Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 1988 Kyoto Protocol 1997

Ocean’s role in reducing CO2 Carbon Cycle

Ocean’s role in reducing CO2 Oceans absorbs CO2 from atmosphere CO2 incorporated in organisms and carbonate shells (tests) Stored as biogenous calcareous sediments and fossil fuels Ocean is repository or sink for CO2 Add iron to tropical oceans to “fertilize” oceans (increase biologic productivity)