Solar and Terrestrial Radiation Chapter 3 Solar and Terrestrial Radiation

Electromagnetic Spectrum Electromagnetic radiation travels in the form of waves, and are classified in three ways: Wavelength, distance from wave crest(trough) to crest(trough) Frequency, number of waves passing a point in a given amount of time Energy – higher frequency=higher energy

Get familiar with this!

BLACKBODY Radiation Laws The wavelength of the most intensely emitted radiation by a blackbody is inversely proportional to the absolute temperature: Wein’s Displacement Law lmax = C/T C=2897, and T is in Kelvin (273.15 K = 0º C) Hot object’s maximum emission wavelengths are shorter, cold object’s max emission wavelengths are longer.

Earth Sun 10 μm (Infrared) lmax = C/T 0.5 μm (Green light)

BLACKBODY Radiation Laws Law relating the temperature of a blackbody to the amount of energy emitted: Stefan-Boltzman Law E~T4 E=total energy flux across all wavelengths emitted by the blackbody. T=absolute temperature of the object

Earth’s Motion in Space and the Seasons Angle of incoming radiation: Wherever the sun is at its maximum solar angle (90 degrees) is the spot where solar rays are most concentrated.

Earth’s Motion in Space and the Seasons Distance from source of incoming radiation: Inverse square law… Earth closest to the sun on January 3 (perihelion) and farthest from the sun (aphelion) on July 4 – earth receives 6.7% more radiation at perihelion than at aphelion. – thanks to the inverse square law.

Earth’s Motion in Space and the Seasons So…the earth is closest to the sun in OUR winter…then why is it colder here during the winter? Sun’s direct rays at Equator Sun’s direct rays at Tropic of Capricorn The tilt of the Earth’s spin axis – 23 degrees 27 minutes. Sun’s direct rays at Tropic of Cancer. Sun’s direct rays at Equator

Solar Radiation and the Atmosphere Solar radiation interacts with gasses and aerosols as it travels through the atmosphere… Reflection = angle of incident radiation equals angle of reflected radiation, albedo = (reflected radiation)/incident radiation)] Scattering = Scattering by molecules is wavelength-dependant Absorption = Absorption is actually an energy conversion process – radiation striking the surface of a particle is converted to heat energy

Solar radiation and the earth’s surface The fraction of solar radiation that does make it to the earth’s surface is either reflected or absorbed (increasing the surface’s temperature) Common Albedos Urban area: 14-18 – daytime highs warmer during sunny days Cirrus clouds: 40-50 – keeps nighttime temperatures warmer – daytime cooler Fresh snow: 75-95 – daytime temps cooler

Infrared Response and the Greenhouse Effect Remember that “Absorption by atmospheric gasses varies greatly by wavelength – will strongly absorb some wavelengths and others little or not at all” Greenhouse gasses are very transparent to solar radiation, but absorb infrared radiation (emitted by the earth) very well. – These gasses in turn heat, and emit infrared radiation back toward the surface = Greenhouse effect Global radiative equilibrium keeps the planet’s temperature in check – emission of heat to space in the form of infrared radiation balances the solar radiation’s heating – this equilibrium can be disturbed…

Infrared Response and the Greenhouse Effect Principle greenhouse gasses: Water vapor – evaporated water – example=DESERT DAILY TEMPERATURE VARIATION Carbon dioxide – respiration, burning fossil fuels Methane – decomposition, cows Nitrous oxide Ozone…

The Stratospheric Ozone Shield Ozone (O3) – 3 oxygen atoms – relatively unstable Near the surface – ozone is a air pollutant, and a major contributor photochemical smog (Chapter 2) Ozone in the stratosphere shields us from lethal intensities of Ultraviolet (UV) radiation – great absorber at UV wavelengths.

The Stratospheric Ozone Shield Ozone is both created and destroyed by UV light – balanced cycle Creation – UV strikes O2 atoms, causing them to split, and then the two free O attoms collide with existing )two molecules to form O3 (ozone) Destruction – ozone absorbs UV radiation, slitting the O3 into an O2 molecule and O atom. The free O atom then collides with an O3 atom, forming two separate O2 atoms.

The Stratospheric Ozone Shield CFCs – chlorofluorocarbons UV radiation breaks CFCs up, yielding Chlorine (Cl) gas…which reacts with and destroys ozone