1. MAP PROJECTIONS
Since we cannot carry a globe into the field, we need to figure out how to represent the curved surface on a flat piece of paper.
It is impossible to represent Earth surface onto a flat surface without distortion!!!

2. PRINCIPAL PROJECTIONS
MAP PROJECTIONS
PRINCIPAL PROJECTIONS
Azimuthal

3. CYLINDRICAL PROJECTION
Areas close to the Equator present very little distortion
The closer to the poles the more distortion the map presents

4. CILINDRICAL:
Mercator projection:

5. PROPERTIES OF MAP PROJECTIONS
CONIC PROJECTION
AZIMUTHAL PROJECTION
PROPERTIES OF MAP PROJECTIONS
Conformal: when the direction is maintained at any point on the map. Shape is preserved locally
Equal-area: all mapped areas have the same proportional relationship to the areas on the Earth

6. Mercator Projection (conformal)
Lambers equal-area conic projection
Which map should we use to analyze and compare snow regions?

7. GLOBAL TIME TIME ZONES OF THE WORLD
24 hours for a full rotation respect to the Sun
Variation of time with longitude
TIME ZONES OF THE WORLD
World divided into 24 standard time zones (15° each zone)
15º longitude=1 hour

8. INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE
The 180° meridian is used as International Date Line to set 1 day (advance or back) in the calendar
If you travel westward: advance one day
If travel eastward: set calendar back by a day

9. Global time is called Greenwich Mean Time or GMT
TIME ZONES OF THE WORLD
Primary standard meridian is the Greenwich Meridian (Prime Meridian, 0º longitude)
Global time is called Greenwich Mean Time or GMT
Examples:
Tuesday 3am in Spain is ___________ in Newark,DE
Saturday 10 am in California is ______ in China

10. THE SUN-EARTH RELATIONSHIP
Why is this relationship important?
Solar radiation drives nearly all of the natural processes on Earth’s surface
Solar radiation drives nearly all of the climate processes (seasons, temperature, radiation, evaporation, transpiration, precipitation)

11. THE SUN-EARTH RELATIONSHIP
EARTH REVOLUTION AROUND THE SUN
July 4
January 3
Does it mean that in January we’ll have more temperature? 11

12. THE SUN-EARTH RELATIONSHIP
THE TILT OF THE EARTH’S AXIS
The Earth is tilted at an
angle of 23.5° 12

13. SOLSTICE AND EQUINOX CONDITIONS AND SEASONS
One of the poles is tilted
away from the Sun
EQUINOX:
The Earth’s axial tilt is
neither toward nor away
from the Sun

14. SOLSTICE CONDITIONS
One of the poles is tilted away from the Sun
JUN DEC 21-22
Observe the circle of illumination at different latitudes: because the tilt toward the Sun, we only have equal halves in Equator.

15. The Earth’s axial tilt is neither toward nor away from the Sun
EQUINOX CONDITIONS
The Earth’s axial tilt is neither toward nor away from the Sun
MARCH 21 and SEP 22
The circle of illumination has equal halves in all latitudes

16. 16

17. THE SUN-EARTH RELATIONSHIP
Location with 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night along all year?
Location with 24 hours of night on June 21st?
Location with 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night on September 23rd?
Location with 24 hours of light on June 21st?
Location with 24 hours of night on December 21st? 17

18. INSOLATION AND SUN ANGLE
The angle of the Sun’s rays determines the intensity of insolation on the ground
This is controlled by the latitude of the location and the time of the year.

19. INSOLATION AND SUN ANGLE
wintertime
The same amount of energy over different areas

20. WORLD LATITUDE ZONES
EQUATORIAL: Malasya
Min: 72.4 F
Max: 89 F

21. TROPICAL:
Belo Horizonte (Brazil)
SUBTROPICAL:
El Cairo (Egypt)
Min: 61.0 F
Max: 81 F
Min: 62.4 F
Max: 81 F
SUBARTIC
Copenhagen (Denmark)
MIDLATITUDE:
Baltimore
Min: 41.0 F
Max: F
Min: 45.0 F
Max: F

22. Rothera Point (Antartic Peninsula)
Mean: 23.0
Wedell seal pup
“Solar Pillar” (a visual phenomenon; the sun is reflected very strongly by ice crystals, so the reflection is almost as brightest as the sun itself)
SOUTH POLAR
Amundsen-Scott (90°S)
American base at South Pole
Mean: -57.0F
Vostok (78°S): Russian base. One of if not the coldest place on Earth.
Mean Temp: F or –55.0°C