WHAT CAUSES THE SEASONS AND ASSOCIATED CHANGES IN INSOLATION?

Post on 03-Jan-2016

218 views 1 download

Tags:

Transcript of WHAT CAUSES THE SEASONS AND ASSOCIATED CHANGES IN INSOLATION?

WHAT CAUSES THE SEASONS ANDASSOCIATED CHANGES IN INSOLATION?

SUN

December 22 June 21

September 21

March 21

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

March & September 21

SUN

Sun overhead z = 0°

N

Equator 0°

Antarctic Circle 66.5°S

Tropic ofCancer 23.5°N

Arctic Circle 66.5°N

Tropic ofCapricorn 23.5 °S

S

Noon z = Lat

WHAT DO WE KNOW SO FAR?

Zenith Angle at noon on these twodays is exactly equal to a location’sLatitude.

Gainesville, 29.5°NSouthampton, 52°NPerth, W.A., 32°S

Old SchoolGeography

N

March & September 21

SUN

Sun overhead z = 0°Equator

Antarctic C.

Cancer

Arctic C.

Capricorn

S

WHAT IS THE SUB-SOLAR POINT?

Sub-solar point is the latitude at which the noon day Sun appears directly overhead (z=0) at noon.

WHAT IS THE ZENITH ANGLE AT NOON ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD?

WHAT IS THE ZENITH ANGLE AT NOON ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD?

Z = LATITUDE OF LOCATION – LATITUDE OF SUB-SOLAR POINT

Thus on March and September 21:Z at Noon = Latitude of location - 0

WHAT IS THE SUB-SOLAR POINT FOR ANY DAY OF THE YEAR?

SUN

December 22 June 21

September 21

March 21

N

S

N

s

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

June 21

SUN Sun overhead z = 0°

EquatorCancer

Antarctic

S

U

N

N

s

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

June 21

SUN Sun overhead z = 0°

EquatorCancer

Antarctic

S

U

N Equator: z = 23.5°

N

s

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

June 21

SUN Sun overhead z = 0°

EquatorCancer

Antarctic

S

U

N

WHERE IS THE SUN OVERHEAD (z=0) AT NOON?

23.5°N

N

s

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

June 21

SUN Sun overhead z = 0°

EquatorCancer

Antarctic

S

U

N

WHAT IS NOONTIME Z IN GAINESVILLE?

Lat = 29.5°

Z = <29.5°= 29.5 – 23.5 = 6°

Small Zenith Angle: Sun Close ToOverhead – Higher Proportion ofSolar Constant – More Energy – HOT!

N

s

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

June 21

SUN Sun overhead z = 0°

EquatorCancer

Antarctic

S

U

N

WHAT IS NOONTIME Z IN SOUTHAMPTON?

Lat = 52°N

Z = <52°= 52 – 23.5 = 28.5°

Small Zenith Angle: Sun Closer ToOverhead – Higher Proportion ofSolar Constant – More Energy – WARM!

N

s

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

June 21

SUN Sun overhead z = 0°

EquatorCancer

Antarctic

S

U

N

WHAT IS NOONTIME Z IN PERTH, W.A.?

Lat = 32°SZ = >32°

= 32 + 23.5 = 8.5°

Large Zenith Angle: Sun Further FromOverhead – Lower Proportion ofSolar Constant – Less Energy – COOLER!

SUN

December 22 June 21

September 21

March 21

N

S

N

s

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

December 22

Sun overhead z = 0°

Equator

Capricorn

Arctic SUN

S

U

N

Z = >0°= 0 + 23.5 = 23.5°

WHERE IS THE SUN OVERHEAD AT NOON?

23.5°S

N

s

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

December 22

Sun overhead z = 0°

Equator

Capricorn

Arctic SUN

S

U

N

Z = >29.5°= 29.5 + 23.5 = 53°

WHAT IS ZENITH ANGLE AT GAINESVILLE?

N

s

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

December 22

Sun overhead z = 0°

Equator

Capricorn

Arctic SUN

S

U

N

Z = >52°= 52 + 23.5 = 75.5°

WHAT IS ZENITH ANGLE AT SOUTHAMPTON?

N

s

Sun on horizon z = 90°

Sun on horizon z = 90°

December 22

Sun overhead z = 0°

Equator

Capricorn

Arctic SUN

S

U

NZ = < 32°= 32 - 23.5 = 23.5°

WHAT IS ZENITH ANGLE AT PERTH, W.A.?

BOTTOM LINE

BOTTOM LINE

March and September:Z at noon – Lat.

BOTTOM LINE

March and September:Z at noon = Lat.

Summer (Jun. in N, Dec. in S):Z at noon = Lat -23.5°

BOTTOM LINE

March and September:Z at noon = Lat.

Summer (Jun. in N, Dec. in S):Z at noon = Lat -23.5°

Winter (Dec. in N, Jun. in S):Z at noon = Lat +23.5°