INSOLATION

Do Now: What is the least and the most hours of daylight

during the year?

What is INSOLATION?
Insolation- solar radiation (energy from the sun)
that interacts with our atmosphere, hydrosphere,
and lithosphere. in coming solar radiation

Most of the insolation that the

Earth receives at the surface is in
the form of visible light.

How does the Earths

atmosphere affect Insolation?

Most incoming ultraviolet radiation and other shortwave radiation

are absorbed by the atmosphere.
Most U-V is absorbed by the ozone (O3) layer found in the
stratosphere.
The longer waves such as infrared radiation (heat) are absorbed by
other gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and water
vapor. This warms the atmosphere.

 Clouds in the lower atmosphere

(Troposphere) reflect insolation
back out into space.
Insolation can be scattered by
gases and aerosols (pollutants),
example - O2 scatters the blue
portion of visible light making
the sky appear blue, aerosols
and other gases cause sunsets.

What is meant by radiative

balance?

The amount of insolation absorbed

by the Earths atmosphere and
surface over time is equal to the
amount of reradiation produced by
the Earth.

What factors affect of

insolation?
The angle of insolation.
The duration of insolation.
The nature of the Earths
surface.
Change of phase and
photosynthesis.

Angle of INSOLATION
The Earth is a sphere and insolation
does not strike the Earths surface at
the same angle at different locations.
Latitude At the equator insolation
strikes it directly but at the poles
insolation comes in at an angle.

 Direct insolation (high angle 90)

is absorbed more and indirect
(low angle <30) is reflected.

Duration of
INSOLATION

The duration of insolation

is the amount of time the
sun is out, this changes
with season and latitude.
At 41N (NYC) on Dec.21st
the duration = 9hrs on
June 21st the duration =
15hrs.

Nature of the Earths

surface
The Earths surface is
made of many different
materials and the
insolation received
reacts differently
because of TEXTURE and
COLOR.

Phases and
Photosynthesis

Insolation that is used to change

the phase of a material does not
raise the temperature (latent
heat).
Plants use insolation to live
(photosynthesis) and this does
not raise Earths temperature.

How does the greenhouse

effect work?
Shortwave insolation from the
sun is absorbed at the surface
and the surface reradiates a
longer wave (infrared).
Infrared radiation is absorbed
by greenhouse gases such as
CO2, methane, and water vapor
which warms the atmosphere.