Term
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Definition
| The study of natural systems (processes), geographic areas, society and their interdependece over space. |
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| What are the 5 major spatial themes? |
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| Location, region, human-earth relations, movement, place |
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| integration of all things, systems theory |
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-Shows interrelationships between objects and processes
-contains inputs, outputs, processes, feedbacks, etc
-open and closed systems |
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-flows of energy and mass
-a river |
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-energy flows into a system and energy flows out
-not self-sustaining
-earths energy budget(example) |
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-a system that is shut off from surrounding environment so that it is self contained
-Earths mass budget |
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-maintence of structure and character over time
-no large changes |
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| -changing trend over time |
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| What happens when a system reaches a threashold? |
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Definition
-metastable equillibrium
-abrupt change-can't ever go back |
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-enchances change in a system
-creates runaway/snowball effect |
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| example of positive feedback |
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-diminishes change in a systed
-causes self-regulation
-info discourages response in a system |
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| example of negative feedback |
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Definition
| bad review affecting ticket sales |
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| What are the 4 major spheres? |
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Definition
-atmosphere
-lithosphere
-hydroshphere
-biosphere |
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Definition
| thin gaseous veil surrounding earth |
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| water in 3 phases found in earth |
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| earths crust and upper mantle (rocks) |
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| interconected web that links all organizms with their physical environment |
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| measurement of electromagentic radiation reflected or emitted form remote bodies |
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-human eyes can see
-shows clouds
-only certain times and loacatios when it can be used |
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Definition
more descriptice reading of clouds
longer wavelenghts |
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Definition
| records energy radiated or refelected form a surface |
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| examples of passive remote sensing |
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Definition
-visable light
-emitting of human radiation
-human eyes |
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Definition
| sends radiation and records reflection |
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| examples of active remote sensing |
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Definition
radar
microwaves wavelenghts/radiation |
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| electromagnetic radiation |
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Definition
emitted from all bodies above 0 Kelvins (absolute zero)
travels at speed of light(in a vacuum) |
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Definition
| all objects radiate energy at wavelenths's inversly proportional to their temperature |
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| major reasons for the seasons |
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Definition
| changes in day length and the suns altitude above the horizon over the course of the year |
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| The moment when the Sun is positioned directly over the Earth's equator and, by extension, the apparent position of the Sun at that moment |
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| occurs around December 21 or 22 each year in the Northern hemisphere, and June 21 or 22 in the Southern Hemisphere. It is on the shortest day or longest night of the year |
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Definition
| longest day shortest night |
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| major bands of radiation emitted by the sun |
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Definition
-ultraviolet
-x-ray
-gamma ray wavelenghts
-visbale light
-infared |
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| what band is the solar peak? |
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Definition
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Definition
-warm air over cold air
-stable atmosphere
-no mixing
-flat |
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Definition
-mixing in the atmosphere
-creates a lot of instablity |
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| natural sources for variable gasses and aerosols |
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Definition
volcanic erruptions
dust storms
pollens/spores
salt crystals (oceans) |
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| anthropogenci reasons for variable gasses and aerosols |
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Definition
nuclear weaspons
industrial pollution |
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| natural factors of air pollution |
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Definition
winds
local topography
temperature inversions |
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| anthropogenic factors for air pollution |
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Definition
carbon monoxide emmissions
photo-chemical smog |
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| some energy is absorbed by the atmosphere and then radiated as longwave radiation |
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-from ground or atmosphere back to space
-a funciton of albedo |
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| the atmosphere is transparent to shortwave radiation but absorbs longwave radiation --hence heat is stored in teh atmosphere |
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| other methods of heat transport besides radiation |
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Definition
convection
conduction
advection |
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Definition
molecule to molecule transfer of heat energy
warm to cool |
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Definition
temp. differences between land and water bodies
soil temp. |
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Definition
gasses and liquids only
strong vertical motion
--atmospheric and oceanic circulations
--weather systems |
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horizontal motion
warmer masses(less dense) rise and cooler(denser)tend to sink
--horizontal movement of winds from land to sea
--movement of fog |
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| what controls spatial patterns of temperatre |
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Definition
latitdude
altidtude
albedo
clouds
water |
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| latitudes effects on temperature |
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Definition
-lower latitude = less change in seasons
-higher = greater range
-high lat = cold avg. temp
-low lat. = warm avg. temp
-effects insolation |
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| cloud cover's effect on temp during day |
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Definition
| reduces insolation therfore reduces temperatre |
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| cloud cover's effect on temp during night |
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Definition
reduces longwave radiation which means higher temp
clouds moderate temp |
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| land-water heating differnces effects on temp |
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Definition
water = mixing
land = no mixing
evaporation, transparent, specific heat capacity, movement |
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| rolse of water on average temp. |
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Definition
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| role of water on avg range |
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Definition
| larger range further away from water bodies |
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| the energy is stored in water vapor, released when it condences |
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Definition
more dense
higher pressure
poles |
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less dense
lower pressure
equator |
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| from high to low pressure |
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closer isobars
stronger winds |
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Definition
caused by earths rotation
causes air to curve
-right in n.hem and left in s.hem
-strongest at poles
-0 at the equator |
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Definition
friction near surface causes air to spiral
slows down-reduces coriolis force
slows down wind opposite and proportional to the force |
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Definition
ascending air
clouds, percipitation, stronger winds
hurricanes |
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Definition
descedning air
clear skies, weak winds
spirals out near surface |
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Term
| equatorial low pressure system |
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Definition
warm and wet
generated by thermal factors |
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| polar high pressure system |
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Definition
cold and dry
thermal factors |
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| sub-tropical high pressure |
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Definition
descdeing air
hot and dry (desert and higest max temp)
dynamic factors
warm air from tropics moves to cold air(cold current)
medeterannien |
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| sub-polar low pressure system |
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Definition
cool and wet
dynamic
advection
uplift of warmer aire/cold air down |
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Definition
low pressure
warm, moist rising air, clouds and rain, moonsoon, high rainfall. |
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Definition
develop in the tropics
spiral opp. directions in diff hemispheres
needs lots of warm water and h20 evaporation
hast to be 5 degrees north or south of equator for corolis force to work
domes up at trophopause |
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Definition
cold air and warm air mixing
cloud development |
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Definition
cold air coming into a warmer region
cold crisp days after rain |
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Definition
warm air moving into a cold region
gentle lifting
more layered clouds |
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Definition
surface winds, oceanic temp and salinity gradients with corilois force
eaporation leaves salt therfore more dense versus fresh h20 |
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Definition
sea to land
isobars far apart
high pressure systems |
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Definition
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Definition
| ratio of water vapor content to maximum water vapor capacity |
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Definition
| actual amount of water vapor in teh atmosphere |
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Definition
the maximum amount of water vapor an airmass can hold before it becomes saturated and condenses
function of temperature only |
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Definition
increase in water vapor
decrease in temperatre |
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Definition
form when air gets saturated and conensations occurs
form form air cooling due to rising |
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| any cloud in contact with the ground |
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| relatively warm and moist air from the pacific crosses the cold californinan current |
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| cold air draigage in valleys |
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Definition
suface cooling
surface radiation budget in deficet
typically nights and winters |
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