Elementary Meteorology Online
Chapter 3 - Solar and terrestrial radiation

Text reading

  • Chapter 2: Atmospheric Composition and Structure pp. 40-42 (The Ionosphere and Aurora)
  • Chapter 3: Solar and terrestrial radiation pp. 49-80

    • Online readings

    Introduction to Modern Physics

  • Thermal Physics
  • Atomic + Particle Physics
  • Electricity and Magnetism

    Energy, Matter, and radiation

    Notes
  • Characteristics of energy, matter, radiation and heat: Introduction to chapters 3 and 4.
  • Laws of thermodynamics: Formal definitions of laws governing energy and heat transfer.
  • Electromagnetic waves and spectrum Introduction to electromagnetic radiation.
  • Radiation lawsThe dreaded mathematical formula!
    Stefan-Boltzman law: Higher temperature objects will emit more radiation
    Wien's law: Higher temperature objects will emit mostly higher energy, shorter-wavelength electromagnetic waves.
    • Simulations
  • Radiation law simulation: Plots radiation intensity vs. wavelength. Set temperature to 6000 K to simulate sun . Intensity of radiation goes way up (Stefan-Boltzman law), and peak radiation is emited in visible spectrum (Wien's law). Then set temperature down to 300 K to simulate temperature of Earth. Intensity of emitted radiation goes way down. You will need to zoom in (+) on intensity scale to see curve. You will then need to zoom out (-) on wavelength to see curve. Wavelength peaks in long, infrared portion of spectrum.
  • Radio Wave simulation
    A simulation of elctromagnetic radiation. Move the electron up or down to create an electromagnetic pulse. Set "Transmitter movement" at top right of window to "Oscillate" and create smooth waves.

    Radiation sources: Sun and earth

  • The Sun
  • The Earth:
    Everything on Earth radiates at a temperature of 230-330 K. That means it radiates away infrared radiation (IR). Infrared photographs in at the above link show how variations in temperature lead to variations in IR intensity.
  • Reading satellite dataGoing through these exercises may help you on Investigation 3A

    Earth-Sun geometry

    Reading this section will help you with Investigation 3B.
  • Reading maps: Latitude and longitude
  • Earth's orbit and solar altitude

    • Incoming solar radiation

  • Insolation at top of atmosphere
  • Atmospheric effects on incoming solar radiation
  • Insolation at surface of the earth
  • UV Radiation and the ozone layer

    • Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR)

  • The Greenhouse Effect I
  • The Greenhouse Effect II
  • The Greenhouse Effect III
  • Global energy balance
  • Permafrost and Methane

    • Useful links