AOSC 200Lesson 5

Fig. 3-1, p. 54

Fig. 3-3, p. 56

Diurnal temperature cycle

Air temperature data• Daily mean temperature is determined by two methods, (a) average of 24 hourly measurements (b) the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures for the day.

• Daily temperature range is the difference between the max and min temperatures.

• Monthly mean temperature is obtained from the average of the daily mean for the month

• Annual mean temperature is the average of the monthly means

• Annual temperature range is the difference between the coldest monthly mean and the warmest monthly mean

CONTROLS OF TEMPERATURE

• LATITUDE• SURFACE TYPE• ELEVATION AND ASPECT• DIFFERENTIAL HEATING OF LAND AND WATER.

• OCEAN CURRENTS.• CLOUD COVER AND ALBEDO

Fig. 3-4, p. 57

Fig. 3-5, p. 57

Fig. 3-6, p. 58

Fig. 3-7, p. 59

Fig. 3.8

The effect of Aspect

Fig. 3-9, p. 60

Differential Heating of Land and Water

• AS WATER IS HEATED CONVECTION DISTRIBUTES THE HEAT THROUGH A LARGE MASS.

• IN CONTRAST, HEAT DOES NOT PENETRATE DEEPLY INTO SOIL OR ROCK - HEAT CAN ONLY BE TRANSFERRED BY CONDUCTION.

• NET RESULT IS THAT A RELATIVELY THICK LAYER OF WATER IS HEATED TO MODERATE TEMPERATURES, WHILE ONLY A THIN LAYER OF LAND IS HEATED TO MUCH HIGHER TEMPERATURES.

• SPECIFIC HEAT (AMOUNT OF HEAT NEEDED TO RAISE THE TEMPERATURE OF ONE GRAM OF A SUBSTANCE 1 DEGREE CELSIUS) IS ALMOST THREE TIMES GREATER FOR WATER THAN FOR LAND

Fig. 3-10, p. 60

Fig. 3-11, p. 61

Effect of clouds on the daytime energy budget at the surface

Fig. 3-13, p. 62