Abiotic Factors Determining Biomes: Atmosphere, Global Wind & Ocean Currents, Proximity to Large Bodies of Water, and The Rain Shadow Effect

Do now: •Please pick up the atmosphere handout up front.•Plot the data, then draw a smooth curve.

Earth’s Atmosphere• Atmospheric layers

delineated by temperature• Gasses w/constant

proportionso Nitrogen 78%o Oxygen 21%o Argon 0.09%o Carbon Dioxide 0.039%

• Particulate Matter (PM)o Asho Sooto Polleno Mineral dusto Salt spray

• Sun emits EMS: Radio micro IR visible UV X-rays Gamma

• Main part of the spectrum absorbed in the thermosphere x-rays & gamma rays

• Main part of the spectrum absorbed the by ozone layer UV

• Main part of the spectrum that reaches the Earth’s surface Visible

• Main part of the spectrum that is radiated by the Earth’s surface and then absorbed by GH gasses IR

NASA Earth Observatory: The Greenhouse Effect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzCA60WnoMk

Unequal Heating of Earth

The unequal heating is due to:

• The variation in angle at which the Sun's rays strike

• The amount of surface area over which the Sun's rays are distributed

• Some areas of Earth reflect more solar energy than others. (Albedos)

Unequal Heating of EarthAs the Sun's energy passes through the atmosphere and strikes land and

water, it warms the surface of Earth. But this warming does not occur evenly across the planet.

The % of incoming sunlight that is reflected from a surface is called its albedo.

Global Atmospheric CirculationGlobal patterns of air movement are initiated by unequal heating

of the Earth Convection Currents

• Wind currents are driven by differences in pressure largely dictated by temperature.

• These pressure differences cause rising and sinking air

• Climate (temp and precipitation) or terrestrial biomes can be expected.

• Winds don’t flow straight b/c Earth is spinning

Earth's Rotation and the Coriolis EffectAs Earth rotates, this causes a deflection of objects that are moving

directly north or south.

Global Wind Currents

Earth's Rotation and the Coriolis Effect

• Coriolis Effect- the deflection of an object's path due to Earth's rotation.

• The prevailing winds of the world are produced by a combination of atmospheric convection currents and the Coriolis effect.

Global Ocean Currents

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Global ocean currents are mainly a result of global wind patterns and also show deflection due to the Coriolis Effect. The circular pattern of major ocean currents are

called gyres. Gyres that cross latitudes, bring in warm or cold water into their new surroundings, and affect climate in that region.

Proximity to Large Bodies of Water

• Water has a high specific heat capacity.• The specific heat of a substance is the heat needed to change the

temperature of one gram of the substance by one degree Celsius.• Some substances (ex. air) change temperature with the addition of

very little energy, while others, like water, need greater amounts of energy to change.

• So, the specific heat capacity of water helps regulate climate in coastal regions.

• Coastal regions have narrower ranges in temperature compared to inland areas.

Topography & The Rain Shadow Effect

• When air moving inland from the ocean that contains a large amount of water vapor meets the windward side of a mountain range (the side facing the wind), it rises and begins to experience cooling.

• Because water vapor condenses as air cools, clouds form and precipitation falls.

• The presence of the mountain range causes large amounts of precipitation to fall on its windward side.

• The cold, dry air then travels to the other side of the mountain range (the leeward side), where it descends.

• This air is now warm and dry and produces arid conditions on the leeward side forming the region called a rain shadow.

The Rain Shadow Effect

Clouds & Fog

Closure:• What are the four layers of the atmosphere from least to

most dense.• In what two layers does most of the absorption of light

occur? Be specific- type of light and where.• Explain the greenhouse effect.

Homework:• Practice drawing out the global wind currents. Label and

color code global ocean currents.

• Biomes triangles and CE Scrapbooks due 12/10