Geosystems Core, Christopherson, Cunha, Thomsen, Birkeland. Ch 1
Jovian Planets
*Helium, Hydrogen, Ices - Jupiter - Saturn - Uranus - Neptune
Terrestrial Planets
*Rock & Metals: - Mercury - Venus - Earth - Mars
Speed of Light
300,000 k/ms. Light year (ly) = 9.5 trillion km per year - Milky Way = 100,000 lys from side to side
Sun's electromagnetic emmission
8% UV, X-ray, gamma 47% Visible Light 45% Infrared
System
A set of of ordered, interrelated components and their attributes, linked by energy flows and matter.
dynamic equilibrium
A steady state system that demonstrates a changing trend over time. The planet wants this.
Scientific Theory
A widely accepted explanation for a phenomenon that is based on evidence and experimentation and withstood the scrutiny of the scientific community.
Sunspots
Caused by magnetic storms on the sun.
Solar Wind
Clouds of electrically charged particles emitted from the Sun (fusion)
Global net radiation
Difference between (incoming) short-wave radiation and (outgoing) long-wave radiation = net radiation.
Uneven Distribution (heat)
Earth is curved, which leads to differing sun angles and strength
Earth's orbit
Ellipse: Perihelion (closer in Jan.) Aphelion (Closer in July)
Energy from Sun
Huge mass of Sun is under enormous pressure and high temps, atoms are forced together in a process called FUSION, creating energy and light.
Earth's reference grid
Lattitude (parrales) Longitude (meridians)
MVEMJSUN
My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos: - Mercury - Venus - Earth - Mars - Jupiter - Saturn - Uranus - Neptune
Solar Radiation
Occupies a portion of the spectrum of all possible wavelengths of electromagnetic energy.
Scientific Method
Simple, organized steeps leading toward concrete, objective conclusions about the natural world. 1. Observations 2. Questions and Variables 3. Hypothesis 4. Testing 5. Results 6. Theory Development
Nebular Theory
Solar system condensed from a huge, slowly rotating and collapsing cloud of dust and gas - the formation of our solar system (Milky Way).
Auroras
Sometimes called Northern Lights. The interaction of the solar wind and the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere that occur towards both poles
Earth's shape
Spheroid
Geography
Study of the earth. "To write the Earth"
Subsolar Point
The only location that receives "direct" sunlight, meaning rays of sunlight that strike the surface vertically, at a 90 degree angle.
Insolation
incoming solar radiation. * Sun emits short-wave radiation - INPUT (Ultraviolet, visible, short-wave infrared) * Earth re-emits that short-wave radiation as long-wave radiation - OUTPUT (thermal infrared heat)
Solar Constant
the average insolation received at the thermopause when Earth is at its average distance from the Sun
Electromagnetic Spectrum
the range of wavelengths or frequencies over which electromagnetic radiation extends. - Wavelength (Long or Short) - Frequency (Long or Short)
