GEO 101, Atmospheric Processes and Patterns You MUST also be registered for a GEO 101L Lab LABS ARE LOCATED IN ILB 213 LABS START THIS WEEK!! Teacher: Dr. Mimi Fearn Helper: Hunter Boykin Tracy McClure Syllabus Text book used in both GEO 101 and 102 New online readings instead of textbook Attendance policy Roll taking procedure YOU are responsible for signing the roll at the time it is passed around Exams Class Schedule Power point slides/resources available on my website www.southalabama.edu/geography/fearn What is Geography? geo = earth, graphy = writing or description Geographers concerned with "what is where and why is it there"? Geography (in general) is a spatial science concerned with distribution of natural and cultural features on the earth's surface. Seeks to explain observed spatial distributions. Physical geography is a spatial science concerned with distribution of natural features on the earth's surface. Brief History of Geography Ancient Greeks studied geography = study of terrestrial earth cosmography = study of skies Geography as term used by Eratosthenes (Greek) 250 B.C Worked at library at Alexandria (Egypt) accurately determined circumference of earth 25,000 miles (40,000 km) 1
Obelisk at Alexandria 360 / 7.2 = 50 50 x 5000 stadia = 250,000 stadia 1 stadia 600 feet 250,000 stadia 28,000 miles Well at Syene 7.2 Dark Ages After Roman empire collapsed (500-1500 A.D.) Age of exploration 1500 A.D. Geographic knowledge = $$$$ Alexander Von Humboldt (1800) Father of Physical Geography Traveled extensively Americas, Russia Mapped soils, animals, vegetation, oceans, climate Modern day sciences are highly specialized Geography still "holistic" (inclusive across disciplines) Four divisions (components) of the earth system Hemispheres = equal halves of earth Great circles divide earth into hemispheres largest circle that can be drawn shortest distance between two points 2
Land vs. water hemisphere Land centered on Africa Water centered on Pacific Eastern vs. western hemisphere Americas = western Eurasia + Africa = eastern Southern hemisphere is mostly water Map shows observation stations and floats for tracking sea ice. Northern hemisphere contains most land Map shows clouds on August 21, 1997. Red is thunderstorms Circle of Illumination divides light from dark hemisphere Great circle Small circles do not divide the earth into hemispheres Great circles divide the Earth into 2 equal halves. 3
Major movements of the earth Planetary orbits in plane of ecliptic Except Pluto, which is no longer considered a planet 1. Galactic movement 2. Revolution movement of the earth in its orbit around the sun takes 365.25 days sun 93 million miles (150 million km) away Currently, earth s orbit around the sun is an ellipse Currently earth has an elliptic orbit with Perihelion (closest, Jan 3); Aphelion (farthest, July 4) Difference of 3 million mi 94,550,000 mi 91,450,000 mi Major movements of the earth 3. Rotation spinning of the earth on its axis takes 24 hours day & night earth turns "counterclockwise" if looking down at north pole sun rises in east & sets in west Rotational axis currently tilted 23.5 degrees from perpendicular. Tilt Angle of inclination 4
Position of axis is parallel to all other positions along orbital path. Earth-sun Relations Combination of tilt and parallelism causes seasons Physical geography is a spatial science concerned with distribution of natural features on Earth's surface. 11:26 CST The information on these websites covers the material in the class lecture. We will strive to provide this information for each lecture. If you find a reference that you think is better than one on this list, turn in a printout of the page with your name on it. If it is indeed better than what we have, you will receive 2 points extra credit on the following exam. Our goal is to provide the equivalent of an on-line textbook that is completely free. Help us. Examine the information on the websites below for a review of today s material, do the homework assignment on the Great Circle Mapper. Jan. 18, 2011, 16:00 UTC = 10:00 AM in Mobile http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/ Go to class website and look for lecture online references 5