Name: Date: Period: Water and Climate The Physical Setting: Earth Science I. The Water Cycle Ever since the outgassing of water vapor years ago, Earth has been recycling its water supply Earth has not gained or lost water since Water Cycle - The water cycle is fueled by (insolation) and gravity Evaporation - Condensation - Transpiration - Precipitation - When precipitation falls it can: Be stored on land surfaces as ice and snow into the upper parts of the lithosphere Flow over Earth s surface as Be or undergo Leigh-Manuell - "1
Infiltration - Factors Affecting Infiltration: 1. Slope of the Land - steeper slopes do not give time for water to infiltrate the ground 2. Degree of Saturation - the amount of water already in the ground 3. Porosity - 4. Permeability - 5. Capillarity - 6. Vegetation - plants absorb water from the ground Leigh-Manuell - "2
II. Climate Variables Climate - Latitude and Temperature Temperature is affected by latitude by angle of insolation, intensity, and duration of sunlight Low Latitudes: High Latitudes: Planetary Prevailing - are caused by differences United States has the prevailing winds N.E. S.W. 60 N 30 N Tropopause Polar front jet stream Polar front N.E. 0 Subtropical jet streams S.E. N.W. S.E. 60 S 30 S Polar front jet stream Leigh-Manuell - "3
Latitude and Moisture Moisture content varies with latitude because of the planetary winds Low pressure causes air to,,, and, to form clouds and rain High pressure causes air to and form arid regions Large Bodies of Water s, seas, lakes, and bays serve to modify climate regions Landmasses close to a body of water will be regulated by the slow rate of heating and cooling of water Example: Currents Coastal climates are modified by ocean currents Warm waters flow from the towards colder regions Cold waters flow from the towards warmer regions 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 20 80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 Africa Agulhas C. Asia India North Equatorial C. Equatorial Countercurrent South Equatorial C. Indian Antarctica West Australia C. Kuroshio C. Australia Antarctic Circumpolar Current Oyashio C. East Australia C. Kamchatka C. Arctic North Pacific C. North Pacific North Equatorial C. Equatorial Countercurrent South Equatorial C. Southern North America Antarctica South America 80 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 20 Alaska C. South Pacific California C. Florida C. Peru C. West Greenland C. Labrador C. Gulf Stream C. Greenland North Atlantic C. North Atlantic North Equatorial C. Falkland C. Equatorial Countercurrent Brazil C. East Greenland C. Canary C. South Equatorial C. South Atlantic Europe Guinea C. Norwegian C. Africa Benguela C. Antarctic Circumpolar Current Arctic Circle (66.5 N) Tropic of Cancer (23.5 N) Equator Tropic of Capricorn (23.5 S) Antarctic Circle (66.5 S) Leigh-Manuell - "4
Elevation Mountains Higher elevations are cooler due to temperatures decreasing in the troposphere Mountains intersect planetary winds and modify climate regions As the winds rise up the mountain, the air,,, and, creating a cooler more moist region As the winds descend the mountain the moisture is lost creating a and region Leigh-Manuell - "5
Daytime Cloud Cover Clouds: sunlight is blocked from warming up Earth s surface and heat energy is radiated back into space No Clouds: sunlight reaches Earth s surface and heat energy warms the surface Nighttime Cloud Cover Clouds: heat energy is trapped and not allowed to reradiate back into space No Clouds: heat energy is allowed to escape and reradiate back into space Leigh-Manuell - "6
III. Rainfall Patterns The Big Island is located between 0º and 30º N with the prevailing winds from the northeast HAWAII N.E. 60 N Tropopause Polar front jet stream Polar front S.W. 30 N N.E. 0 Subtropical jet streams S.E. N.W. 30 S S.E. 60 S Polar front jet stream Mountains that intersect prevailing winds can modify climate patterns MOUNTAIN MOUNTAIN Leigh-Manuell - "7
Windward - Air Air and Air and Lots of vegetation Plenty of rain Leeward - Air sinks Air Air warms Minimal rain Minimal Leigh-Manuell - "8