Earth System Change (ESS101C)

Course Outline

Syllabus

	Week 1 - introduction to the climate system (E3 and G1, 2, 5) subcomponents global energy cycle global water cycle
	Week 2 - atmosphere (E4 and G6) general circulation jetstream and midlatitude storm tropical trade winds and monsoons
	Week 3 - ocean (E5 and G7) wind-driven circulation thermohaline circulations meridional heat transport
	Week 4 - land surface (G5) energy, water, and heat properties
	Week 5 - climate sensitivity and feedback mechanisms (G9) measurement of sensitivity cloud-radiation feedback ice-albedo feedback water vapor feedback
	*** MID-TERM***

Slide 4

Components of the Climate System

Properties of the Subcomponents

Subcomponent: the Atmosphere

Subcomponent: Global Oceans

Land Surface

Global Energy Cycle

Solar Flux and Flux Density

	Solar Luminosity (L)
	the constant flux of energy put out by the sun
	L = 3.9 x 1026   W
	Solar Flux Density (Sd)
	the amount of solar energy per unit area on a sphere centered at the Sun with a distance d
	Sd  = L / (4 p d2)   W/m2

Solar Flux Density Reaching Earth

	Solar Constant (S)
	The solar energy density at the mean distance of      Earth from the sun (1.5  x 1011 m)
	S = L / (4 p d2)
	= (3.9 x 1026 W) / [4 x 3.14 x (1.5  x 1011 m)2]
	= 1370 W/m2

Solar Energy Incident On the Earth

	Solar energy incident on the Earth
	=  total amount of solar energy can be absorbed by Earth
	=  (Solar constant) x (Shadow Area)
	=  S x p R2Earth

Solar Energy Absorbed by Earth

What Happens After the Earth Absorbs Solar Energy?

	The Earth warms up and has to emit radiative  energy back to the space to reach a equilibrium condition.
	The radiation emitted by the Earth is called “terrestrial radiation” which is assumed to be like blackbody radiation.

Blackbody Radiation

	Blackbody
	A blackbody is something that emits (or absorbs) electromagnetic radiation with 100% efficiency at all wavelength.
	Blackbody Radiation
	The amount of the radiation emitted by a blackbody depends on the absolute temperature of the blackbody.

Planck Function

	The Planck function relates the intensity of radiation from a blackbody to its wavelength.

Energy Emitted from Earth

Planetary Energy Balance

Different Wavelengths of Solar and Earth’s Radiation

Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse Gases

Where Does the Solar Energy Go?

Where Is Earth’s Radiation Emitted From?

Important Roles of Clouds In Global Climate

Polarward Energy Transport

How Do Atmosphere and Ocean Transport Heat?

How Surface and Deep Ocean Circulation Are Driven?

What Do We Learn About the Global Energy Cycle?

Global Water Cycle

Interaction Processes

Water Balance