Earth Sun Relations and Seasons Tutorial 22 This is reading assignment requires some reading to answer. Whoever can do it let me know if you have any quest

Earth Sun Relations and Seasons Tutorial 22 This is reading assignment requires some reading to answer. Whoever can do it let me know if you have any questions before starting please me know so that I know. It is a geog stuff so let me know and update me. Thanks Tutorial 22:
Earth-Sun Relations and Seasons
I Earth-Sun Relations:
Figure 1 below shows that the orbit of the Earth about the sun is not circular.
The path is elongated or ellipitcal. This means that the distance from the
Earth to the sun varies through the year. Two special events are depicted in
the diagram. Aphelion (July 4) is when the Earth is as far away from the sun
as it ever gets. Perihelion (Jan. 3) is when the Earth is as close to the sun as
it ever gets. Note that these events do not correspond to the coldest and
hottest months for us in the Northern Hemisphere. The purpose of this is to
show that distance from the sun has nothing to do with seasons.
Aphelion
July 4
O
152,500,000 km
94,500,000 mi
147,500,000 km
91,500,000 mi
Perihelion
January 3
Focus of ellipse
Figure 1
Additional:
.
One orbit around the sun is called a Revolution.
One revolution takes 365 days or 1 year to complete (on each birthday,
you have completed one more lap around the sun!).
Aphelion distance is 9.45 x 107 miles.
Perihelion distance is 9.15 x 107 miles.
Figure 2
o
23 30′
66° 30′
Equator
Figure 2 looks rather
complicated. It does,
however, reveal some
very important facts
about the Earth and its
orbit abound the sun.
First note the purpleish
rectangle. This
Sun
represents the plane of
the Earth’s orbit about
the sun or the Plane of
Plane of
the Ecliptic. We now
ecliptic
Plane of want to measure the
equator orientation of the Earth
with respect to the plane
Axis
of its orbit, the plane of
the ecliptic. Now note
the orange rectangle which represents the plane of the equator. We can
clearly see that the two planes do not coincide. That is to say, the Earth is
tilted with respect to the plane of the ecliptic. Figure 2 also shows the Earth’s
axis of rotation. If the Earth were not tilted with respect to the plane of the
ecliptic, then there would be a right angle (90°) between the axis and the
plane of the ecliptic. Note that the axis is shy of 90° by 23°30′. This deviation.
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plane of the ecliptic. Note that the axis is shy of 90° by 23°30′. This deviation,
or tilt, is called Inclination. We will find that this inclination is vital for
seasons on Earth. Make sure to memorize the amont of inclination as we will
see this number pop up time and again!
Additional:
The spinning of the Earth about its axis is called Rotation.
One rotation takes about 24 hours or 1 day.
.
Figure 3
Arctic Circle
Equator
Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Capricorn
Antarctic Circle
Figure 3 reveals
two more important
parts of the
seasons story.
First note that 50%
Sun’s vertical rays of the Earth is in
daylight and 50% is
in darkness. This
is always the case
for the whole Earth,
but equal parts of
each hemisphere
Sun’s oblique rays
may not be in
daylight and
darkness. The
dividing line between day and night is called the Circle of Illumination. The
orientation of the circle of illumination changes with the seasons. Note in
Figure 3 that the circle of illumination does not pass through the poles. Look
carefully and you will see that more of the Northern Hemisphere is in daylight
than in darkness which means that the day is much longer than the night!
What is important here is that the changing orientation of the circle of
illumination alters the lengths of daylight and nighttime hours.
The second major concept shown in Figure 3 is the Subsolar Point. The
subsolar point is the latitude on the Earth’s surface where the sun’s rays
strike at a 90° angle which is the highest possible solar angle. Figure
shows a special event when the subsolar point is as far north as it ever gets,
the Tropic of Cancer. The subsolar point is where the sun’s rays are most
direct and, therefore, most concentrated. The concentration of the solar
energy heats the surface. Important rules emerge from this fact:
When the subsolar point is as far north as it can go, it is the Northern
Hemisphere’s Summer.
When the subso point is as south as can go, it the Northern
Hemisphere’s Winter.
.
Figure 4 is a view of the Earth from space showing the circle of
illumination. Again, you can see that half of the planet is all ways in
darkness and half is in daylight. The amounts of the northern and
southern hemispheres in daylight and darkness, however, may NOT be
equal. Read on and try to answer a question about this diagram posed
below.
Figure 5 below shows the position of the
Earth relative to the sun at four times of the
year. You can see that the orbit is elliptical,
as described earlier, and that the Earth
exhibits a tilt (inclination) relative to the
plane of its orbit around the sun (plane of the
ecliptic). Figure 5 also shows how the circle
of illumination changes through the year.
Fiyu.
Figure 4
of illumination changes through the year.
There is one final element that this figure shows that has a direct affect on
seasons. Note the orientation of the Earth’s axis. Do you see that the North
Pole is always pointing in the same direction in space? The North Pole is
always pointing at the “North Star” (Polaris). This constant orientation of the
Earth’s axis in space is called Parallelism. Look at the axis at position A and
then at position C. Do you see that the axis is parallel in these two
positions? Also, note that the axis is again parallel at positions B and D. The
inclination of the Earth coupled with parallelism means that at one time of
year the North Pole is pointed toward the sun (A) and six months later it is
pointed away (C). This shift from A to C and back again causes the circle of
illumination and the subsolar point to move and for the planet to experience
seasons. When studying the seasons, make sure to note the tilt of the Earth,
the position of the subsolar point, the orientiation of the circle of illumination,
and the relative lenths of daylight and nighttime hours.
D
March 21
Sun
А
June 21
с
December 21
Figure 5
B
September 22
Il Seasons:
Let’s begin talking about seasons at March 21 (position D in Figure 5 above
and in Figure 6 below). At this point in time, the axis is neither pointed
toward nor away from the sun. This causes the subsolar point to fall on the
equator. The circle of illumination also passes through both poles making
daylight and nighttime hours equal (see below). When daylight and nighttime
hours are equal, the event is called an Equinox. We, in the Northern
Hemisphere, call March 21 the Vernal Equinox.
Figure 6
March 21
June 21
Arctic Circle
Repulse Bay
Repulse
Bay
Tropic of Cancer
Arctic Circle
# Cancer
New York
City
Popic of Can
Equator
Vertical
New York
City
Vertical
Tropic of Capricorn
rays
Equator
rays
Tropic of Capricorn
Buenos
Aires
Antarctic Circle
Antarctic Circle
Buenos
Aires
Figure 7
Three months later we arrive at June 21 (position A in Figure 5, and in Figure
7). Here the inclination of the Earth points the Northern Hemisphere toward
the sun. This causes the subsolar point to be as far north as it ever goes
(23°30′ N), the Tropic of Cancer. The circle of illumination doesn’t pass
through both poles making daylight and nighttime hours differ to the
through both poles making daylight and nighttime hours differ to the
extreme. Note that more of the Northern hemisphere is in daylight than in
darkness. This represents the Northern Hemisphere’s longest day of the year
or the Summer Solstice. June 21 is also the shortest day in the Southern
Hemisphere or their Winter Solstice. Since seasons are hemisphere specific,
the June 21 event is called the June Solstice. Note that strange things
happen on the June Solstice. Figure 7 shows that Repulse Bay will not get
rotated into darkness on this day. Anywhere on Repulse Bay’s latitude will
experience 24 hours of daylight. This latitude is 23°30′ from the North Pole or
at a latitude of 66°30′ N. This is called the Arctic Circle. The Antarctic
Circle, at 66°30′ S experiences 24 hours of darkness on the June solstice.
Figure 9
December 21
Arctic Circle
Repulse Bay
September 22
Tropic of Cancer
Repulse
Bay
New York
City
Equator
Arctic Circle
Vertical
topic of Cancer
Tropic of Capricorn
rays
New York
City
Vertical
Equator
rays
Antarctic Circle
Tropic of Capricorn
Buenos
Aires
Buenos
Aires
Antarctic Circle
Figure 8
By September 22 (position B in Figure 5 and Figure 8) the Earth is no longer
pointed toward or away from the sun, and the subsolar point has returned to
the Equator. The circle of illumination again passes through both poles
making daylight and nighttime hours equal. This is the second equinox know
as the Autumnal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.
On December 21, the north pole is pointed away from the sun (C in Figure 5
and Figure 9). This causes the subsolar point to be as far south as it ever
goes, 23°30′ S (the Tropic of Capricorn). The circle of illumination is offset
once again this time making the day short and the night long in the Northern
Hemisphere. This is the Northern Hemisphere’s Winter Solstice. Do you see
that the rule regarding the location of the subsolar point holds. The subsolar
point is as far south as it ever gets making the period the winter for the
Northern Hemisphere. At the same time, this marks the beginning of the
summer in the Southern Hemisphere. This event is technically called the
December Solstice. Note once again where strange things happen. Figure
9 shows that the Arctic Circle experiences 24 hours of darkness while the
Antarctic Circle has 24 hours of daylight.
Additional:
· When a circle experiences 24 hours of darkness, its noon-time solar angle
will be 0° which means the sun does not rise above the horizon.
At the North pole, the sun rises above the horizon on March 22 and does
not set until Sept. 22. Once the sun sets, it will not rise above the horizon
until March 22.
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at a latitude of bb 30
This is called the Arctic Circle. The Antarctic
Circle, at 66°30′ S experiences 24 hours of darkness on the June solstice.
Figure 9
December 21
Arctic Circle
Repulse Bay
September 22
Tropic of Cancer
New York
City
Repulse
Bay
Equator
Arctic Circle
Vertical
Topic of
Tropic of Capricorn
rays
Cancer
New York
City
Vertical
Equator
rays
Antarctic Circle
Tropic of Capricorn
Buenos
Aires
Buenos
Aires
Antarctic Circle
Figure 8
By September 22 (position B in Figure 5 and Figure 8) the Earth is no longer
pointed toward or away from the sun, and the subsolar point has returned to
the Equator. The circle of illumination again passes through both poles
making daylight and nighttime hours equal. This is the second equinox know
as the Autumnal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.
On December 21, the north pole is pointed away from the sun (C in Figure 5
and Figure 9). This causes the subsolar point to be as far south as it ever
goes, 23°30′ S (the Tropic of Capricorn). The circle of illumination is offset
once again this time making the day short and the night long in the Northern
Hemisphere. This is the Northern Hemisphere’s Winter Solstice. Do you see
that the rule regarding the location of the subsolar point holds. The subsolar
point is as far south as it ever gets making the period the winter for the
Northern Hemisphere. At the same time, this marks the beginning of the
summer in the Southern Hemisphere. This event is technically called the
December Solstice. Note once again where strange things happen. Figure
9 shows that the Arctic Circle experiences 24 hours of darkness while the
Antarctic Circle has 24 hours of daylight.
Additional:
.
· When a circle experiences 24 hours of darkness, its noon-time solar angle
will be 0° which means the sun does not rise above the horizon.
At the North pole, the sun rises above the horizon on March 22 and does
not set until Sept. 22. Once the sun sets, it will not rise above the horizon
until March 22.
There are six months of daylight and six months of darkness at the poles.
The circles experience 24 hours of daylight and 24 hours of darkness on
their hemisphere’s summer and winter solstices respectively.
Click here to see an animated depiction of the seasons from the Prentice
Hall Geosciences Animations Library.
Now that you have read this tutorial, take another look at Figure 4. What time
of year does Figure 4 depict and how do you know?
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