GEOG 3510 – 850, ‘Introduction to Meteorology:’ Point Paper Date March 10, 2011
NAME:
Title:
What effect does the Sun’s energy have to do with the weather on the Earth? If it does, how does it influence the atmosphere and our day today weather? What are the implications?
Of the many objects in the universe, only two are essential for life as we know it: the Earth itself, and the Sun: the star around which it circles, year after year. Burning steadily in stable, middle age, the Sun–now about five billion years old–provides an unfailing source of light and energy. (Windows to the Universe, 2008) The Sun’s heat is so intense that at a distance of 93 million miles it warms the surface of the otherwise cold and lifeless Earth to 0° Fahrenheit. With a warmed Earth, the solid Earth releases a portion of its heat in the form of infrared radiation, which is trapped by greenhouse gases, further raising the surface temperature to a comfortable 59° F. In this way, the Sun’s radiation and the Earth’s blanket of greenhouse gases sustain the global temperature at a level capable of supporting life. Sunlight also powers photosynthesis, and provides energy for the atmospheric and oceanic circulations that greatly affect all living things.
The Essay on Earth Sun Donne Theory
Poet's aim: to make a social comment / declaration /express feeling towards a particular event. To understand what aim is, need to look at context in which poem is written. Can interpret poem simply by consideration of scenario presented, but without knowledge of context, reader can overlook other messages of the poet. 'The Sunny Rising' Simply: presents love as the miraculous feeling unaffected ...
Like the concentrations of greenhouse gases, solar activity has risen systematically through the past 100 years. The number of sunspots is a big indicator of greenhouse gas presence. The burning of fossil fuels that has led to an increase in greenhouse gases has introduced an ever-increasing load of sulfate aerosols, which also affect the temperature at the surface of the Earth. Other potential causes of climate change include the depletion of stratospheric ozone in recent decades and global changes in the surface reflectivity as we change the patterns of vegetation that cover the land. In conjunction with possible internal system changes such as variations in ocean circulation, these influences define the most likely causes of climatic change in the recent years. (Bradley, 2004)
Key findings from A National Climate Assessment performed in 2000 by Bradley revealed that many ecosystems are highly vulnerable to the projected rate and magnitude of climate change. Rocky Mountains and some barrier islands are likely to disappear entirely. Others, such as forests, are likely to experience major species shifts. Some climate models used in this assessment project that temperatures in the US will rise 5-9°F on average in the next 100 years. Climate change will vary widely across the US resulting in temperature increases that will vary from region to region with heavy and extreme precipitation becoming more frequent, The potential impacts of climate change will also vary widely across the nation.
A range of negative health impacts is also possible from this climate change, but adaptation is likely to help protect much of the US population. Maintaining our nation’s public health and community infrastructure, from water treatment systems to emergency shelters, will be important for minimizing the impacts of water-borne diseases, heat stress, air pollution, extreme weather events, and diseases transmitted by animals.
Analysis:
Earth gets all its energy from the Sun and it is the Sun’s energy that keeps Earth warm. But the amount of energy Earth receives is not always the same. Changes in the Sun and changes in Earth’s orbit affect the amount of energy that reaches the Earth. Our climate is also strongly affected by the amount of solar radiation received on Earth. The amount of radiation given off by the Sun changes with solar activity like solar flares or sunspots. See picture below of sunspots provided by (Scientific American, 2009)
The Essay on The Sun Solar Energy
The sun is the source of energy for all living things. Plants use solar energy to carry out photosynthesis. Animals that eat the plants also depend on the sun for energy. Even the fossil fuels that are burned came from the sun, in directly, since the living things decayed into fossil fuels used solar energy. A. The sun produces solar energy"^3 then plants absorbs the solar energy for ...
Solar activity is known to vary in cycles, like the 11-yr sunspot cycle. When the Sun has fewer sunspots, it gives off less energy, which means less energy makes its way to Earth, and our planet cools down. Our solar system in an ever changing body of movement. If a weather event happens one side of the earth it affects all other parts of the Earth; a never-ending chain reaction.
Conclusion
There are so many changes that take place on Earth in one day. It amazes me that there aren’t more catastrophic events that occur. I never knew how powerful the Sun was and how much it affected the Earth’s climate and weather until now. Simple things that I never was able to understand are now making more sense.
Bibliography
Bradley, P. R. (2004, 11).
The Sun and Climate. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from U.S. Global Change Research Information Office: http://www.gcrio.org/CONSEQUENCES/winter96/sunclimate.html
Scientific American. (2009, July 22).
Retrieved March 13, 2011, from The Role of Sunspots and Solar Winds in Climate Change: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=sun-spots-and-climate-change
Windows to the Universe. (2008, January 28).
Retrieved 3 10, 2011, from Sun’s Effect on Earth: http://www.windows2universe.org/sun/effect_on_earth.html