Earth System ScienceOur dynamic planet features several interconnected

subsystems that profoundly influence one another.

GeosphereAtmosphere

Hydrosphere

Biosphere

Geosphere

Atmosphere

BiosphereHydrosphere

4.6 Billion Years of Interaction

Major ThemesScale Processes in the Earth system act on length scales of microns to thousands of kilometers, and on time scales of milliseconds to millions of years.Energy The Earth system is powered by one

external source (the Sun) and two internal ones: radioactive decay, and gravitational energy (heat still being lost from planetary formation).

Cycles Material in the Earth system is continually recycled in numerous overlapping cycles.

TheCarbonCycle

TheRockCycle

The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle

The BiosphereIncludes all life.

Concentrated near the geosphere surface, from the ocean floor to

the lowermost level of the atmosphere.

The HydrosphereWorld Ocean ~71% of Earth's surface, ____% of

Earth’s water

Fresh Water Lakes & Streams Atmosphere Groundwater

Glaciers ____% ____% ____%

____%

The Hydrologic Cycle Precipitation, Evaporation, Runoff,

Infiltration, etc...

The Atmosphere>50% of all air molecules are within 6 km of

surface.

Air consists mostly of N (78%) and O (21%).

Origin: volcanic eruptions, comets, life

Predicted surface T of Earth: -18°C (0°F)Actual surface T of Earth: 15°C (60°F)

Thank you, greenhouse effect. Thank you, atmosphere.

What is climate?

How does climate differ from weather?

TIMEWeather: Hours to weeks

Climate: Months to millenia

What characteristics does a climate

have?Air temperature

Humidity

Precipitation (type & amount)

Wind (speed & direction)

Atmospheric HeatingHeat is transferred from warmer to cooler

hosts.Conduction via molecular

activity.Convection via mass vertical

movements of a

substance.

Electromagnetic radiation (300,000 km/sec in a vacuum)

What Affects Air Temperature?

(at climatic time scales)Unequal amounts of solar radiation

(axial tilt, seasons, etc.)

Unequal heating of land & water

Altitude (cooler at higher elevations)

Geography (esp. regarding winds)

Land vs. Water

Land has a lower specific heat than water.

(Specific heat: Energy to raise 1 gram of a substance 1°C)

Therefore,

heats faster thangets hotter thancools faster than

Land Water

ElevationEffects

Geographic

effects:Cascade Rangeblocks

moderatingcoastal winds