Chapter I

Introducing Earth
GEOG 1290
Summer 2014

Geography is the World
- Chris Hadfield
Chapter 1 Outline
Geography and Science:
Studying the World Geographically
The process of Science
Numbers and measurement Systems
Environmental Spheres and Earth
Systems
Earths Environmental Spheres
Earth Systems
Earth and The solar System
The Solar System
The Size and Shape of Earth
The Geographic Grid-Latitude and
Longitude
Latitude
Longitude
Locating Points on the Geographic
Grid
Earth-Sun Relations and the Seasons
Earth Movements
The Annual march of the Seasons
Seasonal Transitions
Significance of Seasonal Patterns
Tell Time
Standard Time
International Date Line
Daylight Saving time

What is Geography?
Eratosthenes
c. 275 - c.195 BCE
Geography was the accurate
description of the Earth
Geography:
Greek Origins
Geo: earth
Graphia: description



http://www.omg-facts.com/History/Over-2000-Years-Ago-Eratosthenes-Estimat/53508
The study of the evolving character of the Earths surface
Interconnectedness of human and natural phenomena
Broad and holistic (all inclusive) borrows from other fields
Spatial
Comes from noun space
Earthly space
Whats There? Why There? Why Care?
Geographys common bond: spatial perspective
Absolute location (i.e. Latitude and longitude)
Relative location
Site (characteristics of location)
Situation (relationship with other items/areas)

Main Branches of Geography
Connective, integrative
perspective that links
knowledge from difference
disciplines

1. Physical (Environmental)
2. Cultural (Human)

Physical vs. Human Geography
Both fields require knowledge of:
How the physical system works?
How humans interact with their environment, both as
individuals and as societies?
Geographys origins linkage of human and natural
systems



Geographys Basic Characteristics
Looks at how things differ from place to place
No particular body of facts or objects that it can
call wholly its own.
Broad field of inquiry borrows form other
disciplines
Both a physical and social science and bridges
the gap between the two
Looks at interrelationships

Scientific Methodology
logical reasoning process by which people
explain unknown circumstances.
Sir Francis Becon:
universal methodology for explaining
relationships in the physical world in an
ordered fashion
Deductive system for empirical research
The Father of Modern Science

Hypothesis:
the proposal intended to explain certain
facts or observations that have not been
formally tested.
http://www.bnl.gov/bera/activities/globe/sir_fran
cis_bacon.htm
Geography and Science
The scientific method:
Observe phenomena
Formulate a hypothesis
Design an experiment to test the hypothesis
Predict the outcome of the experiment
Conduct the experiment
Draw conclusions
Scientific proof
Establishment of scientific theory

_______________?
Science does not actually prove things, but
rather
eliminates explanations.

Theories:
Geography and Science
Measurement systems
Need measurement systems
to quantify scientific processes
SI: Systme International
aka metric system
English units
AKA SA
Conversions

Geographic Magnitude
Orders of Magnitude: The
sizes of geographic entities

Exponential notation
100 = 10
2
1,000=10
3
10,000=10
4
0.01 = 10
-2
= 1/10

http://www.goes-r.gov/users/comet/tropical/textbook_2nd_edition/navmenu.php_tab_2_page_8.1.0.htm


The four great Earth Realms
aka Earths Environmental Spheres
Basis of physical geography
Converge at the life layer
interface between the four realms
1. Atmosphere
2. Lithosphere
3. Hydrosphere
Cryosphere
4. Biosphere

Organizing Information in Geography
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
Biosphere
Systems Approach . . .
System
a set or collection of things
related or organized
System Approach
Views processes and landforms as assemblages of
interrelated and interacting components
Connected by energy flows
Function as a unit
Multivariate nature of geography
Subsystems
Interfaces
Systems Approach
Flow Systems
1. Matter Flow Systems (open or closed)
2. Energy Flow Systems (open)

Flow System Components
1. Pathways
2. Inputs & outputs
3. Power sources
a) Solar radiation

b) Gravity

c) Internal/Geothermal Heat
Meteor, Ural Mountain, Russia
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2387639/Meteor-crashed-Russia-656-foot-wide-asteroid-
broke-orbit-Earth.html
was part of a 656-foot wide asteroid that broke off during its
orbit around Earth
1. Equilibrium
Measure of the degree to which a systems internal state
or output is adjusted to its input






Systems response to change . . .
Steady State Dynamic Equilibrium
Source: http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/4f.html
Source: http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/4f.html
Interconnected Systems
Systems response to change . . .
2. Feedbacks
create changes in other parts of the system
1. Positive Feedbacks
2. Negative Feedbacks

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/abrupt/story2.html
Positive Feedback
http://www.atmosedu.com/Geol390/feedbacks.htm
Ice Albedo Feedback
Water Vapor Feedback
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2005/arcticice_decline.html
Figure 1: Schematic cross-section of the Arctic basin
showing influences on sea-ice cover.
Carmack, E. and Melling, H. 2011. Cryosphere: Warmth from the deep. Nature Geoscience 4, 78.doi:10.1038/ngeo1044
Negative Feedbacks
Atmospheric carbon dioxide
increases


Plants grow


Atmospheric carbon dioxide
decreases
Example: Vegetation and Carbon Dioxide
Earth and the Solar System
Origins the big bang
Formation of the solar system
Formed 4.5 to 5 billion years
ago from a nebula
Eight planets revolve around
the Sun in elliptical orbits
Four terrestrial planets
Four gas giants
Earth is the third planet

Earth and the Solar System
The solar system

The Size & Shape of the Earth
Geometric Shape
oblate ellipsoid/spheroid
difference: 3/10
ths
of 1%
Circumference of 40,000 km

12,756 km
12,714 km
Actual (True) Shape
Geoid
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/229667/geoid
http://spacespin.org/article.php?story=100619-nasa-dlr-continue-
grace-2015
. . . Actual (True) Shape of the Earth
http://deepseachallenge.com/the-expedition/mariana-trench/
Illustration by Mina Liu / The Daily & National Geographic
Infographic of the Mariana Trench depth comparisons
Geoid
http://www.bigelow.org/virtual/hi_lo_topo.jpg
Geodesy (Shape of the earth):
Eratosthenes (philosopher?)
The Earths Rotation
Earth rotates on its axis:
Counterclockwise at
North Pole
Left to right (eastward)
at Equator
One rotation is a solar
day (24 hours)
23 hours 56 mins.
467 m/s or 1,675 km/hr
Defines:
1. Axis
2. Poles
3. Plane of the Equator

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/6h.html
Earths Rotation: Environmental Effects
1. Day &night
2. Diurnal
temperature
3. Coriolis Effect
4. Tides

The Geographic Grid
System of accurate location
Graticule: system of meridians & parallels on a chart/map.

Four Earth features provide the set of reference points:
1. North Pole
2. South Pole
3. Rotation Axis
4. Equatorial Plane

Latitude
Parallels: 90 N - 0 - 90 S
north or south of Equator
0 latitude
1 = 111 km



World Latitude Zones
Winnipeg: Midlatitudes
Fig. 2.8 The Earths diverse
environments by latitude
Strahler, A. and Merali, Z. (2008). Visualizing
Physical Geography. Wiley Visualizing, page
45.
Longitude
Meridians - 180 E 0 - 180 W
east or west of Greenwich Prime Meridian (0 longitude)
1 = 111 km at equator & 0 km at poles

Which one Represents Latitude?
Which one Represents Longitude?
A: Latitude B: Longitude
Elliptical orbit
Above north pole in counter clockwise dir.
Plane of the ecliptic
Parallelism
Perihelion/Aphelion


Revolution. . .
152,100,000 km
147,300,000 km
Aphelion
July 4
Perihelion
January 3
The Four seasons
Seasons Animation
Seasons Animation
Seasons Animation
Daily Insolation
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/6h.html
Equinox
Solstice
Changes in the Subsolar Point
Subsolar point/overhead sun
Solar Declination
http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/~joel/g110_w08/lecture_notes/sun_angle/agburt02_14.jpg
Equinox Conditions
http://www.wjla.com/blogs/weather/2011/03/happy-vernal-equinox-or-first-day-of-spring--9633.html
Solstice Conditions
Fig. 4.6
Circle of Illumination
Tangent Rays
Solstices and Equinoxes
June
Solstice
September
Equinox
December
Solstice
March
Equinox
Fall/Autumnal
Equinox
Spring/vernal
Equinox
Date ~June 22 ~Sept. 23 ~Dec. 22 ~March 21
Declination

Subsolar
Point
23.5 N

Tropic of
Cancer
0

Equator
23.5 S

Tropic of
Capricorn
0

Equator

Day length 24 hrs. N. Pole
12 hrs.
Equator
0 hrs. S. Pole
12 hrs.
everywhere
24 hrs. S. Pole
12 hrs. Equator
0 hrs. N. Pole
12 hrs.
everywhere
Insolation Variation
Insolation
Incoming Solar Radiation
Solar elevation
Angle of incidence
Duration of daily sunlight
Circle of Illumination
Global profiles of insolation
Fig. 4.21
Flow rate
Units: watts per square meter (w/m
2
)
varies by latitude and by season
Spatial distribution of solar radiation falling on the top of
the atmosphere (in megajoules per square metre per
day)


Path of Sun in Sky
http://eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/images/globalmaps/d
ata/mov/CERES_NETFLUX_M.mov

E
W
Winter
Spring/Autumn
Summer
S
Fig. 4.8.
Global Time
As Earth rotates once every 24
hours (solar day)
rotates 15 every hour
Sun reaches the highest point in
the sky at solar noon

Standard Time
used to simplify time keeping into
24 time zones

GMT: Greenwhich Mean time
UTC: Universal Time Coordinated


Canadian Heritage
Minute
Time zones of the Earth
7 mark most of the boundaries
Global Time
180
th
meridian
Moving west across the date line:
advance calendar one day (lose a
day)
Moving east across date line: set
calendar back one day (have the
same day twice)
No change in clock time when
crossing date line
International Date Line
http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/dateline.htm
http://confluence.org/photo.php?visitid=6783&pic=ALL
Standard Time Zones
Daylight Saving Time
Summer Time
Advance clock ahead 1 hour
in summer
Transfers daylight to the
pace of human
Conserve Electricity
What time is it?
1. If it is 10:00 A.M. Monday in Denver (105 W),
what time is it in new York City 75 W)?
2. If it is 11:00 A.M Thursday in Seattle (120 W,
what time and day is it in Seoul south Korea (135
E)?
3. A satellite image of the United sates was taken at
0900Z. What was the local standard time in
Chicago (90 W)?

E E E E E E E E E E E IDL W W W W W W W W W W W
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v

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