Envir Sc 1C03 Climate, Water and Environment

Photo by Mike Hollingshead

Assignment 1 Global Radiation Budgets

Purpose: 1. To facilitate a reflection on local radiation budgets

2. To calculate radiation budgets for present-day and glacial

climates

3. To analyze how and why radiation budgets differ

Photo by Mike Hollingshead

Assignment 1: Reflection

• You are presented with a series of topics related to radiation budgets

• You will reflect on one of

the topics in your report

• You will write your perspective of the topic, and solutions

Photo by Maldive from skyscraperpage forum

Assignment 1: Reflection

Photo by Maldive from skyscraperpage forum

Choose one of the proposed topics for discussion

Write your perspective of the topic

Discuss some potential solutions to the issue you selected

Assignment 1: Reflection Topics

1. Urban heat islands are densely populated areas where the local temperature is higher than surrounding rural areas due to human activities (e.g. paved roads, removal of vegetation, buildings). What are some potential solutions to urban heat islands?

→ Points to consider: What are the biggest contributors to urban heat islands? What is their density, permeability, material/colour, etc.? How might this affect the local radiation budget?

Assignment 1: Reflection Topics

2. Urban forests are a collection of trees and animals that exist within a settled human environment. This includes parks, street and residential trees, and conservation areas within a city. Urban forests are costly to maintain however they provide both aesthetic and health benefits to a community. Should cities continue to promote the development of urban forests? Why or why not?

• Points to consider: What are the health benefits or urban forests? What maintenance costs are there? Do the benefits outweigh the costs? How might urban forests affect the local radiation budget?

Assignment 1: Solutions

1. What are some potential solutions to urban heat islands? → Points to consider: What are the biggest contributors to urban heat islands?

What is their density, permeability, material/colour etc.? How might this affect the local radiation budget?

2. Should cities continue to promote the development of urban forests? Why or why not? → Points to consider: What are the health benefits or urban forests? What

maintenance costs are there? Do the benefits outweigh the costs? How might urban forests affect the local radiation budget?

What are some potential solutions to the issue you selected?

Assignment 1: Radiation Budgets

Photo left: by Jason Hollinger; Photo right: by Joe Mastroianni from the National Science Foundation

How would the radiation budgets between these two locations differ? Why?

Assignment 1: Radiation Values

Solar Radiation PDC GC

KEX Extraterrestrial solar radiation 100 100

Cr Cloud reflection to space 20 18

Kf1 Cloud reflection downward 8 9

Ar Atmospheric reflection to space 6 5

Kf2 Atmospheric reflection downward 13 12

Sr Earth surface reflection to space 4 21

Aa Atmospheric Absorption 25 19

Kd Diffused 24 16

Long-wave Radiation PDC GC

La Longwave radiation from surface absorbed in the atmosphere 96 68

Ls Longwave from surface to space through atmospheric window 17 7

L↑as Longwave from atmosphere to space 53 49

L↓as Longwave from atmosphere to surface 97 65

Surface Heat Fluxes PDC GC

QE Latent heat of evapotranspiration 23 16

QH Sensible heat flux from surface to atmosphere 6 11

Table 1.1: Radiation values for present day climate (PDC) and glacial climate (GC).

Assignment 1: Figure 1.1

Assignment 1: Figure 1.1

Balance to Space Surface Balance Atmospheric Balance

Flux

PDC GC Flux

PDC GC Flux

PDC GC

In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out

Total

Assignment 1: Radiation Table Table 1.2: Solar Radiation table for balancing the radiation to space, at the surface and within the atmosphere

Balance to Space Surface Balance Atmospheric Balance

Flux

PDC GC Flux

PDC GC Flux

PDC GC

In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out

Kex 100 100

Total 100 100

Assignment 1: Radiation Table Table 1.2: Solar Radiation table for balancing the radiation to space, at the surface and within the atmosphere

Balance to Space Surface Balance Atmospheric Balance

Flux

PDC GC Flux

PDC GC Flux

PDC GC

In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out

Kex 100 100 D 30 20 E 20 30 F 25 25 G 25 25

Total 100 100 100 100

Assignment 1: Radiation Table Table 1.2: Solar Radiation table for balancing the radiation to space, at the surface and within the atmosphere

Balance to Space Surface Balance Atmospheric Balance

Flux

PDC GC Flux

PDC GC Flux

PDC GC

In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out

Kex 100 100 J 55 36 D 30 25

D 30 20 L 12 20 R 60 40

E 20 30 M 59 40 S 15 15

F 25 25 N 40 38 T 20 10

G 25 25 O 30 10 U 55 40

P 20 12

Q 36 36

Total 100 100 100 100

Assignment 1: Radiation Table Table 1.2: Solar Radiation table for balancing the radiation to space, at the surface and within the atmosphere

Balance to Space Surface Balance Atmospheric Balance

Flux

PDC GC Flux

PDC GC Flux

PDC GC

In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out In Out

Kex 100 100 J 55 36 D 30 25

D 30 20 L 12 20 R 60 40

E 20 30 M 59 40 S 15 15

F 25 25 N 40 38 T 20 10

G 25 25 O 30 10 U 55 40

P 20 12

Q 36 36

Total 100 100 100 100 126 126 96 96 90 90 65 65

Assignment 1: Radiation Table Table 1.2: Solar Radiation table for balancing the radiation to space, at the surface and within the atmosphere

Assignment 1: Radiation Questions

• What is the correct equation to calculate net long wave radiation at the atmosphere to space boundary?

• Why is there a difference between the net longwave

radiation at the atmosphere to space boundary for PDC and GC?

Assignment 1: Your Final Report Your assignment is due on Monday July 4th, no

later than 4:30 p.m., in the drop box for Envir Sc 1C03 on the 2nd floor of GSB

MAKE SURE THAT YOUR REPORT IS COMPLETE!

ANY MISSING COMPONENT(S) (TABLES, ETC.) WILL NOT BE

ACCEPTED ONCE YOUR REPORT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED.

Photo by Joe Mastroianni from the National Science Foundation

Remember to follow Course policies if you miss the deadline