How does insolation affect the weather?

Answer 1

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Isolation is one of the main reasons that on earth today we see highly fluctuating climates and weather worldwide. It is direct or diffused shortwave solar radiation that is received in the Earth's atmosphere or at its surface.

The greatest amount of energy coming into the atmosphere coming from the atmosphere is from isolation i.e. incoming short wave radiation. Some energy derives from the earth (volcanoes) and energy is released from large urban areas. The amount of energy from the sun is determined by the following factors. Firstly the solar constant, it varies and slightly affects longer term climate rather than short term weather variations. The distance from the sun is also a contributing factor as the eccentric orbit of the earth around the sun can cause up to 6% solar constant variation. Furthermore the altitude of the sun in the sky - the equator receives more energy as solar radiation strikes the earth head on, whereas ay 60 N or 60 S it approaches the more oblique angle, giving twice the area to heat up. Finally the length of the day and night - the 23.5 tilt of the earth means that regions near the poles receive no insolation at times of the year

However not all radiation that approaches the planet actually reaches the surface. Absorption of incoming radiation by ozone, water vapour, carbon dioxide, ice particles and dust residue reduces the amount reaching the earth, as does reflections from cloud coverage. Some radiation is also reflected back from the surface itself, for example from snowfields. The ratio between the amount of radiation being absorbed and reflected in our planet is 4%. Short wave radiation is converted into heat, one of the reasons we see weather variation nowadays, in turn the longer wave radiation is trapped.

The earth is not heating up or cooling down as there is a balance between income isolation and outgoing terrestrial radiation. However, there are significant spatial differences within the atmosphere. This is because although energy is lost through radiation throughout the atmosphere, the next gain in radiation is not experienced throughout the atmosphere, the net gain is not experienced in the Polar Regions where there is a net deficit between incoming and outgoing radiation. However some 6% is lost in the atmosphere to space, water vapour, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse r gases absorb 94 per cent of this terrestrial radiation, retaining heat in the atmosphere.

Horizontal heat transfers - around 80% of the heat transferred away from the tropics is carried by winds including jet stream, hurricanes and depressions. The remaining 20 per cent is transferred by the movement of warmer ocean current polewards.

Vertical heat transfers - energy is transferred from the warmer surface of the earth vertically by radiation, conduction and convection. Latent heat also helps energy transfer. For example. Additional energy is required to change water into vapour, which may rise until it condensed into water vapour droplets much higher in the atmosphere. The vertical motion not only transfers heat from positive areas of heat budget by cooling the air as masses rise, but linked with the horizontal movements at higher altitudes.

One example of a weather formation is hurricanes, in the Atlantic ITCZ, insolation is at its highest. This causes the sea to heat up and cause evaporation. Due to masses of water vapour raising at the same time it causes a lot a latent heat as it rises, furthermore the coriolus effects causes this mass to spin causing a hurricane.

Answer 2

Insolation refers to the amount of solar radiation received at the Earth's surface. It plays a key role in driving the Earth's weather patterns by heating the atmosphere and surface unevenly, leading to the formation of high and low-pressure systems. This differential heating sets in motion the circulation of air masses, which ultimately influences cloud formation, precipitation, and wind patterns to create the weather we experience.