1 LAB MODULE 5 GLOBAL TEMPERATURE PATTERNS Note P

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LAB MODULE 5: GLOBAL TEMPERATURE PATTERNS
Note: Please refer to the GETTING STARTED lab module to
learn how to maneuver
through and answer the lab questions using the Google Earth ( )
component.
KEY TERMS
You should know and understand the following terms:
Air temperature Heat index Temperature anomalies
Altitude Kelvin (K) Temperature averages
Ambient temperature Latitude Thermopause
Axial Tilt Maritime effect Thermosphere
Celsius (C) Mesopause Tropopause
Continentality, or
Continental effect
Mesosphere Troposphere
Stratopause Urban heat island

Environmental Lapse Rate Stratosphere Urban heat island effect
Exosphere Structure of the atmosphere Wind chill
Fahrenheit (F) Surface temperature
LAB MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After successfully completing this module, you should be able
to the following
tasks:
rban heat island effect
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INTRODUCTION

This lab module explores the global surface and air
temperatures of Earth and
Earth’s atmosphere. Topics include the structure of the
atmosphere, local and
global factors influencing temperature, and temperature
anomalies. The modules
start with four opening topics, or vignettes, which are found in
the accompanying
Google Earth file. These vignettes introduce basic concepts of
the internal structure
of the Earth. Some of the vignettes have animations, videos, or
short articles that
will provide another perspective or visual explanation for the
topic at hand. After
reading the vignette and associated links, answer the following
questions. Please
note that some links might take a while to download based on
your Internet speed.
Expand the INTRODUCTION folder.
Read Topic 1: Surface and Air Temperature
Question 1: How do the surface temperatures of the countries in
the
northern latitudes (for example, Canada, Iceland, Norway, and
Russia)

compare to those of northern Africa (for example, Algeria,
Egypt, Libya,
Morocco, and Sudan)?
A. The temperatures are higher in the northern latitudes during
summer
months when net radiation is higher.
B. The temperatures are lower in north Africa during the
summer months
when net radiation is higher in northern latitudes.
C. Temperatures are lower in northern latitudes year-round.
D. Temperatures are only lower in the northern latitudes during
winter
months.
Read Topic 2: Measuring Temperature
Question 2: Considering water freezes (or alternatively, melts)
at 0˚C,
determine from the map which countries or landmasses have an
annual
mean temperature around 0˚C.
A. Canada and Norway
B. The United States and the United Kingdom

C. Greenland and Antarctica
D. Russia and Antarctica
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Read Topic 3: Heat Index and Wind Chill
Question 3: The heat index on a warm day (86˚F or 30˚C) when
the
relative humidity is 50% is:
A. 87F
B. 90F
C. 31C
D. 33F
Read Topic 4: Human Interaction
Question 4: Identify three negative impacts of heat islands.
A. Increased energy consumption, elevated greenhouse gases,
improved
water quality
B. Compromised human health, lower energy consumption,
lower water

quality
C. Decreased greenhouse gases, higher energy consumption,
compromised
human health
D. Increased greenhouse gases, greater air pollution, increased
energy
consumption
Collapse and uncheck the INTRODUCTION folder.
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GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Perhaps you recall news reports on extreme temperature-related
weather patterns,
such as the 2010-2011 colder-than-normal winter in the western
USA, or the 2003
European summer heat wave (which led to more than 35,000
deaths). These
examples are temperature anomalies, as they deviate
significantly from

temperature averages that are based on decadal (or longer) year
records.
Temporary temperature anomalies are usually due to non-
permanent weather
phenomena like a passing storm or seasonal drought; however,
more permanent
temperature anomalies could signify the presence of urban heat
islands, and if
widespread, global climate change. Temperature anomalies can
have significant
impacts on farming and ranching, recreation, and even human
health.
Expand the GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE folder and then check
Temperature
Anomalies in January. To close the citation, click the X in the
top right corner
of the window.
This imagery uses the following color scheme to show land
surface temperature
anomalies during the month of January 2011 as compared to
average conditions for
the month in 2000 to 2008:
Red - warmer-than-average temperatures

- cooler-than-average temperatures
- no data
Temperatures ranged from 12˚C below to 12˚C above the normal
January
temperature.
Verify that Borders and Labels and Places are checked in the
Layers panel.
To note, you might have to zoom in or out for the location name
to appear.
Double-click and select Location A.
Question 5: What is the name of this US county? (You might
have to zoom
in to see place names.)
A. Lasalle
B. Bureau
C. Putnam
D. Marshall
Question 6: Is the temperature anomaly warmer or colder?
A. The anomaly is warmer
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B. The anomaly is colder
C. There is no anomaly, temperature is the same
D. Unable to discern
Double-click and select Location B.
Question 7: What is the name of the European city?
A. Ludres
B. Frouard
C. Nancy
D. Toul
Double-click and select Location C.
Question 9: What is the name of the capital city?
A. Windhoek

B. Okahandja
C. Pretoria
D. Khomas
Uncheck Temperature Anomalies in January.
Double-click and select Temperature Anomalies in August. To
close the
citation, click the X in the top right corner of the window.
This imagery shows land surface temperature anomalies during
the month of
August 2003.
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Return to Location B.

Question 11: What is the temperature anomaly (in °C)?
A. -12°C
B. -4°C
C. 4°C
D. 10°C
Question 12: How does this anomaly compare to the one in
January 2011?
Collapse and uncheck the GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE folder.
STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE
The structure of the atmosphere impacts temperature. To begin,
Earth’s
atmosphere is not uniform, but is comprised of layers. The layer
closest to the
surface is called the troposphere. Because the troposphere’s
temperature is based

on long wave radiation emitted from the Earth’s surface,
temperature decreases
with elevation in this layer of the atmosphere. This change in
temperature with
altitude is called the environmental lapse rate.
Click STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE. Watch the
animation and answer
the following questions:
Question 13: Why does the temperature increase in the upper
portion of
the stratosphere?
A. Because long wave radiation is heating the earth’s surface
B. Because ozone blocks ultra-violet radiation and releases heat
C. Because clouds are able to trap heat
D. Because heat is trapped in this portion of the atmosphere
Question 14: Because temperature increases as altitude
increases in the
stratosphere, is the environmental lapse rate positive or
negative?
A. The lapse rate is positive

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B. The lapse rate is negative
C. The lapse rate is zero
Question 15: Why are temperatures in the thermosphere so
high?
A. Because this layer is closest to the sun
B. Because of intense solar radiation
C. Because there are so few molecules
D. Because of the lack of pollutants
Question 16: Would it feel hotter on a warm summer day in the
thermosphere or the troposphere? (Hint: Think composition!)
A. In the thermosphere because temperature reaches over 1000F
B. In the troposphere because temperature reaches over 1000F
C. In the thermosphere because of the intense solar radiation
D. In the troposphere because there are more air molecules to
retain heat
The environmental lapse rate can be used to determine a given
temperature of a

location, provided that the lapse rate and altitude are known.
The standard
environmental lapse rate as you go up in altitude is 6.4
˚C/1000m. In other words,
as you go up 1000 meters, the temperature decreases 6.4˚C
For the following questions, however, assume a negative
environmental lapse rate
of 6.4˚C/1000m.
So how do you solve this? Here is an example:
You have a location – Town M. Town M that has an altitude of
100m and its air
temperature is 10˚C. At 1000m the air temperature is different –
but what is it?
How do we figure out the temperature at 1000m?
To solve:
First, make sure you know the initial temperature and distance
between the start
location and the end location.
Initial temperature: 10˚C
Distance: 1000m – 100m = 900m
Next, let’s set up the equation:

Environmental lapse rate = x/distance
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Where x is the unknown air temperature for Town M. Plug in
the numbers and
units:
6.4˚C/1000m = x/900m
Now we multiply 900m on both sides.
6.4˚C*900m/1000m = x/900m * 900m
6.4˚C*900m/1000m = x
The m/m means that the meters cancel out, leaving only ˚C as a
unit. If we do the
math, our answer is as follows:
x = 6.4˚C*900m/1000m
x = 5.76˚C
This value means your change in temperature was 5.76˚C. Now,
take the initial
temperature value (10 ˚C) and subtract the calculated x temp
(5.76˚C) from it.
10 ˚C - 5.76˚C = 4.24 ˚C

Note that this is a negative environmental lapse rate – meaning
you subtract going
up in elevation, and add going down in elevation.
Question 17: The altitude in town N is 1000m and the air
temperature is
22˚C. What is the air temperature (in˚C) at 3000m?
A. 22˚C - (3000m-1000m)*6.4/1000m = 9.2˚C
B. 22˚C + (3000m-1000m)*6.4/1000m = 34.8˚C
C. 22˚C - (3000m-1000m)*5.76/1000m = 10.5˚C
D. 22˚C - (3000m-1000m)*5.76/1000m = 33.5˚C
Question 18: The altitude in town P is 1000m and the air
temperature is
18˚C. What would be the temperature (in ˚C) of Town P if it
were located
instead at 500m?
A. 18 – (1000m-500m) *6.4/1000m = 21.2˚C
B. 18 - (1000m-500m) *6.4/1000m = 14.8˚C
C. 18 + (1000m+500m) *6.4/1000m = 27.6˚C
D. 18 - (1000m+500m) *6.4/1000m = 9.0˚C

Uncheck the STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE folder.
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FACTORS INFLUENCE AIR TEMPERATURE
Global Scale Factors
There are several global-scale factors that influence air
temperature. These include
latitude, axial tilt (and length of day), and time of day.
Latitude
Latitude affects net radiation (energy). Locations in lower
latitudes (for example,
near the Equator) have net gain (or surplus) of radiation, while
higher latitudes (for
example, near the North or South Pole) have a net loss (or
deficit) of radiation.
Where there is a surplus of energy, there are higher air
temperatures. Thus,
tropical and sub-tropical regions have a higher annual average
air temperature than
polar and sub-polar regions.

Axial Tilt
The tilt of the Earth’s axis is one of the major reasons the Earth
has seasons. The
location where the most energy from the Sun (as sunlight)
directly hits the Earth’s
surface is called the subsolar point. In the Northern Hemisphere
in June, the
subsolar point is at or near the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees
North of the
Equator) and the days are longer. In contrast, the subsolar point
is furthest from
the Northern Hemisphere in December (23.5 degrees South of
the Equator) and the
days are shorter. As a result, the air temperature in the Northern
Hemisphere is
higher in June (thereby summer) and lowers in December
(thereby winter).
Time of day
Lastly, the time of day affects air temperature. Usually, the
temperature is warmer
during the day and cooler at night. Local noon time is the peak
of solar radiation.
However, there is a temperature lag, and the peak air

temperature is usually a few
hours after the peak of solar radiation. This is because the
sunlight reaching the
Earth’s surface needs time to heat it up, and then re-radiate the
energy back into
the atmosphere as long wave (thermal) radiation.
Expand the AIR TEMPERATURE folder and then expand the
Global-Scale
Factors folder.
Select Day Temperatures in December. To close the citation,
click the X in
the top right corner of the window.
Double-click and select Location D.
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Question 19: Estimate the average monthly daytime temperature
in
December for this location.
A. 0°C
B. 5°C

C. 15°C
D. 25°C
Question 20: Record the latitude for this location.
A. 58N
B. 58S
C. 34N
D. 34S
Double-click and select Location E.
Question 21: Estimate the average monthly daytime temperature
in
December for this location.
A. 0°C
B. 5°C
C. 10°C
D. 25°C
Question 22: Record the latitude for this location.
A. 33S
B. 33N
C. 84N

D. 84S
Question 23: What global-scale factor(s) accounts for the
temperature
difference between Locations D and E? Check all that apply.
A. Latitude
B. Axial tilt
C. Time of day
D. All of the above
Click Night Temperatures in December. To close the citation,
click the X in
the top right corner of the window.
Double-click and select Location F.
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Question 24: Estimate the average monthly night time December
temperature for location F.
A. -20°C
B. 0°C

C. 5°C
D. 15°C
Double-click and select Location G.
Question 25: Estimate the average monthly night time December
temperature for location G.
A. -15°C
B. 0°C
C. 5°C
D. 10°C
Question 26: Account for the temperature difference you
recorded for
Location F and G.
A. Latitude
B. Axial tilt
C. Time of day
D. All of the above
Question 27: What global-scale factor(s) accounts for the
temperature
difference you recorded between Locations E and F?

A. Latitude
B. Axial tilt
C. Time of day
D. All of the above
Collapse and uncheck the Global-Scale Factors folder.
Local Scale Factors
In addition to large-scale factors influencing temperature, there
are also three
notable local-scale factors; namely, proximity to a large body of
water (maritime
effect versus continentality), altitude, and the urban heat island
effect.
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Maritime versus Continental
The maritime/continental
factor refers to the
proximity to a large body of

water. If a location is
located near the ocean (like
Seattle, Washington, USA),
its temperature is
influenced by a maritime
effect. This means that
average temperatures are
moderated, and are not
significantly higher than the
average in the summer or
significantly lower than the
average in the winter months. Conversely, locations
experiencing a continental
effect on their temperatures (like Lincoln, Nebraska, USA) have
colder
temperatures in the winter and warmer temperatures in the
summer months.
Figure X illustrates the maritime/continental effect on
temperature. In the winter
months, Seattle, Washington is up to 16F warmer than Lincoln,
but in the summer

months, Lincoln is 14F warmer than Seattle.
Altitude
Altitude is the second local
factor affecting
temperature. In general,
locations at a lower altitude
have a warmer temperature
than those at a higher
altitude. The temperatures
of both Denver, Colorado
and Kansas City, Missouri
are located roughly at
latitude of 39°N, and are
influenced by the
continental effect. However,
Denver is located at approximately 5,280 feet, while Kansas
City is located at
approximately 973 feet in elevation. Figure 2 shows that on
average, temperatures

are warmer in Kansas City, MO than in Denver, CO, owing in
large part to a
difference in altitude.
Figure 2. Average monthly temperatures for Denver and Kansas
City.
Figure 1. Average monthly temperatures for Seattle and
Lincoln.
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Urban Heat Island
An urban heat island is a
phenomenon in which
urban areas are generally
warmer than the
surrounding rural areas.
This is due to the amount
of impervious surfaces
such as roads, buildings
and parking lots found in

urban centers. These
surfaces, plentiful within
most urban areas, tend to
emit more long wave radiation (heat energy) than do rural areas
dominated by
natural vegetation, crops or soil.
Figure 3 illustrates the urban heat island effect. Atlanta is a
major city in the US,
while Acworth is a small city located northwest of downtown
Atlanta. The graph
shows that temperatures are slightly warmer in urban Atlanta,
compared to
suburban Acworth.
Before you begin this section, make sure that you have Borders
and Labels
selected under the Layers panel in Google Earth.
Expand the Local Scale Factors folder.
Check Average Temperature in July.
Double-click and select Location H.
Question 28: Estimate the average monthly July temperature for
Location

H.
A. 0°C
B. 5°C
C. 15°C
D. 25°C
Double-click and select Location I.
Location I.
A. 0°C
Figure 3. Average monthly temperatures for Atlanta and
Acworth.
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B. 5°C
C. 15°C
D. 25°C
Question 30: What of these local-scale factors – continental
versus

maritime effect, altitude, or urban heat island effect - is most
influencing the
difference in temperature between Locations H and I?
A. Maritime effect
B. Altitude
C. Urban heat island
D. None of the above
Double-click and select Location J.
Location J.
A. 0°C
B. 5°C
C. 15°C
D. 30°C
Double-click and select Location K.
Location
K.
A. 0°C

B. 5°C
C. 15°C
D. 25°C
versus
influencing the
difference in temperature between Locations J and K?
A. Maritime effect
B. Altitude
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Double-click and select Location L.
Location L.
A. 0°C

B. 5°C
C. 15°C
D. 20°C
Double-click and select Location M.
Location
M.
A. 0°C
B. 5°C
C. 15°C
D. 20°C
versus
influencing the
difference in temperature between Locations L and M?
A. Maritime effect
B. Altitude

versus
maritime effect, altitude, or urban heat island effect – would
most likely show
same trend in average monthly temperature in January as in
July? (Hint:
Figures 1-3)
A. Maritime effect
B. Altitude
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versus
maritime effect, altitude, or urban heat island effect – would
likely show an
opposite trend in average monthly temperature in January as in

July? (Hint:
Figures 1-3)
A. Maritime effect
B. Altitude
Collapse and uncheck the Local-Scale Factors folder. You have
completed Lab
Module 5.

1 LAB MODULE 5 GLOBAL TEMPERATURE PATTERNS Note P

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