Introduction of Season Oceanography

1. What is Geography?
Geography is a representation of the whole known
world together with the phenomena which are
contained therein.
Ptolemy, Geographia 2nd Century A.D.
Geography is the science of place. Its vision is
grand, its view panoramic. It sweeps the surface of
the Earth, charting the physical, organic and cultural
terrain, their areal differentiation, and their
ecological dynamics with humankind. Its foremost
tool is the map.
Leonard Krishtalka, Carnegie Museum of Natural
History, 20th Century A.D.

2. What is Geography?
Geography is the study of
WHAT IS WHERE, HOW IT GOT
THERE, and WHY WE CARE?

3. Five “Key Spatial Themes” of
Geography
1. Location – specific location, where?
2. Place – unique properties of a place
3. Movement – diffusion, communications
4. Region – an area’s uniform characteristics
5. Human-Earth Relationships –
human interaction with an
environment

4. What is Physical Geography?
Geography is a bridge between the natural and social sciences.
Geography is a holistic and synthesizing science.
Physical Geography
Natural Science Human Geography
Rocks and Minerals Population
Landforms Settlements
Soils Economic Activities
Animals Transportation
Plants Recreational Activities
Water Religion
Atmosphere Political Systems
Rivers and Other Water Bodies Social Traditions
Environment Human Migration
Climate and Weather Agricultural Systems
Geotechniques
GIS, GPS, Remote-Sensing, Cartography

5. Fields of Physical Geography
Geomorphology - studies the various landforms on the
Earth's surface.
Pedology - is concerned with the study of soils and their
relationship to vegetation and farming.
Biogeography - is the science that investigates the spatial
relationships of plants and animals.
Climatology - studies the effects of weather on life and
examines the circulation of the atmosphere over longer
time spans.
Cartography - the art and science of making maps.

6. Cartography:
The Art and Science of Mapmaking
(Click for more info)

7. REMOTE SENSING
(click here for more info)
Aerial Photos
of GCC (click)

8. Geographic Information Science (GIS)
GIS is "an organized collection of computer hardware, software,
geographic data, and personnel designed to efficiently capture,
store, update, manipulate, analyze, and display all forms of
geographically referenced information."
Click on the map above to use the National Atlas of the United States.

9. La Conchita Landslide, January 2005
REMOTE SENSING

10. Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) – click for info
• Latest World Earthquakes Map
• National Atlas of the United States

11. Jobs in Geography
Aerial Photo Interpreter Facilities Planner Land Developer
Site Researcher Agricultural Extension Agent Forestry Technician
Land Economist Soil Conservationist Air/Water Quality Control Manager
Geographer Land-Use Analyst Surveyor
Cartographer Geographic Area Specialist Location Expert
Systems Analyst Cartography Compiler Geographic Attache'
Map Analyst Teacher Climatologist
Geographic Information Systems Map Curator/Librarian Traffic Manager
Coastal Zone Manager Geophysics Assistant Map Editor
Transportation Analyst Community Developer Hazardous Waste Planner
Market Research Analyst Transportation Manager Computer Mapper
Health Services Planner Natural Resources Spec. Travel Agent/Specialist
Computer Programmer Health Services Organization Manager Outdoor Guide
Urban/Regional Planner Demographer Hydrologist
Park Ranger Weather Forecaster Earth Scientist
Industrial Developer Peace Corp Volunteer Wildlife Manager
Ecologist Industrial Planner Property Manager
Writer/Author Editor Intelligence Agent
Public Utilities Specialist Zoning Investigator Env. Impact Analyst
International Business Rep Real Estate Agent/Broker/Appraiser Environmental Quality Specialist
International Investment Analyst Remote Sensing Analyst College/University Professor

12. Famous Geography Students
Mother Teresa - Taught
Geography and History in
Calcutta for 15 Years
Prince William of Wales – Majored in
Geography at University of Saint
Andrews, Scotland
Michael Jordan – Majored in
Cultural Geography at
University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill
Immanuel Kant – the famous
philosopher also taught everything
from geography to physics and
anthropology.

13. Fieldwork: Geographers as
Modern Explorers and Observers
My Personal Travels
http://www.glendale.edu/geo/reed/general/personal.htm

14. Introduction to the Earth

15. Introduction to the Earth

16. Introduction to the Earth
•The Location, Size, and Shape of the Earth
•The Environmental Spheres
•The Geographic Grid

17. The Solar System
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Uranus
Jupiter
Saturn
Neptune

19. Earth

20. The Environmental Spheres
Lithosphere - describes the solid inorganic portion of the
Earth (composed of rocks, minerals and elements). It can
be regarded as the outer surface and interior of the solid
Earth.

21. The Environmental Spheres
Atmosphere - is the vast gaseous envelope of air that
surrounds the Earth. Its boundaries are not easily defined.
The atmosphere contains a complex system of gases and
suspended particles that behave in many ways like fluids.
Many of its constituents are derived from the Earth by way
of chemical and biochemical reactions.

22. The Environmental Spheres
Hydrosphere - describes the waters of the Earth (see the
hydrologic cycle). Water exists on the Earth in various
stores, including the atmosphere, oceans, lakes, rivers,
soils, glaciers, and groundwater. Water moves from one
store to another by way of: evaporation, condensation,
runoff, precipitation, infiltration and groundwater flow.

23. The Environmental Spheres
Biosphere - consists of all living things, plant and animal.
This zone is characterized by life in profusion, diversity,
and ingenious complexity. Cycling of matter in this sphere
involves not only metabolic reactions in organisms, but
also many abiotic chemical reactions.
All of these spheres are interrelated by dynamic
interactions (biogeochemical cycling)

24. The Size and Shape of the Earth
Earth Dimensions
diameter: 8,000 miles (12,900 km)
circumference = ¶ d or 3.14 x 8,000 =
25,000 miles
Dead Sea – 1378 ft. below sea level
Mt. Everest – 29035 ft.
Seen from space, the earth is
essentially completely smooth.
In fact, if the radius of earth
was a 30 story building, Mt.
Everest would be only a single
brick in height.

25. The Size and Shape of the Earth
Pythagorous (ca. 580 - 500 B.C., Greek), the first to note earth’s
shape, assumed spherical perfection. Sir Isaac Newton (1687)
reasoned that sphere not possible since earth rotation is maximized at
the equator and this should produce a ‘bulge.’ He called earth an
oblate spheroid (think of spinning water balloon; Jupiter is egg-shaped
enough to be noticeable through inexpensive telescope).
7900
miles
7927
miles
N

27. The Equator divides the
world into Northern and
Southern Hemispheres.
In the Western world, sailors have traditionally
undergone sometimes brutal initiation ceremonies
when first crossing the equator. The rituals often
include dressing in drag.

28. The Geographic Grid
Latitude - angular measurement of distance north or
south of the Equator.
Range: 0 - 90
degrees N or S
1o
latitude =
approx. 69 miles
(25,000 mi. /360o
).

29. Important Parallels
Parallels of Latitude - Imaginary lines that connect points of equal
latitude, thus slicing the earth into equal “layers” like on a wedding cake.
The seven
latitudes noted at
right represent
parallels where
the sun’s rays
strike the earth in
unique and
important ways
on specific days
of the year.

30. The Geographic Grid
Longitude the angular measurement of distance
east or west of the Prime Meridian or Greenwich
Meridian.
Maximum value
reached at
International Date
Line (180O E or W)

31. The Prime Meridian, the
zero measure of longitude,
is a meridian that passes
through the North Pole,
South Pole, and
Greenwich, England.

32. The Geographic Grid
Longitude the angular measurement of distance east or
west of the Prime Meridian.
Range: 0o
- 180o
E or W

33. East-west width of 1O
longitude for selected
western North American cities:
San Diego (32.5 N) = 57 miles
San Francisco (38 N) = 54 miles
Seattle (48 N) = 46 miles
Anchorage (60 N) = 35 miles
North Pole (90 N) = ?
Length of a Degree of
Longitude

34. Los Angeles County: 34o
N, 118o
W
Each degree is divided in 60 minutes(‘), thus we
can locate Glendale at: 34o
10’ N, 118o
14’ W
Each minute is further divided into 60 seconds(‘’),
thus we locate Glendale College at:
34o
10’ 03” N, 118o
13’ 41” W
At this point we are accurate to within 100 ft2
.
Degrees, Minutes, Seconds
Geographic Names Information Server

35. Earth-Sun Relationships
The Reasons for the Seasons

36. Solar Radiation
• The earth intercepts less than one two-billionth of
the energy given off by the sun.
• However, the radiation is sufficient to provide
99.9% of the energy that heats the earth / drives
our climate.
• Photosynthesis provides the energy for nearly all
earth processes.

37. Radiation Receipt
• Solar radiation is received as
parallel rays of energy (“line of
sight, speed of light”)
– Earth’s diameter is 12,765 km
– Sun’s diameter is 1,390,000
km
(over 100 times that of the
Earth)
So is the receipt of radiation the same
everywhere on Earth?

38. Why is it hot in the tropics
and cold at the poles?

39. The Earth is curved and this
cause differing angles of
incidence.

40. Intensity of incoming solar radiation
(insolation) is related to angle of incidence.
Higher angles = higher intensity.

41. Does our distance from the sun
throughout the year cause
seasons?
The line marking the shortest distance between the Sun and Earth's orbit is called the
perihelion and is 91,500,000 miles long. The line marking the greatest distance between
the Sun and Earth's orbit is called the aphelion and is 94,500,000 miles long.

42. Rotation of the Earth
• Rotate west to east or
‘counter-clockwise’ (when
viewed from the North Pole)
– sunset and sunrise
• Rotation period is 24 hours
per solar day
(23 hours 56 minutes with
respect to other stars)
• Axis points to Polaris

43. Tilt of the earth on its axis.
• The earth is tilted 23.5º from perpendicular to the plane of the
ecliptic.
• Tilt is currently constantly toward Polaris

44. What causes the seasons?
• 23.5 O
tilt of the earth axis from
perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic
• revolution of the earth around the sun
• polarity (axial parallelism)

45. Tilt of the earth on its axis.
• The earth is tilted 23.5º from perpendicular to the plane of the
ecliptic.
• Tilt is currently constantly toward Polaris

46. SOLSTICES
SUMMER, JUNE 21
WINTER, DECEMBER 21
Where are the overhead rays
of the sun on these days?
Which parts of the earth are in
darkness and light? For how
long?
Solstice -when the sun reaches its
highest or lowest point in the sky at
noon, marked by the longest and
shortest days.

47. EQUINOXES - the time or date (twice each year) at
which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of
equal length VERNAL, MARCH 21 AUTUMNAL,
SEPTEMBER 21

48. Effects of the Seasons
• Changes in solar altitude
• Changes in day length
• Changes in apparent solar intensity
• Changes in temperature
All of these changes are most extreme
at high latitudes and minimized at the
equator.

49. 90o
N

51. E W
N
Of
W
N
of
E
S
of
W
S
of
E
Annual Change in Noontime
Solar Altitude
1 of 2
What is the change in height from the solstice to the equinox?
The total annual change?
Summer
Solstice
Winter
Solstice
Equinox

52. E W
N
of
E
S
of
E
Annual Change in Noontime
Solar Altitude
2 of 2
23.5O
23.5O
Summer
Solstice
Winter
Solstice
Equinox
Total annual change:
47O
sunrise sunset
S
of
W
N
of
W
Thought question:
How high in the sky
will the sun be in
Glendale at noon on
December 21?

53. E NN
Annual Change in Noontime
Solar Altitude Total annual change: 47O
sunrise sunset
This diagram was created for
Memphis, Tennessee (350
N).
How would it be different for
Glendale, California?
How about Quito, Ecuador?
And what about Fairbanks, Alaska
(650
N)?

54. Effects of the Seasons
• Changes in solar angle
• Changes in day length
All of the above lead to:
• Changes in temperature
• Changes in apparent solar intensity
All of these changes are most extreme
at high latitudes and minimized at the
equator.

55. Key Points
• Size and Shape of Earth
• Latitude and Longitude
• Explain the basic earth-sun relationships
• Equinoxes, solstices and the relationship among
– seasons
– the latitude of the sun’s direct rays, and
– the intensity of solar radiation received
– changes in Daylight and Darkness