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Slope Aspect Effects on Temperature

Aspect refers to the direction a slope faces, influencing temperature based on sunlight exposure. In the southern hemisphere, north-facing slopes receive direct sunlight, making them warmer, while south-facing slopes receive indirect sunlight, resulting in cooler temperatures. Understanding this concept is essential for exams, including drawing and labeling the effects of aspect on slope temperatures.

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32 views2 pages

Slope Aspect Effects on Temperature

Aspect refers to the direction a slope faces, influencing temperature based on sunlight exposure. In the southern hemisphere, north-facing slopes receive direct sunlight, making them warmer, while south-facing slopes receive indirect sunlight, resulting in cooler temperatures. Understanding this concept is essential for exams, including drawing and labeling the effects of aspect on slope temperatures.

Uploaded by

unaaltmanp
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1.4.

2 Aspect
Aspect refers to the direction in which a slope faces. This determines
whether the Sun’s rays will hit the side of the valley directly or indirectly
(obliquely). We will focus on how aspect in�uences the temperatures of
north- and south-facing slopes in the southern hemisphere.
NB In the exam, you may be asked to draw, label or describe how
aspect a ects the temperature on a north- or south- acing slope in
the southern hemisphere. Learn to redraw and label Figure 1.4.2A.

Let us look at how the Sun’s rays affect slope temperatures in the southern
hemisphere:
• North-facing slopes receive the direct rays of the Sun, making them
warmer.
• South-facing slopes receive the indirect rays of the Sun, making
them cooler.
Figure 1.4.2A shows how aspect in�uences the temperatures of north- and
south-facing slopes in the southern hemisphere.

S N
North- South-
facing slope facing slope

• Direct Sun’s rays • Indirect (oblique) Sun’s


• Heat a smaller surface rays
• Therefore slope is • Heat a larger surface area
warmer • Therefore slope is cooler

Figure 1.4.2A: The impact of aspect on the temperatures of north- and south-facing slopes in the southern
hemisphere

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