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Climate System Components and Classifications

The document outlines the components of the climate system, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, and their roles in climate regulation. It discusses climate classification systems such as Köppen's and Thornthwaite's, as well as the factors influencing climate and monsoon mechanisms in India. Additionally, it covers Earth's heat budget, atmospheric stratification, and ocean circulation, highlighting the interactions between these elements and their impact on climate.

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dassubham6752
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73 views3 pages

Climate System Components and Classifications

The document outlines the components of the climate system, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, and their roles in climate regulation. It discusses climate classification systems such as Köppen's and Thornthwaite's, as well as the factors influencing climate and monsoon mechanisms in India. Additionally, it covers Earth's heat budget, atmospheric stratification, and ocean circulation, highlighting the interactions between these elements and their impact on climate.

Uploaded by

dassubham6752
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

Climate System & Classification

1. Components of the Climate System - Atmosphere: Contains gases like N2, O2, CO2, water
vapor; influences weather and energy balance. - Hydrosphere: Oceans, rivers, lakes;
absorb/store/transfer heat. - Cryosphere: Ice caps, glaciers, snow; high albedo reflects sunlight. -
Lithosphere: Earth's crust and landforms; influences climate through elevation and land cover. -
Biosphere: All living things; impacts CO2 cycle and energy balance.

2. Climate Controlling Factors - Latitude, altitude, ocean currents, distance from sea, winds, relief,
vegetation.

3. Climate System Response & Interactions - Components respond at different rates: atmosphere
(fast), ocean (slow), cryosphere (very slow). - Feedbacks: Positive (e.g., ice-albedo); Negative (e.g.,
cloud cover).

4. Basis of Climate Classification - Based on temperature, precipitation, evaporation, seasonality.

5. Köppen’s Climate Classification - Types: A (Tropical), B (Dry), C (Temperate), D (Continental), E


(Polar). - Example: Aw (Tropical savanna), Cfa (Humid subtropical).

6. Thornthwaite’s Classification - Based on precipitation effectiveness and temperature


effectiveness.

7. Types of Climate in India - Tropical wet, tropical dry, semi-arid, arid, humid subtropical, mountain
climates.

8. Climate Forcing & Feedbacks - Forcing: Natural (volcanoes, solar) and anthropogenic (GHGs). -
Feedbacks: Positive (melting permafrost), Negative (clouds).
Earth's Heat Budget and Monsoon
1. Heat Budget of Earth - 30% solar radiation reflected (albedo), 70% absorbed (50% by surface,
20% by atmosphere). - Earth radiates heat back to space to maintain balance.

2. Heat Transformation - Conduction, convection, radiation.

3. Interactions of Heat Sources - Solar radiation, geothermal energy, latent heat, greenhouse
gases.

4. Monsoon Mechanism - Differential heating of land and sea creates low pressure over India. -
ITCZ shifts northward; trade winds deflect and bring moisture-laden SW monsoon.

5. Monsoon Branches - Arabian Sea branch (Kerala to northwest), Bay of Bengal branch (northeast
to north India).

6. Influencing Factors - ENSO, IOD, snow cover, jet streams, SSTs, land heating.

7. Effects of Monsoon - Positive: agriculture, water supply, ecosystems. - Negative: floods,


droughts, infrastructure damage, diseases.
Atmosphere & Hydrosphere
1. Stratification of Atmosphere - Troposphere (weather), Stratosphere (ozone), Mesosphere
(meteors), Thermosphere (auroras), Exosphere (outermost).

2. Atmospheric Circulation - Driven by solar heating, pressure gradients, Coriolis effect. -


Circulation cells: Hadley, Ferrel, Polar. - Wind belts: Trade winds, westerlies, polar easterlies. - Jet
streams influence weather and monsoon.

3. Atmosphere-Ocean Interactions - ENSO, IOD, NAO influence climate. - Ocean moderates


climate by storing and releasing heat.

4. Heat Transfer in Ocean - Radiation, conduction, convection, advection.

5. Global Conveyor Belt - Thermohaline circulation driven by density (temperature + salinity). -


Transfers heat, nutrients; regulates climate.

6. Surface and Deep Ocean Circulation - Surface: Wind-driven gyres (Gulf Stream, Kuroshio, etc.).
- Deep: Slow-moving, density-driven currents.

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