Seasons are caused by variations in the amount of solar radiation received
Controlled by two main factors axial tilt orbital position
Seasons begin and end at an Equinox and Solstice
The Circle of illumination passes through the Earth's axis; each hemisphere is equally illuminated
Subsolar Point is located at the Equator
Subsolar Point is the point on the Earth's surface where the sun's rays are perpendicular to the surface
Vernal Equinox - March 21
Autumnal Equinox - September 23
Circle of illumination is tangent to the Arctic or Antarctic Circle
One hemisphere receives more sunlight than the other
Winter Solstice - December 22
Subsolar point is located on the Tropic of Capricorn
Summer Solstice - June 21
Subsolar point is located on the Tropic of Cancer
Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn are located at 23.5 degrees N and S Latitude
Marked by the subsolar point on the Solstices
Arctic and Antarctic Circles are located at 66.5 degrees N and S Latitude
Marked by the circle of illumination on the Solstices
Radius 6,371 km
Circumference 40,000 km
Mass 6x1024 kg
Density 5.519 g/cc
Surface Area 510,050,100 km2
Surface Area - land 29.2 %
Surface Area - water 70.8 %
Volume 1,083,157,900,000 km3
What is time?
Global Time vs. Geologic Time
Units of timekeeping?
Solar Time Keeping
Based on position of Sun in the sky
The time it takes the sun to go from high noon to high noon
Sun moves at constant rate of 24 hours per day
Sidereal Month
The time it takes the Moon to complete one full orbit measured with respect to the stars
Synodic Month
The time it takes the Moon to complete one cycle of phases new moon to new moon full moon to full moon measured with respect to the Sun
Based on Mean Solar Time
High noon at the Standard Meridian Each
Time zone are 15 degrees of Longitude for a total of 24 time zones
What is meant by Geologic time?
1 year is the time it takes the Earth to complete one orbit around the Sun
Two main methods of looking at geologic time
Relative Time - Absolute Time
Measure of the sequence of events without knowing the exact date at which each event occurred
What happened first?
What happened next?
Click here for additional information on Relative Time.
Measure of the actual date at which an event occurred
Mt. St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980
Observation of an event - observer records the date of an event - works well for recent events, historic events
Based on the fact that certain elements are unstable and decay, releasing radiation
Isotopes decay at a constant rate
This can be used to determine an age for various objects
Click here for additional information on Radiometric Dating.
Arbitrary chronologic arrangement or sequence of geologic events that are divided into Eons, Eras, Periods, and Epochs
Contains information based on both relative and absolute dating techniques
Click here for additional information on the Geologic Time Scale.
