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| Thermosphere |
Very steep gradient that gets up to 1200C in upper reaches
Individual O2 molecules are miles apart from each other
doesn't feel hot in this density |
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kcosby Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:57:18 GMT |
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| Mesopause |
cooling stops and warming begins |
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kcosby Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:51:47 GMT |
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| Mesophere |
coldest layer |
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kcosby Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:51:47 GMT |
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| Stratopause |
warming stops and cooling begins |
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kcosby Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:51:46 GMT |
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| Stratosphere |
12 to 50km; ozone layer between 20-50km
250X more concentrated than tropos - filters UV radiation |
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kcosby Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:51:46 GMT |
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| Tropopause |
top of troposphere; cooling stops and warming begins |
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kcosby Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:51:46 GMT |
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| Troposphere |
tropos-mixing; most active zone
variations of thickness b/c of thermal rad.
weather occurs here, partly b/c of mixing of water vapor and particulates
thickness depends on surface temp - changes w/ season and latitude (more sol. rad. at equator than poles - thermal expansion) |
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kcosby Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:51:46 GMT |
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| Surface and air temp |
affects the distribution of temp vertically and horizontally |
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kcosby Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:51:46 GMT |
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| Layered structure of atmosphere |
composition and density differences |
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kcosby Tue, 03 Feb 2009 02:51:46 GMT |
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| Differences in radation due to... |
angle of incidence, latitude, seasonality, day length (drives atmospheric circulation) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:07:36 GMT |
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| Angle of incidence |
sun angle:
high- little reflectance
low- high reflectance (esp. water) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:06:35 GMT |
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| Albedo |
reflectance of a surface:
high- dark surfaces
low- light surfaces |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:06:35 GMT |
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| Evaporation/Latent Heat |
cannot be measured |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:06:35 GMT |
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| Sensible heat |
heat that can be felt and measured (in absorbed radation) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:06:35 GMT |
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| Solar Radiation |
45% reaches Earth's surface; of this:
96% is absorbed
4% is reflected, depending on albedo |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:04:07 GMT |
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| Scattering |
redirection an deflection of solar radiation |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:03:40 GMT |
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| Reflection |
solar radiation returns to space; depends on albedo |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:03:40 GMT |
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| Absorption |
gases and particulates interrupt solar radiation, gain heat |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:03:40 GMT |
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| Insolation |
solar radiation that flows straight from the Sun to the Earth (direct radiation); amount of solar radiation (W m^-2) that strikes a surface perpendicular to the Sun's rays - cannot be greater than the solar constant! |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:03:40 GMT |
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| Convection |
upward movement of warm air or liquid (forming cells or turbulent flow within substance) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:01:05 GMT |
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| Conduction |
diffusion of energy when substances in contact |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:01:05 GMT |
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| Radiation |
electromagnetic waves; does not need a medium |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:01:05 GMT |
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| Heat |
energy of motion of molecules and atoms in a substance |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:01:05 GMT |
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| Particulates |
less than 1% of atmosphere
Provide a nucleus for H2O to condense (cloud formation)
Can absorb or reflect solar radiation
Influence weather and regional climate |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:59:26 GMT |
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| Ozone (O3) |
Combination of free O and O2
Forms in 2 layers:
1.uppr atmosphere (natural, ozone layer, absorbs UV radiation)
2.surface (respiratory irritant from urban areas) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:59:26 GMT |
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| counter-radiation |
absorbed longwave radiation that heats the Earth |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:59:26 GMT |
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| Greenhouse Effect |
The process thorugh which the atmosphere traps longwave radiation;
Regulates Earth's temperature;
Enhanced by higher levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:59:26 GMT |
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| Water vapor |
warm air can hold more than cool air;
least over deserts and polar regions, most over tropical forest
absorbs and sstores heat from Sun & surface |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:59:26 GMT |
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| Atmospheric composition |
constant gases - always present at same proportion:
N2(78.08) + O2(20.95) = >99% of atm; Ar (.93)
variable gases' concentrations fluctuate:
CO2, O3, H2O vapor |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:59:26 GMT |
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| Photosynthesis |
C02 + H2O + energy <--> CH2O + O2 <- resp. |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:59:26 GMT |
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| Earth's atmosphere |
medium through which solar energy passes; currents and eddies; shields Earth from UV radiation;
3 Basic Components: constant gases, variable gases, and particulates
Provides O2 and CO2 for respiration and photosynthesis |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:59:26 GMT |
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| Solar energy |
amount of solar radiation received of an area of fixed size at right angles to the Sun, just outside the Earth's atmosphere. |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:19:34 GMT |
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| Solar Constant |
1270 W m^-2
Watt = joule s^-1 (watt is power, joule is energy) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:19:08 GMT |
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| Electromagnetic Radiation |
two principles:
1.Inverse relationship between temperature and wavelength
2.Direct relationship between temperature and intensity |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:18:07 GMT |
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| Shortwave radiation |
emitted by hot objects |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:18:07 GMT |
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| Electromagnetic Spectrum |
the total wavelength range of Electromagnetic energy |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:18:07 GMT |
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| Winter Solstice |
Winter in NH, Summer in SH; axial tilt is away from Sun; subsolar point at Tropic of Capricorn.
Dec. 21
During winter soltice, Antarctic Circle sees 24 hours of daylight. |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:08:04 GMT |
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| Summer Solstice |
Summer in NH, Winter in SH; axial tilt is toward Sun; subsolar point at Tropic of Cancer.
June 21
During summer solstice, Arctic Circle sees 24 hours of daylight. |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:08:12 GMT |
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| Fall Equinox |
Autumn in NH, Spring in SH; axial tilt is not toward nor away from Sun; Sun is over a point on the Equator.
Sept. 21-23
During an Equinox, all latitudes have the same amount of daylight and night. |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:00:51 GMT |
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| Spring Equinox |
Spring in NH, Autumn in SH; axial tilt is not toward nor away from Sun; Sun is over a point on the Equator.
March 20-21
During an Equinox, all latitudes have the same amount of daylight and night |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:00:27 GMT |
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| Seasons |
parallel tilt; N and S hemispheres alternate direct radiation from the Sun |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:59:50 GMT |
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| UTC time zone system |
Prime Meridian is the standard; time is determined by how many hours ahead or behind a particular location is to the PM; time zones separated by about 15 degrees of longitude |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:45:04 GMT |
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| International Date Line |
at 180degrees longitude; separates each day |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:44:23 GMT |
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| What causes the seasons? |
Earth's axial tilt (23.5 degrees) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:44:23 GMT |
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| Aphelion |
point where Earth is farthest from Sun (July 4th) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:44:23 GMT |
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| Perihelion |
point where Earth is closest to Sun (Jan 3rd) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:44:23 GMT |
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| Subsolar Point |
the point on the Earth where the Sun's rays are perpendicular to the surface; moves with the season
varies between tropic of cancer and tropic of capricorn |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:44:23 GMT |
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| Diffuse radiation |
when light strikes Earth at an angle (larger area of radiation, energy is diffused) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:44:23 GMT |
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| Concentrated radiation |
when light strikes Earth vertically (smaller area of radiation, energy is concentrated) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:44:23 GMT |
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| Variation of sun angle |
Caused by: 1. centrifugal force, 2. difference in Earth crust density, 3. difference in gravitational field
sun angle varies by latitude |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:24:23 GMT |
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| Sun angle |
the angle at which the sunlight hits the Earth; the higher the sun angle, the more energy that hits the Earth |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:24:23 GMT |
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| "Circle of Illumination" |
1/2 of Earth is always illuminated |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:24:23 GMT |
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| Sun |
100times larger than Earth, strong magnetic field, 8.3 light minutes from Earth;
Drives most of the natural processes near Earth's surface |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:20:18 GMT |
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| Galaxies |
largest definable units within Universe; about 50 billion galaxies in the Universe.
Our galaxy has about 400 billion stars in it, and our solar system lies in one of the spiral arms of the Milky Way (about 100,000 light years across) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:20:18 GMT |
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| Dimensions of Universe |
20 billion light years across, 14 billion years old |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:20:17 GMT |
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| Eath/Sun relationship complex depends on... |
latitude, position of sun in sky, time of year, and Earth's rotation & axial tilt |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:20:17 GMT |
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| Geostationary satellites |
remain in one place high above the Earth - good for monitoring weather conditions |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:17:07 GMT |
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| Sun-synchronous satellites |
move north-south to keep pace w/ Sun's westward progress - good for monitoring landscape change with time |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:17:07 GMT |
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| GIS |
geographic information system
system to manipulate and display spatial data; data consists of layers of one such variable (applications include planning, research management) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:38:07 GMT |
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| GPS |
system of satellites and receivers to plot location; satellites transmit PRC, 24 satellites orbit earth every 12 hours; time of signal to receiver gives distance, triangulation gives location |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:30:52 GMT |
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| remote sensing |
data collected from aerial photography and satellite imagery (arial photography, sun-syncrhonous satellites, & geostationary satellites) |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:30:52 GMT |
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| contours |
elevation/topography |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:30:52 GMT |
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| isotherms |
temperature |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:30:52 GMT |
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| isohyets |
precipitation |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:30:52 GMT |
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| isobars |
air pressure |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:30:52 GMT |
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| isolines |
lines connecting points of equal value on a map |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:30:52 GMT |
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| equivalent distortion |
size ok; conical surface |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:23:55 GMT |
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| conformal distortion |
shape ok; cylindrical surface |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:23:55 GMT |
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| thematic map |
shows limited types of information |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:23:55 GMT |
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| Cartography |
the study of the design and production of maps |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:23:55 GMT |
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| High latitudes |
55N to NP and 55S to SP
subarctic - 55N to 66.5N
arctic - 66.5N to NP
subantarctic - 55S to 66.5S
antarctic - 6.5S to SP |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:23:55 GMT |
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| Midlatitudes |
35N to 55N and 35S to 55S |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:23:55 GMT |
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| Low Latitudes |
35N to 35S
subtropical - 23.5N to 35N
equatorial/tropical - 23.5N to 23.5S
subtropical 23.5S to 35S |
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kcosby Mon, 02 Feb 2009 03:23:55 GMT |
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