Determinants of Daily and Seasonal Surface Air Temperature Patterns
I) Astronomical factors–a) Output of solar energy (the
solar constant)
–b) Earth-Sun distance
–c) DIRECTNESS of incident
Solar Radiation
–d) Length of
daylight
¥II)
Atmospheric factors in Surface air temperatures
–a) Diurnal (daily) patterns
(highest on average - early afternoon)
–b) Clouds and Moisture (moderate
Temperature ranges)
–c) Thickness of atmosphere
¥III) Thermodynamic factors
–a) Conduction (major control on
daily surface air T. patterns)
–b) Convection (rising air cools,
sinking air heats)
–c) Advection (wind)
–d) Angular momentum
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