2. Atmosphere and weather

2.1 Diurnal energy budgets

• Factors affecting diurnal energy budget: incoming (shortwave) solar radiation, reflected solar radiation, energy absorbed into the surface and subsurface, albedo, sensible heat transfer, longwave radiation, latent heat transfer – evaporation, dew and absorbed energy returned to earth.

2.2 The global energy budget

• The latitudinal pattern of radiation: excesses and deficits.
• Atmospheric transfers: wind belts and ocean currents.
• Seasonal variations in temperature, pressure and wind belts: the influence of latitude, land/sea distribution, and ocean currents.

2.3 Weather processes and phenomena

• Atmospheric moisture processes: evaporation, condensation, freezing, melting, deposition, and sublimation.
• Causes of precipitation: convection, frontal and orographic uplift of air, and radiation cooling.
• Types of precipitation: clouds, rain, hail, snow, dew, and fog.

2.4 The human impact

• The enhanced greenhouse effect and global warming: the evidence, possible causes and atmospheric impacts.
• Case study: candidates must study an urban area which shows the effects of human activity on climate: temperature (heat island), humidity, precipitation and winds.