McLucas_B_ Lab2_surface_energy_balance_soule_labreport
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Appalachian State University *
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Dec 6, 2023
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GHY 1011 – Global Climate Change
Lab 2: Surface Energy Balance
Lab Report Template.
Student name: Brandon McLucas
*place your answers after the questions.
When submitting your files for grading, rename this file by including your last name in first initial,
thus:
McLucas_B_ Lab2_surface_energy_balance_soule_labreport.docx
1.
Develop hypotheses on which of the above surfaces will have (a) the highest and lowest measured
temperature, (b) the highest and lowest albedo, and (c) the highest and lowest measured
net
radiation.
In developing these hypotheses, be sure to consider the four parameters that go into calculating net
radiation and how they may vary from site to site (e.g., the asphalt parking lot in the sun should have
the highest surface temperature, which will result in higher values of outgoing longwave radiation; the
two shaded observation sites will have very low incoming shortwave radiation values, etc.).
(NOTE: Include
six
hypotheses total. Each hypothesis must be stated in the form of a complete
sentence).
(12 points)
.
(a) the highest and lowest measured temperature
I think the asphalt parking lot has the highest temperature and the forested northern slope has the
lowest temperature. Because the asphalt parking lot is going to have a lot of sun so there for it will have
higher values of outgoing longwave radiation. The forested northern slope will have the lowest
temperature so there for it will have lower values of outgoing longwave radiation
(b) the highest and lowest albedo
I think the highest albedo is the shaded grass area and the lowest albedo is the asphalt parking lot.
Because there is lower levels of radiation compared to that of the asphalt
(c) the highest and lowest measured
net
radiation.
I think the highest net radiation is the duck pond and the lowest net radiation is the shaded grassy area.
Because the duck pond will most likely have the lowest albedo and the shaded grassy area will probably
have the highest albedo the duck pond will most likely have a lower incoming longwave radiation and
the shaded grassy area will probably have the higher incoming longwave radiation, witch would cause
the duck pond to have a higher net radiation than the shaded grassy area.
2.
Refer to Table 1, where measurements were recorded by students in a prior semester. Make all
calculations and record the missing parameters in Table 1.
(25 points)
. Place your answers in the body of
the Table (found on the lab ASUlearn site as SEB_tables_A_soule.docx). After supplying the missing
values in both Table 1 and Table 2 found on this file, rename the file before submitting it within the
ASUlearn portal for Lab2 as part of your laboratory report using the following naming convention:
Lastname_first_initial_SEB_tables_A_soule.docx
Consider the date February 26, 2019 in Boone, NC. This was a clear day. Given the temperature of a
grassy area (33°F) at 9:30 am, and other parameters provided, answer the following questions:
3.
Predict what the observed surface temperatures would be on the other surfaces. Enter
these predictions into Table 2 (*note, in Fahrenheit, Celcius, and Kelvin)
(4 points)
.
Place your answers in the body of Table 2 found in the file
SEB_tables_A_soule.docx
Submit your answer per the instructions provided for question 1.
4.
Develop and state hypotheses as to which surfaces will have the highest and lowest
net
radiation (NOTE: Include
two
hypotheses total, these must be complete sentences).
(4 points).
The highest net radiation I think will be the asphalt and the duck pond and the sun exposed
flat grassy area. And the lowest net radiation I think is going to be places with little sunlight
like the forested northern slope and the shaded grassy area.
5.
Complete the calculations for the remaining parameters and record them in Table 2.
(30 points)
Submit your answer per the instructions provided for question 1.
6.
Draw conclusions about your hypotheses (were you correct/incorrect?)
(2 points)
I was correct
7.
Why were your conclusions correct or incorrect? – provide some elaboration in the form of
complete sentences)
(4 points).
They are correct because I looked at what would be the best possible answers for question 1 a,b and c.
and after calculating on the chart I was right about my hypothesis I could of done this wrong but I’m
pretty sure I’m right.
Thinking question
8.
Choose
either
the Amazon Rainforest or central Greenland. Use a web browser (e.g., Google,
Bing) or other resources (e.g., Google Scholar will allow you to search for scientific articles) and
do some background research on how the albedo of these geographic locations may be changing
in response to anthropogenic influences (i.e., via the actions of humans). Report on a) how the
albedo is changing, and b) what this means for climatic change at the local scale (i.e., within the
region) and potentially at the global scale. Your answer should be in the form of a short
paragraph (roughly
200 words) (10 points).
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In Greenland, the principal way that albedo affects climate is through ice-albedo climate
feedback, which is especially important at high latitudes. The fact that ice and snow have a high albedo
and are typical ground objects with low net radiation energy is one of the topics that is always expected
to be covered. The melting of ice and snow will lower the albedo, which will then cause a spike in the net
radiation energy of the land surface. This increase in net radiation energy will then cause an increase in
the local temperature near the land surface, intensifying the melting of ice and snow and creating a
positive feedback mechanism. Additionally, it was discovered that a significant number of blisters and
lakes had formed in the ablation area (southwest and west Greenland) as a result of the glacier melting.
The amount of energy that is actually caught by the land surface is governed by surface albedo, although
the changes to the land surface are highly complicated. Although it has been suggested that clouds and
atmospheric climate forcing are to blame for the melting of Greenland's ice sheet, a more intriguing
study found that the atmospheric circulation of organic carbon particles and climate forcing from black
carbon aerosols cause the ice sheet to darken and melt earlier than usual in Greenland, which may
reduce its albedo. Additionally, an increase in net radiation energy reinforces the massive melting of the
ice sheet in Greenland.