Course Topics
 

I. Course Introduction and Introduction to Physical Geography
 

A. Course Introduction

1) "The Energy-Atmosphere System"

• the relationships between energy and the "Earth-Atmosphere System"

• water, the hydrologic cycle, atmospheric moisture, weather, water distribution and resources, & global climate (system components, classification, future climates)

• earth surface features and processes: the internal structure of the earth, plate tectonics, volcanism, weathering, river systems, coastal processes, glacial processes and land forms

• characteristics & classification of soils; ecosystem cycles and components; the earth's major terrestrial biomes; and the human factor

1) The Science of Geography

Physical Geography is concerned with the earth's physical systems - "geosystems" - and their interactions with living things.

Geography: a science that is concerned with/uses the idea of "space"; more specifically, the nature and character of physical space - measurements, relations, locations, and distributions of things.

• Geography is governed more by a method - "a spatial approach" - than by a specific body of knowledge.

• The spatial approach involves the analysis ("spatial analysis") of the differences and similarities between places and locations.

• Additionally, spatial analysis is concerned with the "processes" involved in physical phenomena.

• Thus, "spatial analysis" is the key integrative approach utilized in the discipline of Geography; it is based on the examination of phenomena in the context of spatial interactions, patterns, and variations over space.

II. Location, Models, Time, and Maps

A. Earth Systems Concepts

• a system is an ordered, interrelated set of objects (and their attributes), linked by flows of energy and matter

• open systems - matter and energy flow into and from the system

• closed systems - energy and matter are self contained within the system

• the Earth is open w.r.t. energy; but closed w.r.t. matter

• (energy within the Earth system is transformed from one form to another)

• when energy and mass inputs and outputs are balanced over time, we say that the system is in "equilibrium" ("steady-state equilibrium")

• some steady-state systems show an increasing or decreasing trend over time - "dynamic equilibrium"

• a simplified version of a system

• they represent idealized parts of a natural system or systems

• they show complex environmental associations

• their simplicity allows us to understand systems more readily

• can be used to make predictions; however, the predictions are only as good as the assumptions and accuracy built into the model.

• (computer-based models)

C. The Earth - A Spherical Planet

• the Earth is a sphere, but not a perfect sphere

• the Earth is actually an oblate (or flattened) sphere; i.o.w., it has a bulge at the equator - because of the greater centrifugal (outward acting) force there

D. Location On the Earth

• we use a "grid" system - latitude (lat) & longitude (lon)

• Latitude: an angular distance north or south of the equator

• the equator is assigned the value of 0 degrees lat

• the N pole is 90 degrees N lat and the S pole is 90 degrees S lat

• a line connecting all points along the same latitude (latitudinal angle) is called a parallel

• Latitudinal Geographic Zones - geographic zones (regions) identified by geographers that have fairly uniform characteristics (which result from the amount of solar radiation received): equatorial, tropical, subtropical, midlatitude, subarctic, subantarctic, and arctic or antarctic

• Longitude: an angular distance measured east or west of a point (the "prime meridian") on the Earth's surface.

• a line connecting all points along the same longitude is called a "meridian"

• the prime meridian runs through Greenwich, England

• since meridians converge toward the poles, the actual ground distance spanned by a degree of longitude is greatest at the equator and least at the poles

• the distance covered by a degree of latitude varies only slightly (1 deg of lat = 111 km) (69 mi)

• because the Earth revolves 15 degrees eastward per hour, a time zone of one hour is established for each 15 degrees of longitude

• A world standard was established -Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) - in 1884 the Royal Observatory at Greenwhich, England was chosen as the place for the prime meridian of 0o longitude - each time zone theoretically covers 7.5 degrees on either side of a controlling meridian and represents one hour.

• GMT was supplanted by "Coordinated Universal Time" (UTC) in 1928 - based on time calculations collected in Paris

F. Maps

1) Map Scale - the ratio of the image on a map to the real world

• relates a unit on the map to a similar unit on the ground

• e.g., a "1:1 scale", means that a centimeter on the map = a centimeter on the ground; a "1:24,000 scale" (1 unit on the map is equal to 24,000 identical units on the ground) is a more practical scale

or 1/25,000 (no units are necessary); or as a graphic scale

Small, Medium, & Large Scales - depends on the map scale ratio - the greater the size of the denominator, the smaller the scale

e.g.: 1:24,000 = large scale

1:50,000 = smaller scale

3) Map Projections

• a reduction of the spherical earth to a flat surface in some orderly and systematic realignment of the latitude and longitude grid

• no flat map projection of the earth can have all the features of a globe

• a globe is the only true representation of distance, direction, area, shape, and proximity

• thus, all flat map projections always have some degree of distortion - the smaller the scale the greater the distortion

• the best projection is always determined by its intended use

• the United States Geological Survey (USGS) performs detailed mapping of a variety of earth surface features

• the USGS depicts the information on quadrangle maps - rectangular maps bounded by parallels and meridians rather than by political boundaries

• a planimetric map is a basic map showing the horizontal position of boundaries, land-use activities, and political, economic, and social outlines

• topographic maps are planimetric maps that portray physical relief through the use of elevation contour lines

• contour lines are lines which connect all points at the same elevation above some reference level (usually mean sea level)

• contour interval - the distance in elevation between two adjacent contour lines

• the steeper the relief the closer together the elevation contours