Geography (Hons) Paper-III,

Group-A (Climatology)

Question: What is Insolation? Describe the factors affecting insolation of the

atmosphere.

Model Answer:

Insolation:

The sun is the primary source of energy on the earth. This energy is radiated in all
directions into space through short waves. This is known as solar radiation. Only two
billionths or (two units of energy out of 1,00,00,00,000 units of energy radiated by the sun) of
the total solar radiation reaches the earth’s surface. This small proportion of solar radiation is
of great importance, as it is the only major source of energy on the earth for most of the
physical and biological phenomena. Incoming solar radiation through short waves is termed
as insolation. The amount of insolation received on the earth’s surface is far less than that is
radiated from the sun because of the small size of the earth and its distance from the sun.
Moreover water vapour, dust particles, ozone and other gases present in the atmosphere
absorb a small amount of insolation.

Fig:1 Insolation

The Factors Affecting Insolation:

The amount of insolation received on the earth’s surface is not uniform everywhere. It varies
from place to place and from time to time. The tropical zone receive the maximum annual
insolation. It gradually decreases towards the poles. Insolation is more in summers and less in
winters.

Prepared by: Pranab Kr. Das, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geography,

Sree Chaitanya College, Habra Page 1
Geography (Hons) Paper-III,
Group-A (Climatology)

A. Global Factors:
The following global factors influence the amount of insolation received.
(i) The angle of incidence.
(ii) Duration of the day. (Daily sunlight period)
(ii) Transparency of the atmosphere.
(iii) Proportion of land and sea
(iv) Ocean currents and ocean conveyor belt.
(v) Altitude of land

i. The Angle of Incidence :

Since the earth is round, the sun’s rays strike the surface at different angles at different
places. The angle formed by the sun’s ray with the tangent of the earth’s circle at a point is
called angle of incidence. It influences the insolation in two ways. First, when the sun is
almost overhead, the rays of the sun are vertical. The angle of incidence is large hence; they
are concentrated in a smaller area, giving more amount of insolation at that place. If the sun’s
rays are oblique, angle of incidence is small and sun’s rays have to heat up a greater area,
resulting in less amount of insolation received there. Secondly, the sun’s rays with small
angle, traverse more of the atmosphere, than rays striking at a large angle. Longer the path of
sun’s rays, greater is the amount of reflection and absorption of heat by atmosphere. As a
result the intensity of insolation at a place is less. (see fig.1)

Fig:2 Effect of Angle of Incidence on Insolation

ii. Duration of the day:
Duration of the day varies from place to place and season to season. It decides the amount
of insolation received on earth’s surface. The longer the duration of the day, the greater is the
amount of insolation received. Conversely shorter the duration of the day leads to receipt of
less insolation. However, this difference in temperature varies with season because of the tilt
of the earth's axis (at around 23.5°). When the earth revolves around, different areas will
receive the largest angle of the sun:

 At spring equinox (21/22 Mar) and autumnal equinox (22/23 Sep), the overhead sun is
at the equator. The equator is thus the hottest.

Prepared by: Pranab Kr. Das, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geography,

Sree Chaitanya College, Habra Page 2
Geography (Hons) Paper-III,
Group-A (Climatology)

 At winter solstice (21/22 Dec), the overhead sun is on the Tropic of Capricorn. The
Tropic of Capricorn is hottest. It is winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in
the Southern Hemisphere.
 At summer solstice (21/22 Jun), the overhead sun is on the Tropic of Cancer. The
Tropic of Cancer is hottest. It is summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the
Southern Hemisphere.

Fig: 3 Distance from Sun to Earth

iii. Transparency of the atmosphere: The insolation received by the earth is in
shortwaves forms and heats up its surface. The earthafter being heated itself
becomes a radiating body and it radiates energy to the atmosphere in long wave
form. This energy heats up the atmosphere from below. This process is knownas
terrestrial radiation. The long wave radiation is absorbed by theatmospheric gases
particularly by carbondioxide and the other green house gases and clouds.
Transparency of the atmosphere also determines the amount of insolation reaching
the earth’s surface. The transparency depends upon cloud cover, its thickness, dust
particles and water vapour, as they reflect, absorb or transmit insolation. Thick
clouds hinder the insolation to reach the earth while clear sky helps it to reach the
surface. Water vapour absorbs insolation, resulting in less amount of insolation
reaching the surface.

Fig:4 Transparency of the atmosphere and Insolation

Prepared by: Pranab Kr. Das, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geography,
Sree Chaitanya College, Habra Page 3
Geography (Hons) Paper-III,
Group-A (Climatology)

iv. Proportion of land and sea: Land heats up and cools down quicker than sea due
to the specific heat capacity of water being twice that of the land. Coastal regions
have a smaller temperature range than inland areas. land and sea react differently
to insolation. Land heats up quickly - lower density of the sea heats slower.
Furthermore, its transparentness means that the heat penetrate to a greater depth.
Water has a greater specific heat capacity than land - requires twice as much
energy to raise 1kg of water by 1°C than it does for land. In summer seas act as
thermal reservoirs as they retain heat for longer and cool less rapidly in winter.
Coastal regions have a smaller temperature range than inland areas. In summer
land heats up more.

v. Ocean currents and ocean conveyor belt: Surface ocean currents are driven by
the prevailing winds. Warm currents come from the tropical seas and cold ones
from polar seas. This causes a circulatory motion known as a gyre; which is
clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anti clockwise in the southern. This
gyre effect means that warm waters move westwards in the northern areas,
warming eastern coasts, e.g. the North Atlantic Drift. This is countered by the
Canaries current moving cold water south along the West African coast. As the
warm water moves pole wards, it cools and becomes denser. The formation of ice
leaves the remaining water saltier and also denser. This cause the water to sink to
the 4 km sea bed Cold water at depth in the North Atlantic is transferred equator
wards like a conveyor belt and this continues to the Antarctic and Pacific. This is
countered by the less dense, less salty surface currents This conveyor system is
driven by the sinking of the North Atlantic Drift.

vi. Altitude of land: Insolation heats the surface of the land which warms the air
above it by conduction and convection. As the higher land is further away from
the main heat source, the main mass of land heated by insolation is relatively
cooler. Furthermore, the density of air decreases with height, adding to the cooling
effect as particles are further apart. The average rate which air temperature drops
is 6.4C per 1,000m (the environmental lapse rate). If the temperature increases
with height there is said to be a temperature inversion.

Prepared by: Pranab Kr. Das, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geography,

Sree Chaitanya College, Habra Page 4
Geography (Hons) Paper-III,
Group-A (Climatology)

Fig: 5 Environmental Laps Rate

B. Local Factors

i. Aspect - Slopes alter angle which sun strikes the Earth. South facing slopes in
n. hemisphere receive more of available insolation then north facing slopes which remain
in shadow longer. This has significant impact on agriculture, i.e not enough sun - grow
crops, longer growing season than north facing ones that receive less sunshine and have
fewer frost-free days.

ii. Cloud cover - Clouds may reflect,absorb and scatter incoming radiation but
also act as ‘insulating blanket;, keeping heat in lower atmosphere. Therefore, when clear
days temp. rise more rapidly as more insolation reaches surface, when clear nights fall
quickly as terrestrial radiation reduces surface temp. When cloudy temprature do not rise
as high or fall as low.

iii. Urbanisation - Urban surfaces tend to absorb more heat than natural surfaces
during day and radiate more at night, creating urban heat island effects

Prepared by: Pranab Kr. Das, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geography,

Sree Chaitanya College, Habra Page 5