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Sam Houston State University (SHSU)
Branche: Education
Number of terms: 13055
Number of blossaries: 0
Company Profile:
Founded in 1879 and named after Texas' greatest hero General Sam Houston, Sam Houston State University is public shcool within the Texas state university system and located in Huntsville, Texas. It's a multicultural institution that offers 79 bachelorette degree programs, 54 masters and five ...
This is electromagnetic radiation (light energy) emitted by the sun. This energy is transmitted through space in the units of electromagnetic energy called photons. The strength of the solar energy that reaches our outer atmosphere is called the solar constant and has a value of approximately 2. 0 calories per minute per square centimeter. Roughly one-half (1. 0 cal min<sup>-1 </sup>cm<sup>-2</sup>) of all the solar radiation that enters the upper atmosphere is available at the earth's surface. Of the fifty percent loss, approximately 32 percent is reflected back into space by either clouds, dust, or aerosols; the remaining 18 percent is absorbed by clouds, dust, water, and atmospheric gases. The short high-energy wavelengths that are absorbed by the Earth are re-radiated at longer, lower energy wavelengths mostly in the IR wavelength region. These lower-energy wavelengths are, in part, prevented from escaping into space by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Solar radiation is the fuel source that provides a mechanism for all biological processes on earth. Without solar radiation, life on earth would not exist. (This statement, of course, neglects the contribution to the earth's surface temperature from radioactive decay in the earth. )
Industry:Chemistry; Weather
The total amount of ozone that is found in a column of air. The majority of this amount of O<sub>3</sub> is typically found in the stratosphere.
Industry:Chemistry; Weather
Urban heat island effect is the condition in which a city is relatively warmer than the surrounding areas due to the heat generated by the good conductors such as concrete, cars, and city buildings and the lack of vegetation.
Industry:Chemistry; Weather
The solar radiation incident on a unit horizontal surface at the top of the atmosphere. It is sometimes referred to as solar irradiance. The latitudinal variation of insolation supplies the energy for the general circulation of the atmosphere. Insolation depends on the angle of incidence of the solar beam and on the solar constant.
Industry:Chemistry; Weather
Twice during the year, September 21 and March 21, the length of day and night are equal because the tilt of the Earth's axis (in relationship to the sun) is nullified and both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres receive equal quantities of sunlight. An animation showing this is here.
Industry:Chemistry; Weather
The total amount of ozone that is found in a column of air above the earth from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. The majority of this amount is typically found in the stratosphere.
Industry:Chemistry; Weather
The portion of the earth which consists of the ice masses and snow deposits which include continental ice sheets, mountainous glaciers, sea ice, surface snow cover and lake/river ice. Alterations in the extent of snow cover are due to seasonal fluctuations and are interrelated with atmospheric circulation. Sea level and hydrologic cycle variations can affect the volume of water tied up in the glaciers and ice sheets.
Industry:Chemistry; Weather
The study of the rates at which chemical reactions occur and the influence of physical and chemical conditions of these rates.
Industry:Chemistry; Weather
The relationship that defines the partition of a soluble or partially soluble species between the gas and solution phases. It is often represented as H<sub>c</sub>. It is the relationship of species dissolving but not reacting in solution to those in equilibrium in the gas phase. The equation used for this is: &#61; *. H<sub>c</sub> is the Henry's Law Constant. This may be regarded as a measure of the molecules in a gas to those dissolve in solution, and this relationship is temperature dependent. C<sub>g</sub> and C<sub>aq</sub> are the concentrations or partial pressure of species C in gas and aqueous solution, respectively.
Industry:Chemistry; Weather
The upper limit and the coldest portion of the mesosphere. The transition zone between the mesosphere and the thermosphere.
Industry:Chemistry; Weather