9 2 15 9 4 15 9 7 15 Dr Frauenfeld Chapter 1 Notes Essentials of Geography Chapter Topics Science of Geography Earth Systems Concepts Location and Time on Earth Maps Scales and Projections Remote Sensing and GIS I Science of Geography a Geography i Greek Term Geo Earth and Graphein to Write ii A method not a static body of knowledge 1 Natural Systems across geographic areas and within societies and cultural activities iii Geography is all in the context of across space b Geographers uses Spatial Analysis the method of geography i Spatial characteristics of physical space its measurement and distribution of things within it ii Five Spatial Themes 1 Location Answers the question of where the specific planetary address of an object or place can be absolute lat and long or relative 2 Region Characteristics of an area typically have a degree of uniformity the uniform characteristics of a region can change over time in relation to other regions 3 Movement Communication circulation migration and diffusion across Earth s 4 Place Tangible and intangible living and nonliving characteristics that make each surface location unique 5 Human Earth Relationships Resource exploitation hazard perception and environmental pollution modification Anything that humans do to or on the Earth has some sort of consequence iii Example of Hurricane Isaac described and classified by the Spatial Themes 1 Where it is going to go lat long 2 Formation region sea surface temperature convection etc and regions affected by the hurricane as it travels its track 3 Hurricanes rotate because it s a low pressure system the movement of the hurricane 4 Physical characteristics of the location the hurricane went over the human feelings of fear and worry in association with hurricanes 5 As the planet gets warmer more frequent and harsher hurricanes are created because they need warmer temperatures to form c Geographic Analysis i Process mechanisms or sets of actions 1 Very Important in Geographic Analysis 2 i e Surface Atmosphere Processes Weather or Continental Crust Movements Earthquakes ii Physical Geography Spatial analysis of all physical processes that make up the environment d Geographic Continuum i Geography is eclectic any subject can be examined geographically 9 2 15 9 4 15 9 7 15 Dr Frauenfeld ii Continuum physical and life science on one end of the spectrum and human and cultural aspects on the other end iii Gives a holistic view of the planet II Earth Systems Concepts a Systems Theory up of sub systems ii Open Systems iii Closed Systems i System Any ordered set of interrelated components and their attributes can be made 1 Not self contained inputs and outputs of energy and matter 2 Almost all systems are open 1 No external influences shut off completely from the surroundings iv System Feedbacks Outputs that influence the system to discourage or encourage further options 1 Positive Feedback In the same direction i e As the ice caps melt because of temperature increases the surface of the ice caps becomes darker so more sunlight is absorbed instead of reflected which then causes more of the ice cap to melt 2 Negative Feedback In the opposite direction v System Equilibrium 1 Steady State Equilibrium Most systems are in this equilibrium conditions fluctuate around average conditions 2 Dynamic Equilibrium A constant trend of change in the equilibrium over time 3 Meta State Equilibrium Abrupt changes and tipping points occur within the equilibrium b What are the Earth s Systems i Four spheres interact across 500 million km2 1 Atmosphere 2 Hydrosphere 3 Lithosphere 4 Biosphere Abiotic non living Biotic living III Location and Time on Earth a Spherical Planet Earth s Dimensions i Not a perfect sphere actually a Geoid because the Earth is slightly thicker around the middle geoidal bulge due to the rotation of the Earth ii Equatorial circumference is larger than the polar circumference iii Technical name for the shape of the Earth is Oblate Ellipsoid b Geographic Grid i Latitude and Longitude measured 1 Degrees minutes seconds D 0 to 180 long 00 to 59 00 to 59 NSEW or with the word lat long 0 to 90 lat 9 2 15 9 4 15 9 7 15 Dr Frauenfeld ii Latitude Angular distance North or South of the equator measured from the center of the Earth 1 Run East to West on maps and globes Increase Northward and southward 2 a North Pole 90 N or 90 Latitude b Equator 0 c South Pole 90 S or 90 Latitude 3 Latitudes are all parallel and thus are also called parallels 4 Important latitudes denote certain climates a Arctic Circle 66 5 N to 90 N b Subarctic 55 N to 66 5 N c Mid Altitude 35 N to 55 N d Subtropical 23 5 N to 35 N e Equatorial Tropical 23 5 N Tropic of Cancer to 23 5 S Tropic of Capricorn f Subtropical 23 5 S to 35 S g Mid Altitude 35 S to 55 S h Sub Antarctic 55 S to 66 5 S i Antarctic 66 5 S to 90 S These specific numbers happen due to the 23 tilt of the Earth iii Longitude Angular distance East or West of a point on the Earth s surface measured from the center of the Earth 1 Measured relative to the Prime Meridian 0 arbitrarily designated to be Greenwich England 2 Run North to South on maps 3 Lines of equal longitude are called meridians 4 Meridians are NOT parallel they intersect at the North and South poles 5 Meridians make right angles with parallels iv Measurements of 1 slight variation always because Earth is not a perfect sphere 1 1 latitude is always 69 miles 2 1 longitude varies between 0 and 69 miles because lines of longitude converge at the Poles c Prime Meridian and Standard Time i PM serves as the standard for time Greenwich Mean Time GMT Universal Time ii Earth Rotates 360 in 24 hours 1 360 24 hours 15 hour 1 Time Zone 2 As we move East it gets later in the day and as we move West it gets earlier in the UT day d 3 Time zones extend 7 5 on either side of a central meridian iii National political boundaries distort the time zones International Dateline i Where each day officially begins and sweeps westward ii Opposite the PM 180 Line iii West of the line is always one day ahead later iv No matter what time of the day you cross it the date changes 9 2 15 9 4 15 9 7 15 Dr Frauenfeld v Zig Zags because the island nations choose which side of the dateline they want to be on based on who their major economic partners are IV Maps Scales and Projections a Maps Generalized view of an area seen from above and reduced in size b Scale ratio of map units to ground units i Representative Fraction lots of math ii Graphic Scale c