What Is The Map Isolation At The Earth Surface

The map, Isolation at the Earth’s Surface, allows for the examination of the amount of solar radiation the earth receives annually and stimulates questions as to why certain locations on earth receive more or less solar radiation and how that affects those locations. The maps shows that the countries that fall on the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, between 25°N-35°N and 25°S-35°S latitude, receive more solar radiation. The process of receiving solar radiation is called insolation. The radiation can be absorbed by the earth in the form of heat but can also be reflected by clouds or other things in the atmosphere. The hottest areas on the Earth’s surface are those where the land is at a 90° angle to the sun. The reason the

The sun doesn’t directly hit the Equator, it hits along the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn. The angle of incidence (angle that the sun’s rays hit the earth) changes as the earth rotates. The tilt of the Earth’s axis is roughly 23.5°. This tilt creates the different seasons as the amount of sunlight reaching the earth changes as the Earth both spins and rotates around the sun. The Northern Hemisphere receives more sunlight during June, July , and August (summer season) resulting in longer days and more insolation. and less during. During December, January and February (Winter season) the Northern Hemisphere is further from the sun, less light for shorter periods of time resulting in complete darkness at times. During the winter and summer seasons in the Northern Hemisphere, there are two unique days. The Summer Solstice is the longest day of sunlight of the year (June 20) or Winter Solstice is the shortest day of sunlight (December 21). As the the number of days the sunlight reaches earth increases, the amount of Solar Radiation increases and the days are warmer. Just the opposite is true for the Winter Solstice. The amount of sunlight is reduced to nothing on the longest days so therefor, minimal Solar Radiation