Books and resources Essentials of Geosystems

Books and resources
Chapter 1 Elemental
Geosystems
The Essentials of Geography
• TEXTBOOK: Elemental Geosystems, 6/E, By
Christopherson
• LAB BOOK: Encounter Geosystems by
Christopherson and Thomsen
• Web search: “Earth Science Centralia”
• www.mygeoscienceplace.com
Essentials of Geosystems
• Define geography, and physical geography in
particular.
• Describe systems analysis, open and closed systems,
feedback information, and system operations, and
relate these concepts to Earth systems.
• Explain Earth’s reference grid: latitude and longitude,
plus latitudinal geographic zones and time.
• Define cartography and mapping basics: map scale
and map projections.
• Describe remote sensing and explain geographic
information system (GIS) as tools used in geographic
analysis.
“spatial” refers
to the nature
and character
of physical
space
Physical geography - examination of
natural environments: the nature of
physical elements and processes; their
distribution and interrelationships
Five spatial themes of
geography: location,
place, movement,
regions, human-Earth
relationships
EG6_Figure_01_1_1_NR-L
Harlequin frog,
p. 14
Spatial
scale
Geography (from geo,
"Earth," and grapbein, "to
write") is the science that
studies relationships among
geographic areas, natural
systems, society, cultural
activities, and the
interdependence of all these
over space.
EG6_CO_01
F-5 tornado destruction in Greensburg
Kansas, 2007.
EG6 Figure 01 01-L
1
The Scientific
Method
Hypothesis =
educated guess;
(important role is to be
testable)
EG6_Figure_01_02-L
Relationships between physical geography and
human/cultural geography. Note list of
organizations on p. 4.
Scientific theory =
widely accepted
explanation of a
natural phenomenon
that fits all the data
EG6_Figure_01_1_1_FS-L
Open system – matter and energy transformed
The leaf, a natural
open system. Light
+ CO2 + H2O +
nutrients = O2 +
carbos (sugars)
through
photosynthesis.
EG6_Figure_01_03-L
Earth is an open system wrt Sun’s E and
closed wrt resources and matter
EG6_Figure_01_06-L
System equilibrium: steady state vs. dynamic; tipping
points are thresholds where conditions can change
abruptly.
EG6_Figure_01_04-L
EG6_Figure_01_07-L
Mount Pinatubo 1991 eruption
2
Earth’s four main
environmental
spheres
EG6 Figure 01 09-L
EG6_Figure_01_11-L
EG6_Figure_01_10-L
Equitorial and polar circumference; dashed = perf circle
Eratosthenes in 247 BC calculated Earth’s
circumference at 28,738 mi (close to 24,860!!!)
EG6_Figure_01_12a-L
Parallels of latitude
EG6_Figure_01_12b-L
3
EG6_Figure_01_13_L
Latitudinal geographic zones
EG6_Figure_01_14a-L
Meridians of longitude
EG6_Figure_01_15a_L
EG6_Figure_01_14b-L
Small circles and great circles
EG6_Figure_01_15b_L
EG6_Figure_01_15c_L
4
EG6_Figure_01_2_1_FS-L
Clock times determine longitude
EG6_Figure_01_2_1_NR-L
Triangulation via GPS satellites, p. 20
EG6_Figure_01_2_2_NR_L
EG6_Figure_01_2_3_NR-L
GPS on Mount Everest
Using GPS
EG6_Figure_01_17-L
Modern international time zones
EG6_Figure_01_16-L
Earth’s coordinate system
EG6_Figure_01_18-L
International date line ~ 180°
5
Projections
Mercator ~ “true shape” (AD
1569); advantage = “rhumb
line” of constant direction is
straight. Areas are bogus—
exaggerated at poles.
EG6_Figure_01_19-L
EG6 Figure 01 20
EG6 Figure 01 21a-L
EG6_Figure_01_21c-L
EG6_Figure_01_21b-L
EG6_Figure_01_21d-L
6
EG6_Figure_01_22b-L
EG6_Figure_01_22a-L
Rhumb line = shortest distance but in a constant
direction (on Mercator projection)
Remote sensing, p. 28
3 orbits
EG6_Figure_01_24-L
EG6 Figure 01 23-L
Radar image
of same
eruption as
in previous
slide, 1994
Kliuchevskoi volcano
Sept. 1994
EG6 Figure 01 25a-L
EG6 Figure 01 25b-L
7
June 26, 2002
Terra image of
Kamchatka
Radarsat
mosaic
EG6 Figure 01 25c-L
EG6_Figure_01_26-L
GOES 12
first image
from,
23.300 mi
GOES =
geostationary
operational
environmental
satelllites
EROS data center in
Souix Falls SD;
http://edc.usgs.gov
EG6 Figure 01 27-L
EG6 Figure 01 28-L
GIS
EG6_Figure_01_29b-L
EG6 Figure 01 29a-L
8
EG6_Table_01_01
EG6_Figure_01_29c-L
EG6 Table 01 02
9