Part IV: Climate Systems
Global circulation patterns, energy balance, and climate variability
Climate System Components
Earth's climate system involves interactions between atmosphere, oceans, cryosphere, biosphere, and land surface:
- Energy balance: Incoming solar radiation vs. outgoing longwave radiation
- General circulation: Hadley cells, Ferrel cells, polar cells
- Ocean currents: Thermohaline circulation, El Niño/La Niña (ENSO)
- Climate feedbacks: Ice-albedo, water vapor, cloud feedbacks
Comprehensive coverage of radiation balance, greenhouse effect, general circulation models, climate variability, and climate change physics.