Category:Parameter Glossary

Basic Terms and Defintions

Now its time to learn the basic input variables used in KRC.

Thermal Inertia: the reluctance of a material to change temperature

Conductivity: how easily a material transports heat and energy through itself

Density: the amount of mass, or matter, contained within a specific volume

Specific Heat: the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a material

Input parameters: values given by the user, used in calculations within the model

Opacity: the translucence of a material

Albedo: the brightness of a material

Emissivity: the energy given off by a material

Slope: angle of incline of a surface above or below horizontal

Azimuth: direction of slope as measured starting from north and moving through east

L_S : The seasonal indicator. The Value used to distinguish the time of year. The time of year

Pressure:

Diurnal Temperature: Changes in temperatures that occur over the course of a day (i.e. daily temperatures).

Advanced Terms and Definitions

Single Layer Atmosphere: A thin atmosphere where, at any given time, the temperature is the same everywhere. Even though temperature can vary with time, the entire atmosphere varies together.

Two-Stream Delta-Eddington Model: Allows for two spectral regions in the atmosphere: solar and thermal

Solar Radiation: The energy reaching the surface from the sun itself

Thermal Energy: The energy reaching the surface from emission of the atmosphere itself

Spin-Up: The time required for a model to run before it reaches statistical equilibrium.

Skin Depth: The depth to which diurnal or seasonal surface temperatures permeate into the surface.