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The Earth
Climate Zones, Ocean Currents
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1. Global climate zones.
Climate zones
Example: Cßsh is a maritime, C|3sh   semi-humid,
warm temperate climate
57° ^   Yearly variation of day length (VOL) VDinm.   in hours (solar climatic boundary)
Thermally adapted climatic boundary
----------   with influences of mountains and sea
currents taken into account
Degree of continental ity (C in percent) -   as measure of the annual temperature variations Humid months: precipitation > evaporation from the landscape
Region of subtropical winter rain
Coastal fogs (winter/summer)
The classification of climatic zones is based on a model created by W. Lauer and P. Frankenberg in 1985. The criteria for classification refer to the real vegetation. The basic principle of climate grading is the inclusion of solar-climatic conditions of radiation and illumination. The borderline of the tropes is defined by the fluctuation of temperature. The border is located where the variation between summer and winter (annual amplitude) is larger than the variation between day and night (diurnal amplitude). Tropical climates are conseguently diurnal climates, whereas non tropical climates are annual climates. According to that climatic classification, the earth can be divided roughly into 4 climatic zones, defined by the sun radiation. These zones are subclassified based on their thermal properties.
Ocean currents