An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c12.s3.1

v1.c12.s3.1

The physical framework of the climatic system comprises the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere (ice masses and snow deposits), the lithosphere (land masses) and the biosphere (plants, animals, man and their habitat). The energy which drives this system comes from the sun and is intercepted by the earth and its atmosphere. This radiation interacts with clouds and air, land and sea, snow and ice, while the remainder is reflected back into space. Winds and ocean currents are generated by the forces set up by these complex interactions, which in turn are responsible for converting the sun's radiation into different energy forms and ultimately into long-wave terrestrial radiation which is emitted back into the outer space. ‘Weather’ is the end result of these complex activities when viewed on short time-scale, and ‘climate’, when the time-scale is long.