Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
North Pole
80 N
70 N
8
8
0
N
7
70
N
60 N
6
6
6
0
N
You are
here
Your
latitude
50 N
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
N
5
40 N
N
30 N
3
0
N
Angle of
latitude
20 N
2
2
2
0
N
E
q
u
a
t
o
r
E
q
u
a
to
r
10 N
1
1
1
1
0
N
Prime
Meridian
10 S
1
10
S
20 S
2
0
S
30 S
30
S
(a)
(b)
Figure 2.4 Calculating latitude.
(a) The reference point for latitude is the Equator, which divides Earth into Northern and Southern Hemi-
spheres. Latitude ranges from 0° to 90° N and S. (b) Latitude is calculated by simply measuring the angle of a point relative to the Equator
from the center of Earth.
As far as distance is concerned, degrees of latitude are separat-
ed by about 110 km (69 mi) from each other, regardless of location.
In other words, a location on the Earth's surface can be specified
only within 110 km north or south at the level of a degree. It is
possible to more closely locate places by subdividing degrees of
latitude first into 60 minutes (
∙
), and subsequently each minute
into 60 seconds (
∙
). An example of such a latitude designation
would be a location in the Northern Hemisphere that has latitude
of 39° 52
∙
46
∙
N. At this level of detail, the location of something
can be determined within 30.5 m (100 ft) on the Earth's surface.
Another way to improve the level of location precision
is simply to convert latitude designations containing minutes
and seconds to full decimal notations. This conversion is done
with a simple equation that would, for example, convert the
previous latitude of 39° 52
∙
46
∙
N to 39.8794° N. The use of
decimal notations is very common and most frequently desig-
nates such important lines of latitude as the Tropic of Cancer
(23.5° N), the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S), the Arctic Circle
(66.5° N), and the Antarctic Circle (66.5° S) (Figure 2.5).
These lines of latitude are related to the Earth/Sun geometric
Arctic (66.5° N to North Pole)
High latitudes
(55° N to North Pole)
Subarctic (55° N to 66.5° N)
North Pole
90° N
Midlatitudes
(35° N to 55° N)
Subtropical (23.5° N to 35° N)
66.5° N
55° N
Low latitudes
(35° N to 35° S)
Equatorial/Tropical
(23.5° N to 23.5° S)
35° N
23.5° N
Subtropical
(23.5° S to 35° S)
Midlatitudes
(35° S to 55° S)
0°
Subantarctic (55° S to 66.5° S)
High latitudes
(55° S to South Pole)
23.5° S
Antarctic (66.5° S to South Pole)
35° S
55° S
66.5° S
South Pole
90° S
Figure 2.5 Important lines of latitude on Earth and general latitude zones.
These zones of latitude often
have distinctive climate, vegetation, and soil characteristics that will be explored in this text.
