Die täglichen Temperaturschwankungen als geographisches Klimacharakteristikum

Abstract

In contrast to the prevailing opinion that daily temperature fluctuations (Ts) are determined primarily by topographic relationships and that no reliable distribution pattern dependent on latitude can be demonstrated, the new world map of aperiodic daily temperature range (Suppl. VIII) allows one to recognise the following broad regularities in the spatial distribution: 1) a clear planetary zonation, influenced by solar-climatic phenomena and corresponding broadly with the world radiation belts (Fig. 1-3) - 2) a changing width and latitudinal position of zones of amplitude, caused by the irregular distribution of land and sea - 3) a pronounced contrast over the width of the zones, increasing in magnitude from west to east - 4) A reversed height-change relationship as between tropical and non tropical mountain areas, i.e. falling Ts values in non tropical mountains (Fig. 4) - 5) A clearly observable change in Ts values between the peripheral and central areas of the individual continents, as an expression of maritime continental contrast. Thus the map, which is informally arranged following the concepts of H. Lautensach regarding change in geographic forms, assumes importance for: 1) climatic zonation as the expression of solar radiation activity, 2) the illustration of continentality and 3) classification and demarcation of climatic types, especially coastal climate.