APES - Chapter 4

Climate

The average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period.

Weather

The short-term conditions of the atmosphere in a given region that include temperature, humidity, clouds, precipitation, and wind speed.

Troposphere

The densest layer of the atmosphere where most atmospheric nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapor exists that extends from the Earth’s surface to around 16 km. Decreases temperature going into the upper layer.

Stratosphere

A layer of the atmosphere containing the ozone layer that extends from 16 km to 50 km and increases in temperature going into the upper layer.

Mesosphere

A layer of the atmosphere that extends from 50-100km and decreases in temperature going into the upper layer.

Thermosphere

A layer of the atmosphere that extends from 100-600km and increases in temperature with proximity to the sun.

Exosphere

The furthest layer of the atmosphere that extends from 600km to beyond the Earth.

Ozone Layer

A layer of Ozone gas in the atmosphere that protects the Earth from solar radiation in the stratosphere.

Why is the Earth unequally warmed?

• Angular tilt at 23.5 degrees; sun hits tropics directly compared to poles.

• Albedo

• Day length

Albedo

The solar reflectivity of a surface.

Saturation Point

The maximum amount of water vapor that can be in the air at a given temperature.

Adiabatic Cooling

The cooling effect of reduced pressure on air as it moves higher into the atmosphere and expands.

Adiabatic Heating

The heating effect of increased pressure on air as it moves lower into the atmosphere and compresses.

Latent Heat Release

The release of energy into the atmosphere when water vapor condenses into liquid, causing the air to become warmer and rise.

Atmospheric Convection Current

Global patterns of air movement initiated by the unequal heating of the Earth.

Hadley Cell

Convection currents that cycle between the equator and 30 degrees North and South, causing air near the equator to heat and rise into cold, dry air and displacing before returning to the 30 degree regions as hot, dry air.

Intertropical Convergence Zone

The latitude that receives the most intense sunlight, causing the branches of the Hadley cells to converge.

Polar Cell

Convection currents that are formed by hot air rising at 60 degrees and sinking at the poles, moving cold air towards the poles.

Ferrell Cell

Convection currents that lie between polar and Hadley cells that move colder air of polar cells around 60 degrees to the equator and warmer air from 30 degrees to the poles.

Coriolis Effect

The deflection of an object’s path due to the rotation of the Earth. Causes winds moving toward the equator to deflect west, and air moving closer to 30 degrees to deflect to the poles.

Rain Shadow

The dry region formed on the leeward side of a mountain as a result of humid winds rising and causing precipitation on the windward side.

Gyre

A large-scale pattern of water circulation that moves clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

Upwelling

The upward movement of deep seawater to the surface as a result of diverging currents, increasing oceanic productivity by bringing nutrients to the surface waters.

Thermohaline Circulation

A long-term, global oceanic circulation pattern that drives the mixing of deep and surface water.

El Niño (ENSO)

A reversal of wind and water patterns in the South Pacific, usually every 3-7 years near December. Slows fishing productivity by decreasing upwelling.