Weather and Climate Unit 1

atmosphere

the gases, droplets, and particles surrounding Earths surface

meteorology

the study of the atmosphere and the processes that we refer to as the weather

weather

short term, day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere

climate

the statistical properties of the atmosphere, including measures of average conditions, variability, etc

climatology

the study of long-term atmospheric conditions

scientific method

a framework used to make scientific discoveries about the physical world

theory

proof based systems, explains how and why some phenomena occurs

science

an unbiased search for truth

scientific law

what occurs and never varies

steps of the scientific method

question, hypothesis, prediction, experiment, analysis, conclusion

homosphere

the lowest 50 miles of the atmosphere in which the relative abundance of the permanent gases is constant

heterosphere

the high atmosphere, above 50 miles, where gases are not mixed but rather are stratified according to molecular weight. Vertical motions are too weak to overcome gravitational settling, so heavier gases are found beneath lighter gases

permanent gases

those gases whose relative abundance is constant within the homosphere

variable gases

gases present in amounts that vary greatly in abundace, either vertically, horizontally, or seasonally. Water vapor is the most important variable gas

ozone

molecules consisting of three oxygen atoms, most abundant in the middle and upper stratosphere

aerosols/particulates

small, suspended particles in the atmosphere

standard atmosphere

the mean structure of the atmosphere with regard to temperature and pressure

climate controls

latitude, continent/ocean position, topography, local features

troposphere

the lowest temperature layer of the atmosphere, from the surface to about 16km, characterized by generally decreasing temperatures with increasing altitude

tropopause

upper limit of the troposphere, the transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere

inversions

condition in which temperature increases with increasing altitude

stratosphere

a layer of the atmosphere between 16 and 50 km and characterized by generally increasing temperature with increasing altitude

stratopause

upper limit of the stratosphere; the transition between the stratosphere and the mesosphere

ozone layer

the portion of the atmosphere where ozone is relatively abundant, reaching a few parts per million

mesosphere

region of the atmosphere from about 50 to 80 km, characterized by decreasing temperature with increasing altitude

mesopause

upper limit of the mesosphere; the transition between the mesosphere and the thermosphere

thermosphere

outermost reaches of the atmosphere, beginning at about 80 km, characterized by increasing temperature with increasing altitude and by extremely low density

photodissociation

splitting of molecules into atoms or sub molecules by radiation. For example, in the thermosphere, ultraviolet radiation disassociates molecular oxygen into atomic oxygen

ionosphere

region in the upper atmosphere from about 80-500km where charged particles(ions) are relatively abundant

magnetosphere

magnetic layer of the earths atmosphere that shifts based on solar winds

Aurora Borealis/ Aurora Australis

an illumination of the sky found in the high northern or southern latitudes, which is produced as charged particles arriving from the run reacting with the upper atmosphere

outgassing

the emission of gases that accompanies volcanic eruptions

conduction

when energy transfers through solids in a chain

convection

when energy transfers through liquids and gases

radiation

when energy transfers through space using magnetic and electrical properties

black body

a perfect emitter where 100% of the radiation is emitted for its temperature

stefan-baltzmann’s law

hotter objects emit more radiation than cooler ones, and is proportional to temperature

Wein’s law

hotter objects emit shorter wavelengths of radiation than cooler ones

solar constant

2 cal/ cm2/ min

inverse square law

further you get from the sun the less energy that reaches that place

fronts

a transition zone between two dissimilar air masses

relative humidity

the measure of the amount of water vapor in the air as a fraction of saturation, often expressed as a percentage. Because the saturation point is temperature dependent, relative humidity depends on both the moisture content and the temperature of the air

dew point temperature

the temperature at which saturation will occur, given sufficient cooling

isobars

a line on a weather map connecting points of equal pressure. Moving along an it, there is no change in pressure, the pressure gradients are perpendicular

station models

a plotting on weather maps for individual locations depicting current temperature, dew point, pressure, and other meteorological information

energy

the ability to do work, such as kinetic, potential, chemical

electromagnetic radiation

energy emitted by virtue of the objects temperature

kinetic energy

energy of motion

potential energy

energy possessed by virtue of an objects position above some reference level

wavelength

distance between successive peaks of a wave, or a trough

emissivity

the property of a substance or object that expresses, as a fraction or percentage, how efficient it is at emitting radiation

shortwave radiation

electromagnetic energy having wavelengths shorter than about 4 um

longwave radiation

electromagnetic energy having wavelengths longer than about 4 um

core

the interior of the sun, where nuclear fusion produces energy that is ultimately radiated to earth

nuclear fusion

the thermonuclear process in which extreme heat and pressure cause atoms to combine to form a heavier element. a small part of the original mass is converted to tremendous quantities of energy and is released to the environment

radiation zone

layer of the sun where energy moves outward by radiation from the core to the convection zone

convection zone

an internal layer of the sun where upwelling gases carry energy from the core toward the surface

photosphere

the part of the sun that emotes most of the energy reaching earth. it is the visible part of the sun, a layer representing about 0.05% of the solar radius

granules

tops of the convection cells seen on the surface of the sun, analogous to bubbles on the surface of boiling water

sunspots

magnetic storms of the sun, appearing as dark, earth sized spots on the photosphere

insolation

incident, or incoming solar radiation

flares

intensely hot eruptions on the solar surface

ecliptic plane

the imaginary surface swept by earth as it orbits the sun

perihelion

January 3rd, when the earth is closest to the sun (91 million miles)

Aphelion

July 4th when the sun is furthest from the sun, about 94 million miles

circle of illumination

line that defines day and night

tilt of earths axis

23.5

equator

0

tropic of cancer

23.5N

tropic of capricorn

23.5S

Arctic circle

66.5N

Antarctic circle

66.5S

solar declination

the latitude of overhead sun, the place where one would go to find the sun directly overhead at noon

parallelism of axis

the axis of rotation never changes, and never wobbles back and forth in a rotation