Chapter 3: Climatology

Latitude

Latitude

Global isotherms (lines of constant temperature) are mostly oriented in the east-west direction, with greater solar radiation and temperatures by the equator and lower solar radiation and temperatures by the poles.

Oceans have a ____ heat capacity than land

greater

Maritime

over oceans and in coastal regions

Continental environments

inland

Ocean currents

can redistribute hear across the global ocean, both across the global ocean basins, both horizontally (advection) and vertically (upwelling/downwelling)

Where do isotherms bend?

at land ocean boundary due to unequal heating/cooling rates of land vs water and ocean air currents

Elevation

Air pressure decreases with height. There are less air molecules at high altitudes and therefore less collisions among molecules that would produce heat

Standard Lapse Rate

usually air temperature decreases at 6.5 C per km as you climb a mountain (same as about 19 F per mile)

heating degree days (base 65 F for daily mean temperature assumed to be "comfortable")

How cold the temperature was on a given day or during a period of days

cooling degree days (base 65 F)

How hot the temperature was on a given day or during a period of days

Sensible temperature

human body's perception of temperature, which can differ from actual temperature recorded by a thermometer

Wind Chill Index

how cold the wind makes people feel

Frostbite

partial freezing of exposed body parts, usually extremities, causing injury to skin and sometimes deeper tissues

Hypothermia

deterioration of a person's physical and mental condition due to rapid lowering of human body temperature

Liquid in glass thermometer

glass bulb attached to a dealer, graduated (marked increments) tub, with alcohol or mercury inside, when air temperature rises the liquid expands and rises up the tub cheap simple fragile

Maximum thermometer

liquid in glass thermometer for determining the daily high temperature, usually the tube contains mercury

Minimum thermometer

liquid in glass thermometer for determining the daily low temperature; usually, the tube contains alcohol (less likely to freeze than mercury)

Electrical thermometer

temperature signal is converted into electrical signal either through a change in resistance or voltage

Electrical resistance thermometers

measure the resistance of a platinum or nickel wire to determine temperature very accurately and resistance increases at high temperatures. Used by automated weather stations.

Thermistors (thermal resistors)

are made of ceramic, and the electrical resistance of the ceramic changes as air temperature changes. Used by weather balloons (radiosondes)

Radiomater

infrared sensors that measure emitted radiation and then estimate temperature used in satellites

Bimetallic thermometer

use 2 different metals welded together to determine temperature based in the concept that warming causes expedition and cooling causes contraction

Gulf Stream

warm ocean current over the North Atlantic Ocean off the east coast of the United States

Main source of evaporation to the atmosphere (85%)

oceans

Main factor determining a region's temperature

amount of solar radiation reaching the surface

Three methods of heat transfer

conduction (contact), convection (circulation - warm air rises, cold air sinks), radiation (waves; Sun heats Earth)

Thermal

rising heat bubble with convection

Main factor determining a region's temperature

amount of solar radiation reaching the surface

Isotherm

line of constant temperature on a map

water temperatures change more ___ and less ___ than air temperatures

slowly, extreme

Amplitude of the seasonal cycle of air temperature is ___ for continental locations then maritime locations

greater

Diurnal cycle of air temperature is ___ for continental locations than maritime locations

larger