ATS Exam 5

The name and code letter for 6 major Koppen climate changes

A: Tropical humid

B:Dry

C: Mild Mid- latitude (subtropical)

D: severe mid- latitude (continental)

E: Polar

H: Highland

How do highland climates different from the surrounding lowlands?

more precipitation, colder temp, stronger winds, possible rain

What changes in atmospheric composition can alter the climate?

How can plate tectonics change the climate?

Changes latitude, ocean currents, volcanic outgassing, mountain building

The earth’s three orbital cycles

Eccentricity(path around the sun), obiquity (axis tilt), Precession (axis wobble)

positive climate feedback

more snow cover

negative climate feedback

less precipitation

What conditions are needed for an ice age?

wet winters, cool summers, large land mass near the pole, trigger mechanism

How are ice age conditions met?

small axis tilt, summers at aphelion, plate tectonics

! What can trigger an ice age?

Low CO2 concentrations, low insolation, abrupt ocean current change, volcanic activity, nuclear winter

Areas of uncertainty of global warming

-missing carbon

-sulfate haze cooling effect

-ground warming faster than air

-chicken little effect

-co2 and methane increase with temperature

! 5 anticipated effects of global warming

1.sea level will rise 12 to 40 inches

2. wetter Sahara and polar regions

3.changes in many ocean currents

4.ice free arctic ocean in the summer

5.drier amazon and southern africa

Limitations to Wx forecasts (three C’s)

Complexity, chaos, confidence

persistence forecasting method

conditions are unlikely to change, middle of an air mass, stationary front

analogue forecasting method

similar patterns from the past

climatological forecasting method

based on long term average conditions,

trend forecasting method

based on current speed and direction

dynamical forecasting method

based on thermodynamic equations, using 3d grid of atmosphere

statistical forecasting method

for individual Wx elements, used as probability, MOS

ensemble forecasting method

computer generated maps, human guidance

how does wind influence air pollution?

dilutes, transports, concentrates at barriers

how does precipitation influence air pollution

it can clear the air

how does topography influence air pollution

it can trap pollution (LA), inhibit dilution, convert inversions from cold air drainage (Denver)

how does stability influence air pollution?

when its unstable there’s lots of vertical mixing, when its stable there is no mixing

four types of temperature inversions

radiation, advection, “cold air” drainage, subsidence

radiation inversion

when the ground cools quickly at night; clear sky, long night, dry air, calm wind

advection inversion

cold air blowing near the ground, from the N, produces our first hard freeze

subsidence inversion

from subsidence (sinking) air aloft

! types of air pollution

particulates, carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), volatile organic compounds (VOC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx)

particulates

Sources: industry, agriculture

effects: respiratory problems, heart disease

carbon monoxide (CO)

sources: incomplete burning

effects: suffocation

sulfur dioxide (SO2)

sources: coal burning, volcano, sea spray

effects: sulfuric acid rain

volatile organic compounds (VOC)

sources: trees, evaporation, incomplete burning

effects: flammable, noxious, carcinogenic

oxides of nitrogen (NOx)

sources: soil, bacteria, fossil fuel burning

effects: same as NO and NO2

primary pollutants from wildfires

carbon monoxide, small dangerous particles

primary pollutants from transportation

nitrogen oxides, VOCS, carbon monoxide

primary pollutants from power generation and industry

nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, dangerous small particles

primary pollutants that can make acid rain

so2, no2

NWS

National weather service

WMO

World meteorological organization

AQI

air quality index

example of photochemical smog

ozone

NOAA

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

MOS

model output statistics