Natural Disasters - Exam 2

What are the high water levels in a tsunami called?

Crest

What are the low water levels in a tsunami called?

Trough

What is the term for the distance from crest to crest in a wave?

Wave length

What is the difference in height between the crest and trough of a wave?

Wave height

What does wave frequency measure?

The number of wave crests passing a point each second

What is wave period?

The time required for a wave crest to travel from one point to another

What causes normal ocean waves?

The friction of wind moving over the water surface

What is fetch in relation to ocean waves?

The distance traveled by wind across open water

What happens to waves as they approach the shore?

They break due to the shallowing ocean bottom

What is the primary cause of tsunamis?

Displacement of a body of water

What occurs during an earthquake that generates a tsunami?

The crust displaces large amounts of water

What is wave shoaling?

The process where waves slow down

What is the reference water level?

Mean sea level

What is runup height?

The height of the tsunami terminus above the reference water level

What can cause a tsunami besides earthquakes?

Volcanic eruptions

What is the purpose of DART in tsunami monitoring?

To assess and report on tsunami activity using buoys in the ocean

What is a significant challenge in tsunami prediction?

The need for effective communication networks for warning systems

What ecological issues arise from building seawalls to mitigate tsunami damage?

They can block views of the ocean and disrupt local ecosystems

What is the tsunami frequency for noticeable tsunamis?

Approximately two times a year

What happens to the amplitude of a tsunami wave as it approaches the shore?

The amplitude increases while the wavelength decreases

What force deflects wind to the right in the Northern Hemisphere?

The Coriolis Force

What happens to wind direction when there is no spin?

Wind flows directly towards the lowest pressure

What are the three forces that influence wind direction and speed?

Pressure gradient

How does the pressure gradient affect wind movement?

Fluids move from high pressure to low pressure

What is geostrophic wind?

Wind that flows along lines of equal pressure when the Coriolis force and pressure gradient force become equal.

What causes convective circulation?

Less dense

What are Hadley Cells?

Circulation patterns where warm air rises at the equator

What climatic conditions are created at the equator due to global circulation patterns?

Rain forests due to warm

What are the trade winds?

Curving global wind patterns between the equator and 30° latitude caused by the Coriolis Effect.

What is El Niño?

A climate pattern characterized by warm water moving towards Peru

What is La Niña?

A climate pattern that can cause drought in Somalia and wildfires in the Rockies.

What are monsoons?

Seasonal changes in air circulation that result in changes in rainfall

What occurs during a cold front?

Faster moving cold air lifts warm air

What is an occluded front?

A boundary where faster moving cold air overtakes and lifts warm air

What are jet streams?

High-velocity winds formed when large temperature changes occur over short distances

What characterizes a cyclone?

Broad areas of precipitation and strong winds due to rising warm air and steep pressure gradients.

What is the role of the polar front?

It divides warm air from the tropics and cold air from the Arctic and Subarctic.

What happens to air in the boundary layer?

Air experiences more friction

What is the impact of the Coriolis Effect on wind?

It causes the apparent east-west deflection of air currents in convective cells.

What are the effects of the Walker Circulation?

It influences ocean temperatures and air movements

How do high-pressure systems affect weather?

They usually involve sinking

What is the relationship between air masses and weather?

Air masses can absorb heat or lose heat

What is the significance of the doldrums?

A region at the equator with little wind

What happens to air as it rises and cools?

It increases in density and can lead to precipitation.

What is the outcome of warm air rising over the sea in winter?

Colder

What is the first step in forming a cyclone?

Warm air flows upward over the front.

What happens to cold air during cyclone formation?

Cold air rapidly comes in to replace warm air.

What creates a low pressure center in mid-latitude cyclones?

Air deficit at divergence zones creates a low pressure center.

What is a thunderstorm?

A towering cloud that produces thunder and lightning

What is required for a thunderstorm to form?

The lower atmosphere must hold moist air

What is the source of most moisture for thunderstorms in North America?

Water comes from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

What happens if the dry adiabatic lapse rate is greater than the environmental lapse rate?

The air parcel stops rising.

What is the significance of the moist adiabatic lapse rate being less than the environmental lapse rate?

The parcel keeps rising

What are ordinary thunderstorms characterized by?

They are associated with convective cells or orographic lifting and are short-lived.

What are squall line thunderstorms?

Multicell thunderstorms that cover a large area and can last hours to days.

What defines supercell thunderstorms?

They contain a strong

What are the main hazards associated with thunderstorms?

Lightning

How can lightning be described in analogy?

Like a shock from rubbing your feet on the carpet and then touching a doorknob.

What causes charge separation in static electricity?

Electrons from the carpet's atoms flow into your body

What is electrostatic discharge?

The small spark that results after touching a doorknob or someone else.

How is lightning formed?

Lightning is a huge electrostatic discharge following a large charge separation in clouds.

What happens to ice particles in clouds during lightning formation?

Electrons move from small ice particles to large ice particles

What are some dangers of lightning?

It can evaporate sap in trees

How do lightning strikes affect humans?

They can cause severe burns

What should you do to avoid lightning?

Go inside

What is hail?

Spherical or irregularly shaped lumps of solid ice formed at high altitudes during thunderstorms.

What are some hazards associated with hail?

Hail can dent cars

What is a tornado?

A violently rotating vortex of air that extends from the base of a severe thunderstorm to the ground.

Where is Tornado Alley located?

Tornado Alley is in the central United States

What are the stages of tornado formation?

1) Supercell formation

What is a multiple-vortex tornado?

A tornado that contains multiple suction vortices

How is tornado intensity measured?

By assessing the damage caused

What are non-supercell tornadoes?

Tornadoes that can develop anywhere with strong horizontal wind shear

What is a squall line tornado?

A tornado that occurs when shearing in the atmosphere causes air moving in opposing directions to spin around a vertical axis.

What is a derecho?

A widespread

What safety measures should be taken during a tornado warning?

Move to a basement

What is the safest position to take if caught outdoors during a tornado?

Lie flat in the lowest place possible

What is the role of Doppler Radar in tornado detection?

It provides accurate predictions of tornado formation and movement.

What are the most common causes of injuries during tornadoes?

Flying debris

What should you do if you feel your hair standing up during a storm?

Get low or get into a car to avoid potential lightning strikes.

What is the impact of hail on agriculture?

Hail can flatten crops

What are hurricanes?

Hurricanes are large tropical storms spiraling around a central low-pressure center over the ocean

What is the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Intensity Scale?

It is a scale that combines wind and storm surge characteristics to assess the intensity of a hurricane.

What is the eye of a hurricane?

The eye is a cloud-free circular area surrounded by a shield of cirrus clouds

What is the eye wall of a hurricane?

The eye wall consists of dense

What are spiral rainbands in a hurricane?

Arc-shaped cloud banks of tall thunderstorms that curve from the edge of the storm toward the eye

What is the inner core of a hurricane?

The inner core is where air loops completely around the eye of the hurricane.

What is the outer zone of a hurricane?

The outer zone is where the loop is incomplete and space between rain bands increases

What drives the air flow in a hurricane?

Heat (thermal energy) from warm tropical ocean water is required to drive the air flow in a hurricane.

What is evaporation's role in hurricane energy?

Evaporation transfers heat into the atmosphere

What is a tropical disturbance?

A tropical disturbance is a cluster of thunderstorms that grows in the tropics and lasts for more than a day.

What defines a tropical depression?

A tropical depression is a tropical disturbance that begins to circulate around a low-pressure center with winds between 23 and 38 miles per hour.

What is a tropical storm?

A tropical storm is a tropical depression that intensifies to support sustained wind speeds of 39 to 74 miles per hour.

What factors control the track of a hurricane?

Strong semi-permanent high pressure systems and prevailing winds control the track of a hurricane.

How can hurricanes be kept going?

Hurricanes can be sustained by keeping them over warm

What can destroy a hurricane?

A hurricane can be destroyed by moving over cooler water

What are the primary causes of hurricane damage?

Hurricane damage is caused by strong winds

What are some hurricane preparation strategies?

Hurricane preparation includes monitoring the storm

How has hurricane prediction improved?

Hurricane prediction has improved with more detailed radar and meteorology data

What is the importance of evacuation plans for hurricanes?

Comprehensive evacuation plans are crucial for ensuring safety before a hurricane arrives