Meteorology 2025

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Weather

Current atmospheric conditions at a specific time.

Climate

Long-term average of weather patterns.

Climate Change

Long-term shifts in climate averages.

Positive Feedback

Amplifies initial warming effects in climate.

Negative Feedback

Reduces initial warming effects in climate.

Earth's Early Atmosphere

Formed from volcanic gases, low oxygen.

Photosynthesis

Process increasing atmospheric oxygen by organisms.

Carbon Dioxide

CO2, a greenhouse gas essential for plants.

Nitrogen

N2, most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere.

Methane

CH4, a trace gas with warming potential.

Ammonia

NH3, a trace gas in early atmosphere.

Water Vapor

H2O, significant component of Earth's atmosphere.

Oxygen

Essential for respiration and combustion processes.

Argon

Inert gas used in preservation and lighting.

Sulfur Dioxide

SO2, a gas present in Earth's second atmosphere.

Hydrogen Chloride

Trace gas in Earth's second atmosphere.

Earth's Second Atmosphere

Developed after volcanic activity and cooling.

Atmospheric Composition

Mixture of gases surrounding Earth, supports life.

Cyanobacteria

Photosynthetic organisms that increased atmospheric oxygen.

Climate Records

Historical data on weather patterns and extremes.

Meteorologists

Scientists who study and predict weather patterns.

Clouds

Visible water vapor in the atmosphere.

Asteroids and Comets

Influenced early atmospheric development through impacts.

Greenhouse Gases

Main gases contributing to Earth's greenhouse effect.

NOAA Global Monitoring Lab

Updates greenhouse gas trends daily.

Nitrogen

Most abundant gas in the atmosphere, 78.084%.

Oxygen

Second most abundant gas, 20.946%.

Argon

Inert gas, constitutes 0.934% of atmosphere.

Carbon Dioxide

Greenhouse gas, 0.042% of atmosphere.

Water Vapor

Variable gas, up to 4% in atmosphere.

Troposphere

Lowest atmospheric layer, extends to 12 km.

Tropopause

Boundary between troposphere and stratosphere.

Stratosphere

Stable layer above troposphere, extends to 50 km.

Temperature Lapse Rate

Rate of temperature change with altitude.

Aerosols

Suspended particles in the atmosphere.

Photosynthesis

Process plants use to convert sunlight into energy.

Ozone Layer

Absorbs UV radiation, located in stratosphere.

Temperature Inversion

Increase in temperature with altitude in stratosphere.

Humidity

Amount of water vapor in the air.

Desert Regions

Areas with low water vapor, near 0% humidity.

Tropical Climates

Regions with high humidity, near 4% water vapor.

UV Radiation

Sunlight that ozone absorbs in the stratosphere.

Pollutant Mixing

Limited in the stable stratosphere layer.

CFCs

Synthetic chemicals that affect stratospheric ozone.

N2O

Natural greenhouse gas, contributes to warming.

Thermal Energy Transfer

Energy movement from Earth's surface to atmosphere.

Ozone

Pollutant in troposphere; essential in stratosphere.

Ozone Layer

Region 15-30 km above Earth filtering UV rays.

UV-B Radiation

Wavelength 290-320 nm; causes skin damage.

Vitamin D Formation

UV-B radiation is crucial for vitamin D synthesis.

UV-C Radiation

Wavelength 240-290 nm; destroys nucleic acids.

Mesosphere

Layer 50-80 km above Earth; coldest atmospheric layer.

Noctilucent Clouds

Highest clouds visible under specific conditions.

Thermosphere

Layer 80-700 km above Earth; temperatures increase with altitude.

Ionosphere

Part of thermosphere; ionizes atoms with solar radiation.

Aurora Borealis

Northern lights visible in thermosphere and exosphere.

Aurora Australis

Southern lights visible in thermosphere and exosphere.

Exosphere

Highest atmospheric layer; merges with solar wind.

Photon Flux

Energy amount at EUV and X-ray wavelengths.

Solar Cycle

11-year cycle affecting photon flux variations.

D-Layer

Lowest layer of the ionosphere; reflects radio waves.

E-Layer

Middle layer of the ionosphere; modifies radio signals.

F-Layer

Upper layer of the ionosphere; highest ionization.

Geomagnetic Storms

Solar events affecting ionosphere's ionization levels.

Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV)

Radiation ionizing atoms in the ionosphere.

X-Ray Radiation

High-energy radiation contributing to ionization.

Meteors

Burn up in the mesosphere during entry.

Sounding Rockets

Reach the mesosphere for atmospheric research.

Satellite Orbits

Most satellites orbit within the exosphere.

Atmospheric Pressure

Pressure within Earth's atmosphere, measured in pascals.

Standard Atmosphere

Unit of pressure: 101,325 Pa or 1 atm.

Hydrostatic Pressure

Pressure due to weight of air above measurement point.

Elevation Effect

Atmospheric pressure decreases with increasing elevation.

Pascals

SI unit of pressure; 1 Pa = 1 N/m².

Kilopascals

Unit of pressure; 1 kPa = 1,000 Pa.

Air Column Weight

1 cm² air column weighs about 10.1 N.

Pressure Conversion

1 atm = 14.696 psi or 760 mm Hg.

Atmospheric Layers

Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere.

Temperature Variation

Thermosphere hottest; Mesosphere coldest layer.

DALR

Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate; 3°C per 1000 feet.

SALR

Saturated Adiabatic Lapse Rate; approximately 1.5°C per 1000 feet.

Isopleths

Lines of equal value on a map.

Constant Pressure Surface

Surface where pressure remains constant across locations.

Isallobar

Line of equal pressure change over time.

Isobar

Line of constant pressure on surface charts.

Pressure Gradient

Change in pressure over distance; affects wind speed.

High Pressure Isobars

Isobars above 1010 mb indicate high pressure.

Low Pressure Isobars

Isobars below 1010 mb indicate low pressure.

Pressure Contouring

Height variations shown on constant pressure surfaces.

Geopotential Meters

Height measurement above a reference point.

Wind Speed Indicator

Close isobars indicate stronger wind speeds.

Pressure Analysis Chart

Chart showing isobars and actual surface pressures.

Isobars

Solid lines representing constant atmospheric pressure.

Isodop

Contour of constant Doppler velocity values.

Isodrosotherms

Lines of equal dewpoint, indicating moisture levels.

Isohyet

Contour of constant rainfall, assessing moisture and flooding.

Isohypse

Lines of equal geopotential height on pressure surfaces.

Isopleth

Lines connecting points with equal atmospheric variable values.

Isotachs

Lines of equal wind speed, often at jet stream level.

Isotherm

Lines of equal temperature, used in weather analysis.