Studied by 4 people
What is the troposphere?
The troposphere is 12 miles thick and contains our weather
What is the tropopause?
The tropopause is the top layer of the troposphere
What are the 6 factors to the daytime energy budget model?
1) Solar radiation (Insolation)
2) Reflected solar radiation (Albedo)
3) Heat transfer into soil (Absorption)
4) Evaporation (Latent Heat Transfer)
5) Sensible heat transfer (Convection)
6) Long wave radiation
What is the simple daytime energy budget equation?
Energy available = solar radiation - (Albedo+ surface absorption + latent heat transfer + sensible heat transfer + long wave radiation)
What Impacts can clouds have on the daytime energy budget?
1) Some clouds allow insolation, some trap long wave radiation
2) Overcast clouds may reflect up to 80% of insolation
Define Latent Heat Transfer
When evaporation occurs allowing heat energy to rise into the atmosphere
Define Sensible Heat Transfer
Heat energy transferred by convection
What are the 6 factors affecting the atmospheric heat budget?
Sun spots - can result in less or more energy being received if they are present
Distance from the sun
Altitude of the sun in the sky - depending upon altitude, there may be a greater surface area to pull over/through
The earths obliquity
Albedo
Greenhouse Effect
What is vertical heat transfer?
Energy is transferred from the warmer surface of the earth vertically by conduction, radiation and convection. Latent heat also helps to transfer the energy
What is horizontal heat transfer?
Around 80% of the heat transferred away from the tropics is carried by winds including jet streams, hurricanes and depressions.
What is the pressure gradient force (PFG)
Air will always move from areas of high pressure to low pressure
What is the Coriolis force
The Earth is spinning in an Easterly motion
What is Ferrels law
Air is deflected to the right in the NH and left in the SH
What are the characteristics in the Equatorial Low Pressure Belt and the Intertropical Convergence Zone
Trade winds meet at the ITCZ
Winds that are warm will rise
Warm air rises, generating latent heat (condensation), convectional rainfall)
Weather patterns will include lots of sun and heavy rainfall
What are the characteristics in the Sub-tropical High Pressure Belt and Easterly Trade Winds
Cooler dense but dry air return to the ground at 30o N/S and is warmed by the ground, causing hot dry air and deserts form
As this is high pressure it will want to return to low pressure forming wind. Due to the Coriolis effect these mostly easterlies, that is they flow towards the west, are known as trade winds
Weather is warm with dry mornings and showery afternoons caused by continuous evaporation from tropical seas
What are the characteristics in the temperate Low Pressure Belt and Westerly Winds
At 60o air is rising
Air moves from subtropical high to temperate low
PFG
Boundary at 60 is our polar front
What are the characteristics in the Polar High Pressure Belt and Easterly Polar Winds
High pressure at poles, cold dense air wants to move from high -> low
Polar highs -> temperate lows
Winds are coming from the east
What are geostrophic winds?
Geostrophic winds are the upper winds that align themselves with equal pressure (isobars). They are better known as jet streams
What are Rosby waves?
Meanders in the jet streams
What is Gyre?
Rotating current system, driven by CF and winds
What is radiation cooling?
When air loses heat due to long wave radiation from clouds and gasses into the atmosphere
What is conduction cooling?
Leads to condensation when moist air comes into contact with a cold object whose temperature is below the dew point of the air
What is adiabatic cooling?
Occurs when air is forced to rise, it expands due to less pressure and therefore it cools. As air is cooled by the reduction in pressure rather than by a loss of heat to the surrounding air it is said to be adiabatically cooled
How does radiation fog occur?
Radiation fog occurs when the air is so cold that condensation occurs around the condensation Nuclei, often taking place at night or early morning
How does Advection fog occur?
Advection fog occurs when warm air moves over a cold surface it will rapidly cool, meaning the ability to hold water vapour decreases leading to condensation
What is the ELR normal lapse rate?
6.5°C/km
What is the DALR?
10°C/km
What is the SALR?
5°/km
What is the dew point?
10°C
What are the 3 main cloud types?
Stratus → Very low level, mist or fog
Cumulus → Fine weather, if they get bigger they can produce showers
Cirrus → Thin/wispy, high altitudes
What is the eruption theory for global warming?
Volcanic winters (Ash plumes block insolation), Higher volumes of GHGs trap heat
What is the sunspot theory for global warming?
There are darker areas on the suns surface which increase insolation
What is the orbital theory for global warming?
Eccentricity - how circular the earths orbit is
Cycles -> oval like or circular
Oval - closer to the sun at certain types of the year
What is the urban heat island?
The zone above and around and urban area which has higher temps than surrounding rural areas
How can wind change in urban areas?
Wind speeds can be increased in city spaces by the venturi effect, or they can be slowed down by buildings as they increase friction
