final

Weather

Daily variation

Climate

“Average weather” precipitation + temperatures

Atmosphere’s gases

78% nitrogen

21% oxygen

.0.9% argon

421 ppm carbon

Atmosphere Layers in order

1. Troposphere

2. Stratosphere

3. Mesosphere

4. Thermosphere

Troposphere

Weather (planes fly here)

Temperature decreases

Pressure decreases

Statosphere

Temperature increases (ozone layer absorbs heat)

Ozone layer

Pressure decreases

Mesosphere

Temperature decreases (coldest)

Pressure decreases

Meteors

Thermosphere

Temperature increases

End

Ionosphere and exosphere

Ozone depletion

CFCs from cleaning stuff, coolants and refrigerators, enter the atmosphere the sun heats it up and causes the chlorine atom to break apart. The chlorine then breaks away the oxygen in the ozone and they stay there for many years

Light waves (shorted to longest)

Gamma

X-rays

Ultra Violet

Visible

Inferred

Micro

Radio

Controls of temperature

Proximity to water (water heats up lower/cools slower)

Longitude

Altitude (higher = colder)

Mountains (windward= clouds+ precipitation / leeward= dry)

Clouds (cover + albedo)

Wind direction

Aerosols

Tiny, solid and liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere

How much of the suns energy is reflected back into space?

30%

Inferred energy

Heat energy

Reason for seasons

Tilt of earths axis (23.5)

Isotherm

Line of constant temperature

Isobar

Line of constant pressure

Which gas is an efficient absorber of earths emitted energy?

Carbon dioxide

Heating the atmosphere

Radiation- Earth receives energy from the sun

Convection- Surface heats up so does the air warm air rises

Conduction (least)

Advection fog

Forms one warm, moist air moves over a cool surface (common in places where ocean is cooler than air)

Radiation/ground fog

Earth releases heat energy (valleys @ night)

Relative humidity

Amount of water vapor in the air to amount it can hold

Stratus cloud

Sheets or layers that cover much of sky

Cloud classification

Forms and height

Cumulonimbus

Thunder lightning tall puffy

Cirrus cloud

Wispy high

Forms of precipitation

Rain- above freezing

Snow- below freezing

Sleet- below freezing, above freezing (Melts), below freezing at ground

Freezing rain- below freezing, above freezing rest of cloud, below freezing at ground

Cirrostratus

Halo around sun/moon

Types of lift

Convection- unequal surface heating causes air to rise

Orographic lifting(mountains)- leeward side = deserts

frontal wedging- warmer less dense errors forced over cooler air

convergence-

Bergeron process

What is the Bergeron process?

Solid to gas

Sublimation

Solid to liquid

Melting

Liquid to gas

Evaporation

Gas to solid

Deposition

Liquid to solid

Freezing

Gas to liquid

Condensation

Cloud formation

What are vapor condenses

need condensation nuclei saturated air decrease in temperature

Cloud types

Stratus layer

Cumulus pile

Cirrus whisper hair

Steam fog

Cool air moves over warm water

Radiation fog

Cool, clear nights, earth surface cools rapidly

Frontal fog

Frontal wedging warm air lifted over cool

Bergeron process

Air reaches saturation and comes in contact with freezing nuclei (snowflakes)

Hail

Updrafts in cumulonimbus clouds throw lumps of ice up

Pressure gradient force

Differences in pressure create strong winds

Coriolis effect

Curving of earth, winds and ocean due to earth rotation

Cyclones

Low pressure centers, wind plus precipitation

Anticyclones cyclone

High pressure centers, clear skies

Wind blows, inward and counter clockwise

Around a low

Cold fronts

Blue triangles

Mid latitude, cyclone low pressure

Warm front

Red semicircles

Several days of moderate precipitation

Low pressure. Mid latitude cyclone.

Occluded front

Active cold front overtakes a warm front

Thunderstorm types.

Air mass storms morning, convection begins afternoon, strong winds, heavy rain, dissipating stage

Frontal thunderstorms at night

Tornado.

Comes from cumulonimbus cloud has a rotation called supercell need upper level winds wall cloud the suns out since tornado out enhance fajita scale.

Hurricanes.

Hot ocean temp divergent aloft

Less than 35 mph, tropical depression

More than 35 mph to 74 mph tropical storm

Above 74 mph hurricane

Storm storage equals deadliest

What stops a hurricane

Interaction with land land over cold water, strung upper level winds