Weather and Climate: P. Zume

Basic assumption of science

The natural world behaves in consistent and a predictable matter

Scientific Method - Meterology

process used to explore observations and answer questions

-to discover cause and effect relationship by asking questions

Hypothesis

an educated guess about how sm works or a tentative assumption

Theory

established reality/explanation/fact that is the final outcome of the scientific method

Lithosphere

land

Amosphere

air

Hydrosphere

water

Biosphere

life forms

Meterology

study of the atmosphere (weather and climate)

Weather

Short term (hour to hour, and day to day)

Climate

Long term (a collection of weather data over 30 years)

Weather and climate express what same elements?

Air temp, air humidity, air pressure, type of clouds/amount, type and amount of precipitation, and speed & direction of the wind

Atmospheric Composition

Made up of a mixture of gases & tiny suspended particles called particulates (matter)

Nitrogen makes up what percent of our atmosphere?

78.084%

Oxygen makes up what percent of our atmosphere?

20.948%

Principal Gases are what?

Water vapor, Carbon Dioxide, and Ozone are the only gases that have significant effects on weather and climate

What are Atmospheric Particulates (Aerosols)

Microscopic solid particles (non-gaseous) and water droplets that are suspended in the atmosphere. And can absorb/reflect solar energy

Hygroscopic

Can absorb water

What are the sources of atmospheric particulates

dust storms, salt crystals, volcanic eruptions, and smoke/soothe

Top layer of thermal layers

thermosphere (temperature)

Third layer of thermal layers

mesosphere

Second layer of thermal layers

Stratosphere (Ozone level)

First layer of thermal layers

troposphere (where we live)

Atmospheric Composition

Heterogeneous layers by molecular weight

Temperature does what as we reach the Thermosphere?

Temperature decreases

Homosphere

Sea Level to 50mi

Heterosphere

50 mi to 100 mi up

Pressure

weight of overlying air (lower you are, more pressure you feel)

Controls of weather and climate

Latitude, distribution of land and water, general circulation of the atmosphere and oceans, altitude, topographic barriers, and storms

Greenhouse Gases

Co2, Methane, Nitrous oxide, and CFC. Has the ability to block radiation/heat from leaving

Global warming

temp. change in atmosphere is increasing

Hole in the ozone layer

thinning of stratosphere due to chlorofluorocarbons CFC

Earths two principals motions

rotation is spinning on its axis, resulting in day and night (W to E)

revolution is the movement of doing an elliptical orbit around the sun (1 year)

Carioles Effect

deflection of both air & water currents as a result of the west to east rotation of the earth

deflection to the right is northern hemisphere

deflection to the left is southern hemisphere

What causes earthly seasons?

earths axis/tilt (23.5)

gradual change in day length

change in the suns angle above the horizon

Solstices

two in a year, summer and Winter

Summer Solstice

June 21 or 22

produces the longest days

vertical ray is on Tropic of Cancer 23.5N

northern hemisphere

Winter Solstice

December 21 or 22

produces the shortest days

vertical ray is on Tropic of Capricorn 23.5S

northern hemisphere

Equinoxes

two in a year, Spring and Fall

Spring Equinox

march 21 or 22

vertical ray on equator

Fall Equinox

September 22 or 23

vertical rays are on equator

The Analemma

Between tropic of cancer/capricon and on equator

Mechanisms of energy transfer

conduction

convection

radiation

Conduction

heat transfer by contact

closer the molecules the faster heat travels

Convection

heat transfer by actual movement of molecules

Radiation

emission of electromagnetic energy from an object

sun = major source of radiation

Laws of radiation

hotter objects = short radiation waves

cooler objects = longer radiation waves

bodies that emit max radiation at all waved are Black Bodies

Electromagnetic Spectrum

energy increases from right to left (hot to cool)

Gamma- High frequency & shortest waves

Radio waves- longest waves

VIBGYOR

Violet- 0.4 high energy

i? B-blue, G-green, Y-yellow, O-orange,

Red- 0.7 low energy

What happens ro solar radiation?

absorbs, reflects, scatters, and transmission

Scattering

short wavelengths are easier to —— than longer ones

Latitudinal Heat Balance

38* incoming and outgoing radiation is equal

above 38*, atmo looses more radiation

below 38*, gains radiation

Daily mean

average of hourly reading in a day (1/2(Tmax + Tmin))

(-) is for finding range for day

Daily Temp. Range

difference between daily high and low

Monthly mean

average of daily mean

Annual Mean

average of monthly mean

Annual Temp. Range

difference between highest and lowest monthly mean

Isoline

line that connects/joins equal points of equal value on a map

Isoterms

lines connecting places with equal temperature on a map

Controls of temp

Land/water, ocean, altitude, geo. location, clouds, latitude

Land and water Contrast

water has higher specific heat than land

water transparent, heat can pass through easily

land is opaque`

Urban Heat Island

increase in temperature associated with cities

reduced night time cooling due to buildings and street surfaces

Thermometers

instrument to measure temp

Temperature Inversions

warm air on top of cool air in troposphere

Heating and cooling degree days

allows to evaluate the weather, produced needs and costs of heating and cooling

Heating degree days

assumes that heating is required in a building when the ave. daily temp. falls below 65 (HDD = 65F - DMT)(Daily mean Temp)

Cooling degree days

cooling needed when DMT is above 65F (CDD = DMT -65F)