analyze climate change data and trends

week 2

tropical circulation - hadley cells

- warms the air, rises to atmosphere

- as the air reaches the troposphere, it gets cooler

- moves out to the poles

- and then the cool air sinks, and showcases convector

high pressure

cool, dry air

low pressure

at the surface, the air is rising, if there is enough moisture, and it forms clouds and the potential for rain

rising motion leads to clouds and precipitation 

- equator = low pressure, air is warm and rising

- 30 degree north and south = H, desert regions because the dry air descends

- happens because of the Hadley cells

why is the air warmest at the bottom of the atmosphere

- because the air is heated from the surface

- radiation is heating surface of the earth, it is denser, and it radiates heat back to the atmosphere

biosphere

- life-supporting earth’s surface

- comprising into the atmosphere and the ocean

- a global ecosystem composed of living organisms (biota) and the abiotic (non-living) factors from which they derive energy from

what are the two main processes that lead to a biosphere in the land and ocean

photosynthesis and respiration

photosynthesis

leaves takes up co2 from the atmosphere and use it to build organic molecules

respiration

organic molecules are used to generate energy for growth and repairs carbon is released back to the atmosphere as CO2

how do the hadley cells shift

- towards the south when it hits winter

- summer it is in the northern hemisphere

converting pascals (Pa), Newtons (N), mass (m), kilograms (kg), and seconds (s)

- N = kg x m/s^2

- Pa = N/m^2

sensible heat

- the energy required to change the temperature of a substance with NO PHASE CHANGE

- Describes the energy exchange between matter and surroundings (temperature difference)

latent heat

- amount of energy that is either absorbed or released during a phase transition at a constant temperature

- describes the changes in the internal energy of matter

- gas form has more energy

sensible heat flux 

- positive = surface ⇒ atmosphere

- negative = atmosphere ⇒ surface

latent heat flux 

- positive = evaporation

- Negative = condensation

Atmospheric lapse rate

- In the troposphere, temperature decrease by approx. 6.5 degree C per km in altitude

- eventually, parcels will reach saturation after rising a certain altitude

- beyond that, parcels start to condense water ⇒ clouds form

- too much water condenses ⇒ precipitation

Hadley Cell and Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

- at the ITCZ, what energy transfers are occurring due to the Hadley cell?

- convection

- south in summer

- north in winter