ATM 10Lecture topics:Course Overview - AdministrationCourse Overview - RulesCourse Overview - SubjectsCourse Overview - SubjectsCourse Overview - SubjectsCourse Overview - SubjectsCourse Overview – Large Scale SubjectsCourse Overview – Medium Scale SubjectsCourse Overview – Small Scale SubjectsCourse Overview – Severe Weather SubjectsCourse OverviewChapter 1 – Atmospheric ContextChapter 1 – Atmospheric CompositionChapter 1 – The Atmosphere’s Vertical StructurePressureATM 10Severe and Unusual WeatherProf. Richard Grotjahnhttp://atm.ucdavis.edu/~grotjahn/course/atm10/index.htmlLecture topics:Lecture topics:••Course overviewCourse overview••Atmospheric contextAtmospheric context••Atmospheric compositionAtmospheric composition••Vertical structure of atmospheric Vertical structure of atmospheric pressure & temperature pressure & temperatureCourse Overview - Administration• Course administration covered in first discussion meeting. • Lectures & Information to be posted on course website: http://atm.ucdavis.edu/~grotjahn/course/atm10/index.html• Goals:• To learn a bit of the scientific method,• To learn some scientific principles, and• To learn these in an interesting contextATM 10 Severe and Unusual WeatherFall 2004, MW 11:00-11:50, 212 VeihmeyerG.E. CREDIT: Science and Engineering; WritingWEBSITE:http://atm.ucdavis.edu/~grotjahn/course/atm10/index.htmlINSTRUCTOR: Prof. Richard Grotjahn, 231 Hoagland HallPhone: 752-2246; e-mail: [email protected] Science Program, Dept. of Land, Air and Water ResourcesTAs: Phil Weir Jessica Dyke / Muhtarjan [email protected]@ucdavis.edu/ [email protected] Hours: T 2:10-4:00; M 10-10:50; W 4:10-5:00Location for office hours: 124 Hoagland Hall DISCUSSION SECTIONS: 2:10-3:00 Thursday 124 Hoagland3:10-4:00 Thursday 124 Hoagland12:10-1:00 Friday 124 Hoagland1:10-2:00 Friday 124 HoaglandTEXT: Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate & the Environm’tC. D. Ahrens, Thomson Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 2003, Seventh EditionCourse Overview - RulesSome rules:1. No early or late offerings of midterm2. Homework is due by the end of lecture on the date indicated in the syllabus. Homework turned in after that time will receive 0% credit.3. Do your own homework.4. Exams and quizzes are “closed book”5. For more info, check online & syllabus6. Questions? Ask your TA or me.Course Overview - Subjects• Physical Concepts • Pressure, Density, Temperature, moisture variables• Equations– Necessary, math is the “language” of science– Kept to a minimum and simplified– See summary in Appendix ACourse Overview - SubjectsUnusual & common optical events1. Why is the sky blue?2. Why are there rainbows?3. What causes mirages?4. What causes halos and related phenomena?Course Overview - SubjectsClouds, lots of clouds1. Common clouds2. Unusual clouds 3. How they develop and what they tell us about the weatherCourse Overview - SubjectsBasic weather eventsLarge Scale:-general circulation-mid-lat. CyclonesMedium Scale: -hurricanes-floods-windstormsSmall Scale-thunderstorms-hail, lightning, tornadosCourse Overview – Large Scale SubjectsBasic weather eventsLarge Scale:-general circulation-mid-lat. CyclonesMedium Scale: -hurricanes-floods-windstormsSmall Scale-thunderstorms -hail, lightning, tornadosCourse Overview – Medium Scale SubjectsBasic weather eventsLarge Scale:-general circulation-mid-lat. CyclonesMedium Scale: -hurricanes-floods-windstormsSmall Scale-thunderstorms-hail, lightning, tornadosCourse Overview – Small Scale SubjectsBasic weather eventsLarge Scale:-general circulation-mid-lat. CyclonesMedium Scale: -hurricanes-floods-windstormsSmall Scale -thunderstorms-hail, lightning, tornadosCourse Overview – Severe Weather Subjects• Severe weatherQuestion: Which is more dangerous?Course OverviewAnswer: It depends on the measure.Heat waves are the most dangerous to people.Hurricanes and Floods cause the most economic lossChapter 1 – Atmospheric ContextChapter 1 – Atmospheric ContextSolar Energy as RadiationSolar Energy as RadiationFigure 1.1Figure 1.1Nearly 150 million kilometers separate the sun and earth, yet soNearly 150 million kilometers separate the sun and earth, yet solar lar radiation drives earth's weather.radiation drives earth's weather.Chapter 1 – Atmospheric ContextFigure 1.2Figure 1.2••99% of atmospheric gases, including water vapor, extend only 99% of atmospheric gases, including water vapor, extend only 30 kilometer (km) above earth's surface.30 kilometer (km) above earth's surface.••Most of our weather occurs within the lowest 10 to 15 km.Most of our weather occurs within the lowest 10 to 15 km.Chapter 1 – Atmospheric ContextWeather & ClimateWeather & ClimateWeatherWeatheris comprised of measured is comprised of measured variablesvariables::a) air temperature a) air temperature b) air pressure b) air pressure c) humidity c) humidity d) clouds d) clouds e) precipitation e) precipitation f) visibilityf) visibilityg) windg) windOrganized into distinct weather Organized into distinct weather eventsevents..WeatherWeatherevents have many scales, butevents have many scales, butClimateClimateindicates longindicates long--term (e.g. 30 yr) averages of term (e.g. 30 yr) averages of weather.weather.Grey areaGrey area: “short term” climate such as “el : “short term” climate such as “el ninonino”. ”.Chapter 1 – Atmospheric CompositionChapter 1 – Atmospheric CompositionAtmospheric GasesAtmospheric GasesFigure 1.3Figure 1.3Nitrogen, oxygen, Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, water vapor, argon, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide, and most other gases most other gases are invisible.are invisible.Clouds are not gas, Clouds are not gas, but condensed but condensed vapor in the form of vapor in the form of liquid droplets.liquid droplets.Ground based Ground based smog, which is smog, which is visible, contains visible, contains reactants of reactants of nitrogen and ozone.nitrogen and ozone.Chapter 1 – Atmospheric CompositionAtmospheric GasesAtmospheric GasesChapter 1 – Atmospheric CompositionVariable & Increasing GasesVariable & Increasing GasesFigure 1.4Figure 1.4Figure 1.5Figure 1.5CO2CH4Nitrogen and oxygen concentrations experience little change, Nitrogen and oxygen concentrations experience little change, but carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, and but carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, and