Atmospheric Sciences 101 Final Exam Study Sheet Chapter 1 What is meteorology? Composition of the atmosphere Vertical structure of the atmosphere Density, pressure and temperature profiles Layers of the atmosphere Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere What is a temperature inversion? What is a lapse rate? What is a radiosonde? Chapter 2 Definition of temperature Definition of heat Latent heat Changes of state Evaporation, condensation, melting, freezing, sublimation, deposition Conduction vs. convection vs. radiation Types of radiation Emission vs. Absorption and equilibirium Selective absorbers Clear vs. cloudy nights Solar (shortwave) radiation vs. the earth’s (longwave) radiation Seasons and the tilt of the earth’s axis Chapter 3 Diurnal temperature variations Effects of clouds, wind, humidity Measuring air temperature Chapter 4 Saturation/subsaturation/supersaturation Condensation nuclei Saturation vs. air temperature Relative humidity Dew point temperature Wet-bulb temperature Dew/Frost Fog Types of fog Cloud Identification Cirrus, cirrocumulus, cirrostratus Altocumulus, altostratus Stratus, nimbostratus, stratocumulus Cumulus, cumulonimbus Lenticular Chapter 5 Stability Adiabatic processes Dry and moist adiabatic lapse rates Absolutely stable, absolutely unstable, conditionally unstable Condensation level Level of free convection Cloud development 4 mechanisms Convection and clouds (thermals) Orographic uplift Rainshadows Collision and Coalescence Ice-crystal process Supercooled water Riming (accretion) and aggregation Precipitation types Rain, drizzle, virga, snow, sleet, freezing rain, graupel, hail Measuring precipitationChapter 6 Air pressure definition Barometer Air pressure and heights How do we get surface pressure differences (temperature) Pressure Gradient Force Adjust to sea level pressure Isobars Contouring Weather symbols (like the homework) Forces that act on wind Pressure Gradient Force Coriolis force Centripetal force Friction Pressure gradient force vs. isobar spacing Geostrophic winds Gradient winds How air flows around H and L aloft Winds on upper level charts Surface winds Balance of forces How air flows around surface H and L Convergence Divergence Surface pressure and vertical air motion Wind direction Northerly/Southerly/Easterly/Westerly Onshore/offshore Upslope/downslope Chapter 7 Scales of atmospheric motion Eddies Thermal circulations Sea and land breezes Monsoons Mountain/valley breezes Santa Ana Winds Desert Winds Global winds Single-Cell Model Assumptions Surface pressures Surface air flow Chapter 7 Cont’d Hadley Cell Three-Cell Model Assumptions Surface pressures Surface air flow Hadley, Ferrel and Polar Cells ITCZ How continents/oceans can change surface pressure Jet Stream Winds and ocean currents Winds and upwelling El Nino/La Nina Chapter 8 Air Masses cT,cP,mT,mT Source regions for air masses Stationary fronts Cold fronts Horizontal and vertical structure Warm fronts Horizontal and vertical structure Occluded fronts Horizontal and vertical structure Cold-type occlusion Warm-type occlusion Locating fronts on maps Midlatitude cyclones Cloud structure Polar Front Theory Cyclogenesis Upper-level divergenceChapter 9 Acquisition of weather info Satellites Geostationary vs. polar orbiting Infrared vs. visible Numerical weather prediction Numerical models Progs Forecasting errors Chaos Ensemble Forecasting Accuracy Chapter 10 Wind shear Ordinary cell thunderstorm 3 stages Severe Thunderstorms Shear Multicell thunderstorm Supercell thunderstorm Conditions that cause them Mesocyclone Squall lines Mesoscale Convective Systems Dryline Gust fronts Microbursts Derechos Bow echoes Lightning How it causes thunder How clouds become electrified Tornadoes vs. funnel clouds The fujita scale How they form in supercells Bow echoes Landspouts Chapter 11 Hurricane/Typhoon/Cyclone Eye Eyewall Rainbands Lower-level inflow Upper-level outflow Low pressure center Hurricane formation conditions Conditions that will kill hurricanes Stages of Development Tropical Disturbance Tropical Depression Tropical Storm Hurricane Saffir-Simpson Scale Storm