ATMO 336 1st Edition Lecture 7Outline of Last Lecture II. Temperaturea. Troposphereb. Tropopausec. Stratosphered. Mesospheree. Mesopausef. ThermosphereIII. Densitya. Defining air density, can be easily compressedIV. Pressurea. Defining air pressureb. Avg. air pressure= 14.7lbs per square inchc. Defining hydrostatic balanced. Equation for comparing ratio of air pressure to ratio of weighte. Drawing showing differences in water and air pressureOutline of Current Lecture V. Effects of changes in air pressure and density on the human bodya. Defining hypoxiab. Ear popping in relation to human body adjustment to air pressureVI. The skew-T diagrama. Defining the skew-T diagramb. Reading barb symbolsVII. WindVIII. Pressure gradient and pressure gradient forcea. Defining a pressure gradientb. Defining a pressure gradient force in relation to windIX. Reading the pressure pattern on surface weather chartsa. Defining altitude adjustmentsb. Defining sea level pressurei. Isobars and their purpose on mapsCurrent Lecture- Effects of changes in air pressure and density on the human bodyo Hypoxia= brain does not receive sufficient oxygen for long-term survival (happens above 20,000 ft)These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.o Air in lungs is about equal to the air density outside at all timeso Ear popping= symptomatic of a natural response that helps protect the eardrum from damage. This is when there is a rapid ascent or descent in altitude Eustachian tube further assists this body mechanism (tube opens if a sufficient air pressure difference develops between the middle ear and the pharynx)- The skew-T diagramo Give “snapshot” of one instant time of temp, dew point, air pressure, and winds in the atmosphere above a particular point on the earth’s surface.o Data measured by launching balloons carrying weather instrumental data. (twice a day, noon and midnight) Measures vertical sections of atmosphereo Reading wind barb symbols Wind speed is given in units of “knots” or nautical miles per hour 1 knot= 1.15mph=1.9km/hr Wind barbs point in the direction from which the wind is BLOWING- Windo Horizontal movement of airo All winds result from horizontal differences in air pressure- Pressure gradient, pressure gradient forceo Air moves from high pressure to lower pressureo Air is forced to move from high towards low pressure and the greater the difference in pressure, the stronger the force on the air, and the faster the air moveso Pressure gradient= describes both direction of the pressure change (from high toward low) and the strength of the pressure change (change in air pressure divided by the distance over which the pressure changes)o Pressure gradient force= pushes air in the direction of the pressure gradient Stronger the pressure gradient, the stronger the pressure gradient force and the stronger the windso Air pressure 1012 mb = “H” for highest pressure on imageo Air pressure at 1004 mb = “L” for lowest pressure on image- Reading the pressure pattern on surface (or sea level) weather chartso Station pressure= barometer reading observed at ground level at a given meteorological station Problem about these is that not all weather observation stations are located at the same altitude. Higher altitude locations measure lower air pressureo Altitude adjustments= made so that barometer reading taken at one elevation can be compared with a barometer reading taken at another to compute the horizontal change in air pressure This adjustment helps measure the sea level pressureo Sea level pressure (in millibars) is what is plotted on surface weather charts Isobars= lines connecting points of equal pressure and helps visualize data The more closely packed isobars, the greater the pressure gradient (change in pressure divided by the distance over which that pressure change
View Full Document