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UNM ENVS 101 - Air and the Atmosphere of the Earth
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ENVS 101 1st Edition Lecture 19 Outline of Last Lecture I. Universal Gas LawII. Moisture in the AtmosphereOutline of Current Lecture 1. Moisture in the Atmosphere2. Why air Moves3. Global Air CirculationCurrent LectureLifting Processes that create clouds include:1. Density lifting: Convection Processa. Unstable air (cold over warm)-> convectionb. Stable air (cool over warm)-> minimal lifting and fair weather cloudsc. Temperature inversion (warm over cool)-> no convection, trapping of pollution atthe surface2. Fontal liftinga. Front is the boundary between a warm and a cold air massb. Air mass movement causes warmer air to risec. Warm Fontd. Cold Front3. Orographic liftinga. Flowing air is forced upward due to terrain b. Rain on windward side (facing the wind)c. Rain shadow (dry, dessert) on leeward side (away from the wind)4. Convergence liftinga. Flowing air masses converge and are both forced upwardsSea Breeze/Land Breeze- Near coasts, the land heats up more rapidly than the sea during the day, o Rising warm air generates a low pressure system, often with clouds or raino Air moves in on the pressure gradient creating a sea breezeo An upper level reverse flow sets in, forming a convection cell- During the night, heat is radiated more rapidly from the land and the situation reverses, creating a land breezeThese 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.Keep in mind that land has a lower heat capacity than water does, which means it takes less energy (as well as time) to heat up land by 1oC than it would to heat up water by the same amount.Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place, determined by five variables:1. Temperature2. Air pressure3. Humidity4. Cloudiness5. Wind speed and directionClimate is long term, average weather- Wind is caused by differences in air pressure: Wind flows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.Most places have wind speeds that average between 10 and 30 km/hour (6-20mph)In places where temperature drop below freezing, the windchill factor is reported.o Wind increases evaporationo Windchill factor is the temperature it “feels like” to exposed skin given the air temperature and wind speedWind speed and direction are affected by: 1. Pressure gradient force: A drop in air pressure per unit of distance, higher pressure gradient leads to a higher wind speed as a result.2. Coriolis force: the deviation from a straight line of the path of a moving body as a result of Earth’s rotation.3. Friction: the resistance to movement from contact (slows the wind)With the Pressure-gradient force: Isobars, lines of equal air pressure on a weather map. Isobars close together show a steep gradient, and isobars that are far apart show a low gradient. A steep gradient shows a faster change in pressure, and low gradient indicates a slower change.Geostrophic Winds: Eventually the pressure gradient force and the Coriolis effect are in balance, and the wind flows parallel to the isobars.o Low-pressure centers develop an inward spiral motion (convergence, lifting, cyclone)o Northern Hemisphere: counter-clockwise movement o High-pressure centers develop an outward spiral motion (divergence, sinking, anticyclone) Northern Hemisphere: clock-wise motiono The rotation is reversed in the Sothern HemisphereThe Equator receives more of the Sun’s energy, this difference in energy drives global


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UNM ENVS 101 - Air and the Atmosphere of the Earth

Type: Lecture Note
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