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MIDTERM'STUDY'GUIDE''Weather'–'instantaneous'description'of'what'the'atmosphere'is'doing'at'a'particular'time'and'place'Climate'–'long'term'average'of'weather'–'what'weather'is'usually'like'in'a'region'–'not'just'the'average'weather'but'also'a'description'of'what'the'extremes'are'like'too''Different'hemispheres'–'different'weather''WHY?'Because'there'are'different'ratios'of'land'to'oceans''Oceans'tend'to'act'like'a'thermostat''Mountains'cause'instabilities'in'the'airflow'–'Southern'hemisphere'is'calmer''FRONTS'L You'will'often'hear'TV'meteorologists'refer'to'cold'and'warm'fronts'when'describing'the'weather'L Fronts'are'regions'where'cold'and'warm'masses'meet'L This'is'the'region'where'most'of'the'“weather”'is'generated'L We'identify'four'main'classes'of'fronts'o Warm'o Cold'o Stationary'o Occluded'Each'has'a'unique'system*''Warm'Front'vs.'Cold'Front'Warm'air'mass'flows'over'cold'air'mass'Cold'air'mass'flows'under'warm'air'mass''''''''Weather'symbols??'''LECTURE'#2''Atmospheric'Composition''3'most'common'gasses'L Nitrogen'N2'(78%)'L Oxygen'O2'(21%)'L Argon'AR'(.93%)''Trace'Gasses'Carbon.Dioxide'–'CO2'(0.038%)'Methane'–'produced'whenever'plant'material'decays'below'water'(marshes'and'rice'paddies)'greenhouse'gas,'has'a'long'lifetime'in'the'Troposphere'and'breaks'down'in'the'Stratosphere'to'form'water'Ozone.Chlorofluorocarbons'–'scientific'name'from'Freons'–'have'a'long'lifetime'in'the'Troposphere'but'break'down'in'the'Stratosphere'to'release'chlorine'–'responsible'for'the'Ozone'hole'Water.Vapor'(0L4%)''ATMOSPHERIC'CO2'DIAGRAM'''''Carbon'Cycle'L'Sources'Volcanoes''Plant/animal'respiration'Plant'decay'Burning'off'fossil'fuel'Deforestation''Sinks'Plant'photosynthesis'Oceans'Carbonates''Hydrologic'Cycle'''''''Reservoirs'and'Exchanges'Oceans,'rivers,'glaciers,'lakes,'the'atmospheric'soil,'living'tissue'Exchange'mechanisms'–'evaporation,'condensation,'precipitation,'transpiration''**Cycle'fueled'by'solar'energy''The'Hydrologic'Cycle'L'Water'is'everywhere'on'Earth'L'It'is'in'the'oceans,'glaciers,'rivers,'lakes,'the'atmosphere,'soil,'and'in'living'tissue'L'All'of'these'“reservoirs”'constitute'the'hydrosphere'L'The'continuous'exchange'of'water'amongst'the'“reservoirs”'is'known'as'the'hydrologic'cycle'L'It'is'powered'by'energy'from'the'sun'L'Evaporation'and'transpiration'L'Precipitation'L'RunLoff'to'the'sea''Aerosols''L Particles'suspended'in'the'atmosphere'L Diameters'measured'in'microns'–'one'millionth'of'a'meter'L Can'modify'the'amount'of'solar'radiation'that'radiation'that'reaches'the'surface''L Can'act'as'a'condensation'nuclei'for'cloud'droplets''L Primary'sources'o Sea'salt'spray'o Wind'erosion'o Volcanoes'o Fires'o Human'activity''Atmospheric'Pressure''L Weight'of'air'above'a'certain'point'L Important'–'pressure'changes'with'altitude'o Pressure'decreases'with'height''L TEMPERATURE'and'DENSITY'determine'the'pressure''''1. Troposphere'–'literally'means'region'where'air'“turns'over”'temperature'usually'decreases'(on'average'~6.5'C/km)'with'altitude'TROPOPAUSE'2. Stratosphere'–'layer'above'the'troposphere'little'mixing'occurs'in'the'stratosphere,'unlike'troposphere'where'the'turbulent'mixing'is'common'STRATOPAUSE'3. Mesosphere'–'region'where'temperature'again'decreases'with'height'MESOPAUSE'4. Thermosphere'–'region'with'very'little'of'the'atmosphere’s'mass.''High'energy'radiation'received'by'the'thermosphere'(high'temperature'experienced)'A'small'density'of'molecules'(not'much'“heat”'would'be'felt)'''''''''''''''Lecture'#3''How'Energy'is'transferred'in'the'atmosphere?'Tornadoes,'hurricanes,'severe'storms'all'require'a'large'energy'source' 'All'of'this'energy'comes'from'the'sun'o Conduction'(mainly'through'land)'heat'flow'along'rod'Transfer'of'energy'through'matter'Air'is'a'poor'conductor'Only'important'at'the'Earth’s'surface'o Convection'(vertically'–'thunderstorms)'heat'flow:'candle'Transfer'of'energy'by'vertical'movement'of'mass'Can'only'take'place'in'liquidsa'Creates'worldwide'circulation'o Advection'(horizontally'–'fronts)'cold'air'advection'cold''warm'Horizontal'movement'of'air'o Latent.Heat.Release:'vaporization'of'water'(phase'changes'of'water)'Latent'heat'is'the'heat'absorbed'or'relea sed'by'unit'mass'of'water'when'it'changes'phase'o Radiation.from.the.sun'–'energy'is'transferred'to'the'Earth'from'the'sun'by'electromagnetic'waves'–'each'wave'is'characterized'by'a'wavelength'and'a'frequency''IMPORTANT'RADIATION'LAWS'Wien’s'displacement'laws'(wavelength'of'peak'radiation'is'inversely'proportional'to'blackbody'temperature)'StefanLBoltzmann'Law'(energy'emitted'from'a'warm'body'is'proportional)'**All'things'emit'thermal'radiation''Latent'Heat'Heat'absorbed'or'released'by'a'unit'mass'of'water'when'it'changes'phase'L Latent'heat'of'melting/fusion'L Latent'of'vaporization/condensation'L Heat'of'sublimation/deposition''This'gives'us'another'way'of'transferring'energy'to'the'atmosphere''L Oceans'absorb'solar'energy'to'evaporate'water'vapor''L Water'Vapor'transported'by'wind'L Latent'heat'is'the'source'of'energy'that'drives'severe'weather'ex.'Hurricanes''''''''''Why'are'there'seasons?'L Earth'axis'tilted'23.5'degrees'from'the'perpendicular'inclination'of'the'axis'L This'angle'changes'the'solar'zenith'angle'of'the'sun'and'the'area'covered'by'a'beam'on'sunlight''L Larger'solar'zenith'angle'the'less'energy' p er'unit'area'''Lecture'#4''Surface.Radiation..25%'penetrates'directly'to'earth’s'surfaces'51%'of'sunlight'reaches'surface'26%'scattered'by'atmosphere,'but'then'reaches'the'surface''' Shorter'wavelengths'(blue'and'violet)'are'scattered'' More'effectively'than'longer'wavelengths'(red'and'orange)'''Reflection.and.Atmospheric.Absorption.ALBEDO'–'the'fraction'of'energy'that'is'reflected'by'a'surface'is'called'its'albedo*'.31%'reflected'back'to'space'by'clouds,'atmospheric'scattering,'and'reflective'surface'(ex.'snow,'ice)'This'is'the'albedo'of'the'earth'–'the'fraction'of'energy'reflected'by'the'earth'' L'High'albedo/low'albedo''19%'absorbed'by'clouds'and'atmospheric'gases'(good'absorbers)'' L'Significant'absorbers'are'oxygen,'ozone,'and'water'vapor'50%'of'sunlight'goes'back'into'space''Absorption.Gases'are'excellent'absorbers'When'radiation'is'absorbed,'energy'is'converted'into'internal'molecular'motion'–'rise'of'temperature'Significant'absorbers'are'oxygen,'ozone,'and'water'vapor'''Latitudinal.Heat.Balance.L


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UMD AOSC 200 - Midterm

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