Atmospheric Temperature Patterns
Vertical Temperature Patterns
average environmental lapse rate= 6.5 degrees c/km in Troposphere temperature inversions; act as lid to keep air from rising
Maritime Effect
effect on temperature nearby a large body of water
Continental Effect
temperatures are affected by being in the middle of land
Tropopause
top of troposphere
Spatial Patterns
vertical temperature patterns
Gulf Stream
water current bringing warm water to high latitudes
Stratosphere
acts like an inversion ozone, ultra violet radiation interacts with ozone and ozone absorbs it
Cloudiness
in general: cloudy places are cooler than sunny places why? clouds reflect sun back to space
Land-Water Heating Differences
in general: places near large water bodies are cooler in the summer and warmer in winter than places that are landlocked why? water is transparent, water can mix, water can evaporate, water has a higher specific heat specific heat; amount of energy needed to raise the temperature 1 degree C
Elevation
in general: surface temperature decreases with increasing elevation why? further away from the surface, less energy greenhouse gases are the primary thing absorbing at higher elevations, there are less greenhouse gases
Latitude
in general: surface temperatures decrease from low to mid to high latitude annual temperature increases with latitude why? sun angle is lower, less intense solar radiation
Peru Current
keeps west side of South America cool El Nino; weakening of Peru Current has affected the global temperature
Surface Air Temperature Patterns
latitude elevation cloudiness land-water heating differences