Dynamic Planet Exam 2 (Class Notes)

Upper and lower reaches of a stream

A stream has upper reaches and lower reaches. At lower reaches, a base level of a river, can be an ocean, lake, or pond.

If the elevation at two point (500m apart) are 900m and 800m, respectively, what is the gradient of the stream?

0.2% (drop/distance)

What is absolute Zero?

0K (-273 Degrees C)

Differentiate between bar, minibar, atmospheric pressure, and Pascal

1 bar (1000 millibar) (Don't think I need to know the rest) 1 atm presssure=100,000 pascal.

What are some of the drought management techniques?

1. Developing high-yielding crop varieties, 2. mixed cropping, 3. checking land degradation & desertification. 4. Improving groundwater potential and irrigation facilities. 5. Reducing over grazing in drylands areas

What are the major factors that contribute to spreading the fire?

1.) Fires moving slowly along the ground; glowing combustion plays important role 2.) Fires moving along the flaming combustion 3.) Fires moving through tree tops: Crown fire (Wind and Slope!)

What could be the possible extent of sea-level rise onshore and the wind speed during a hurricane?

250 mph and 20 feet

How does the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere change from year to year? How does it change from month to month?

30-33% it keeps on increasing from year to year but it fluctuates within the year. Month to month because plants can't take in as much CO2 in the winter because the plants are dormant.

In how many categories is a hurricane measured?

5

What is the probability of a 50-year flood?

50 Years

Write the photosynthesis equation

6CO2+6H2O+solar heat=C6H1206+6O2

Hurricane

A _____ is a massive volume of water onshore rising sea level over 20ft. It can cause heavy rains and floods. Sea-water must exceed 80F in the upper 60m of the ocean. Air must be warm and humid

Hydrograph

A _______ is a graph showing the rate of flow (discharge) versus time past a specific point in a river, or other channel or conduit carrying flow. The rate of flow is typically expressed in cubic meters or cubic feet per second (cms or cfs).

Foehn winds

A ________ is a type of dry, warm, down-slope wind that occurs in the lee (downwind side) of a mountain range. ... Central Europe enjoys a warmer climate due to the Föhn, as moist winds off the Mediterranean Sea blow over the Alps.

How is a fire produced? What is fire composed of?

A fire is produced as flame, heat, and light due to the rapid combination of carbon, hydrogen, and other elements.

What does a fire retardant mean? Name a fire retardant

A fire retardant is a substance that reduces flammability of fuels or delays their combustion. This includes chemical agents, but may also include substances that work by physical action, such as cooling the fuels, such as fire-fighting foams and fire-retardant gels. Aluminum Hydroxide.

Fire tornado

A fire whirl - also commonly known as a fire devil, fire tornado, firenado, or fire twister - is a whirlwind induced by a fire and often made up of flame or ash. ... Fire whirls may occur when intense rising heat and turbulent wind conditions combine to form whirling eddies of air.

What is a fire tornado?

A fire whirl - also commonly known as a fire devil, fire tornado, firenado, or fire twister - is a whirlwind induced by a fire and often made up of flame or ash. ... Fire whirls may occur when intense rising heat and turbulent wind conditions combine to form whirling eddies of air.

Slope winds

A katabatic wind, from the Greek word κατάβᾰσις katabasis meaning "descending", is the technical name for a drainage wind, a wind that carries high density air from a higher elevation down a slope under the force of gravity. Such winds are sometimes also called fall winds.

What is the difference between a 'tropical depression' and a 'tropical disturbance'?

A tropical depression is when the surface winds speed up around the center of the storms, it turns into a tropical depression (means the air pressure difference is higher) Tropical disturbance occurs when the low pressure zone attracts a cluster of thunderstorms with weak surface winds (All because of low pressure)

What are the main-home design factors to protect homes from wild fires?

Avoid using wood decks on a slope. Don't use a rood roof, instead use a concrete-tile roof. Don't use wood fences and flammables must be kept at least 10m away from the houses.

Why doesn't the wet wood ignite?

Because Water has a high heat capacity

Why is the average global temperature rising?

Because of Greenhouse Gasses & Because we are emitting more CO2

Explain a positive aspect of fire, if any?

Because some plants (spouters and seeders) only occur after fires which adds to biodiversity

Where does the Arkansas River begin and end?

Begins near Leadville, Colorado and Ends at lower reaches

How would you define a drought and its major categories?

By meteorological, Hydrological, and agricultural. Comparing it to the average precipitation in the past

Write the reverse photosynthesis equation

C6H1206+6O2=6CO2+6H2O+released heat

What is the name of the prominent shrub found in southern California?

Chaparral

Define methods of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation

Convection is the transfer of energy by movement of a medium, whereas radiation is the transfer of energy by, well, thermal radiation. Conduction also requires a medium, but, again, it is a fundamentally different mechanism than either convection or radiation; in this case it is the transfer of energy through a medium.Mar 30, 2012

When a hurricane occurs in the northern hemisphere, the air usually spirals in which direction

Counterclockwise

What is cfs?

Cubic Feet Per Second

Define the discharge, gradient, sediment load. What are their measuring units?

Discharge: The rate of water flow expressed as the volume per unit of time Sediment load: The amount of sediments carried away by water in a stream Gradient: Slope of a stream CFS=Cubic Feet Per Second

What is the difference between a tropical disturbance and a tropical depression?

Disturbance is when the low pressure zone attracts a cluster of thunderstorms with weak surface winds. Tropical depression is when surface winds speed up around the center of the storms, it turns into tropical depression

Valley winds

During the day time, the warm air flows up the valleys and during night time the cool air flows down the valley

Expand: FAO, UNEP, WMO, NDVI

FAO = Food & Agricultural Organization UNEP= United Nations Environmental Protection. WMO=World Meteorological Organization NDVI= Normalized Difference vegetation index

Famine has occurred only in less developed countries. True/False

False

The famines occur only in the less-developed countries. True/False?

False

The state that is most hit by hurricanes is __ followed by_

Florida, Texas

What are the components in Fire Triangle?

Fuel, Oxygen, and Heat

Briefly describe about a major hurricane that occurred in the US. Refer to the Website mentioned in class.

Galveston in 1900 on August 27th. This storm was the deadliest weather disaster in United States history reaching a category 4. 8,000 people died and there were storm tides of 8 to 15 ft

List the main fuels of fire.

Grasses, Shrubs, and Forests

The higher/lower the greenhouse gasses the lower/higher the temperature?

Higher, Higher

What do IPCC, FAO, USGS UNEP, WMO, NOAA, and NHC stand for?

IPCC=Intergovernmental panel on climate control FAO=Food & Agricultural organization USGS=United States Geological survey UNEP=United Nations Environmental Program WMO=World Meteorological organization NOAA=National oceanic atmospheric administration NHC=National Hurricane Center

Name two types of satellite data

IR & R Visual imagery and Infared

What will be the name of the next hurricane that could develop in the southern Atlantic region this year?

Ian

IPCC

International Panel on Climate Change

Watershed

Is a land area draining the runoff at one outlet

Flood Plain

Is the area that is most likely to be inundated during a flood. Low lying area. Are built by depositing of sediments. The stream can also erode these sediments by flooding these areas again.

Runoff

Is the overflow of rainfall after soils become saturated. _____ flows into streams, tributaries, and finally into rivers

What is a typhoon?

It is just like a hurricane but it is called a typhoon in the indian ocean and the pacific ocean next to asia. The bodies of water surrounding all of the countries except america.

Dew Point

It is the temperature at which air becomes saturated with water vapor and is no longer able to hold all of it's water vapor. Some of the water vapor must condense into liquid water

What is the due point?

It is the temperature at which air becomes saturated with water vapor and is no longer able to hold all of its water vapor

Differentiate between the land breeze and the sea breeze

Land breeze is opposite of sea breeze. It is after the sunset not before and the winds move from land to ocean. (sea is sea to land)

What is a levee/breakwater?

Levee=earthen structures floodwalls are made of concrete. Breakwater=concrete &steel structure that breaks the wave force

What are the possible measures of protection against hurricanes?

Levees (Earthen structures. Foldaways are made of concrete. Base is about 10 times as wide as height) Breakwater: Concrete and steel structure that break the wave force

What are the negative impacts of drought?

Low agricultural production, low industrial production, reduced hydropower generation

Define Different types of drought (meteorological, hydrological, agricultural)

Meteorological drought is the beginning of a drought were dry weather is a common thing. Hydrological is many months of meteorological and low water supply. Agricultural drought is when the crop yields start to get affected

Where is the National Hurricane Center located?

Miami Florida

NWS

National Weather Service

NOAA

National oceanic atmospheric administration

What is the name of the gas found in smoke that triggers the germination of a seed?

Nitrogen Dioxide

Name the person who is considered the Father of the Green Revolution.

Norman Borlaugh

Who are Norman Borlaug and Amartya Sen?

Norman was the direct of CIMMYT and won a nobel peace price for his study on wheat. He was the creator of the Green Revolution. Amartya Sen won a nobel prize for economics and studies on famine

Name different units to measure atmospheric pressure?

Pascal, Bar, Milibar,

In a water wave, what are the peak and the bottom of the wave called?

Peak=crest Bottom=trough

What happens in the photosynthesis reaction? How is it related to fire?

Plants are taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. The more oxygen in the air the greater the chance for a fire. It is related because the reaction for fire is the reverse.

Global Warming

Refers to the increase in the average surface temperature of the Earth and oceans

Name the scale used to measure the intensity of a hurricane?

Saffir-Simpson

What is the name of the scale that is used to measure the hurricane intensity?

Saffir-Simpson, hurricane damage potential scale

Explain how the satellite data help in monitoring drought conditions?

Satellites help us to picture how the vegetation is on a two week period. The brighter the satellite picture, the greater the vegetation

The conditions that should co-exist for a hurricane to develop are____

Sea water temp exceeding 80 degrees F in the upper 60m of the ocean.

Gradient

Slope of a stream

Name the parameters/variables that are used to measure the intensity of a hurricane?

Storm Surge, Wind Speeds, pressure, and damages

Sediment Load

Suspended load is composed of fine sediment particles suspended and transported through the stream. These materials are too large to be dissolved, but too small to lie on the bed of the stream (Mangelsdorf, 1990). Stream flow keeps these suspended materials, such as clay and silt, from settling on the stream bed.

Fire Triangle

The _______ or combustion triangles are simple models for understanding the necessary ingredients for most fires. The triangle illustrates the three elements a fire needs to ignite: heat, fuel, and an oxidizing agent (usually oxygen).

Base level of a stream

The base level of a river or stream is the lowest point to which it can flow, often referred to as the 'mouth of the river'. For large rivers, sea level is usually the base level, but a large river or lake is likewise the base level for tributary streams.

Trough

The bottom of the wavelength

Eye of the Storm

The center of the storm is labeled as 'eye' of the storm, which acts like a chimney through which warm and moist air moves upward rapidly. This is where the air pressure is at it's lowest

Discharge

The rate of water flow expressed as the volume per unit of time

What are the weather conditions that should co-exist causing a hurricane?

The sea-water temperature must exceed 80 degrees F in the upper 60m of the ocean. The air must be warm and humid

Crest

The top of the wavelength

How are the ocean temperature and the hurricane season related?

The warmer the ocean temp, the more hurricanes there will be. El Nino is absent

What are the minimum wind speed and the minimum temperature during a hurricane?

The wind speed must be at least 74mph and the sea water temp must be at least 80 degrees f in the upper 60m of the ocean

What happens when the warm air condenses at a higher altitude?

There is a greater release of latent heat/energy. The density of air decreases.

Why is it important to study fires?

To control, predict, and better manage them, and to minimize losses attributed to them. If we an predict fires we can prevent them

Differentiate between a tropical storm and a hurricane?

Tropical storm = 39 mph Hurricane = 74 mph

In Nebraska, corn yield/production can be considered as a drought indicator. True/False?

True

When a hurricane develops, the wind speed decreases with increasing altitude/height. True or False?

True. This is because of low pressure in the oceans

Name a satellite who's data can be used to monitor crop conditions?

US drought monitor

River basin

Usually comprises a number of watersheds that finally drain runoff into a river

Explain water balancing

Water input = water output i.e., Precipitation = moisture retained within soil + water moved down through percolation + runoff + moisture escaped into atmosphere through evaporation

What part (west or east) of the US has experienced more numbers of fires?

West

Oxidation

When the flaming combustion passes by, it leaves behind a glowing combustion when wood burns but at a lower temperature.

Meandering

When the water velocity is reduced to a level that water can't flow in a well defined direction due to the deposition of the sediments, water adopts a different path

How do the atmospheric pressure and the wind speed change when a hurricanes category shifts from a lower value to a higher value?

Wind speeds increase and the atmospheric pressure decreases

WMO

World Meteorological Organization

The name of a hurricane doesn't begin with with alphabets?

X,Y,Z

Does the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere change from month to month in a year? Justify your response.

Yes because the amount of Greenhouse gasses has increase. The plants become dormant in the winter and can't take in as much CO2. That extra CO2 gets emitted into the air causing the global temperatures to increase.

Has the CO2 concentration increased in the atmosphere in recent decades? What impact is it having on the climate?

Yes because the amount of Greenhouse gasses has increased. The increase in the CO2 concentration has led to the melting of sea ice and the increase in surface water, which ultimately increases the frequency of hurricanes

If the sea surface temperature in the Atlantic Ocean rises during a season, one can expect more number of hurricanes during that season. Correct? Justify.

Yes. When the surface water increases more moisture will evaporate and the amount of latent heat increases. The more energy that is given off the more power the storm will be.

Flood Frequency

_____________ is the probability of a discharge of a given size.

Sea breeze

a breeze blowing toward the land from the sea, especially during the day owing to the relative warmth of the land.

Land breeze

a breeze blowing toward the sea from the land, especially at night, owing to the relative warmth of the sea.

Crown Fire

a forest fire that spreads from treetop to treetop.

Independent variable

a variable (often denoted by x ) whose variation does not depend on that of another.

Dependent variable

a variable (often denoted by y ) whose value depends on that of another.

Flood plain

an area of low-lying ground adjacent to a river, formed mainly of river sediments and subject to flooding.

What are the possible impacts of droughts on a society?

low agricultural production, low industrial production, and reduced hydropower generation. Continued droughts can lead to price rise, famine, or even political instability!

The wind speed should exceed ______ in the category 5 (or category 1) hurricane

over 155 mph and for category 1 95mph

Pyrolysis

the chemical change that occurs in wood and other materials, lowering the material combustion point in response to repeated heating at even relatively low temperatures such as around 200F.