GHY 1011

PRESSURE GRADIENT

-Any change in pressure across a horizontal gradient. -Air molecules move in the same direction as the pressure gradients, this is know as the "Pressure gradient force" -Movement of air molecules in response to the pressure gradient force is called... Wind

What is the typical daily cycle of air temperature?

>Governed Primarily by daily radiation cycles(Incoming, Outgoing) Daily Low=usually near sunrise Daily high=Usually mid-afternoon

CARBON DIOXIDE

A heavy odorless colorless gas formed during respiration and by the decomposition of organic substances; absorbed from the air by plants in photosynthesis

HUMIDITY

A measure of the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere

Why is only 50% of the solar radiation that reaches the Earth-atmosphere system actually absorbed by the Earth's surface?

About 29 percent of the solar energy that arrives at the top of the atmosphere is reflected back to space by clouds, atmospheric particles, or bright ground surfaces like sea ice and snow. This energy plays no role in Earth's climate system. About 23 percent of incoming solar energy is absorbed in the atmosphere by water vapor, dust, and ozone

Albedo

Albedo is the fraction of solar energy (shortwave radiation) reflected from the Earth back into space. It is a measure of the reflectivity of the earth's surface. Ice, especially with snow on top of it, has a high albedo

ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE LAPSE RATE(ELR)

Any Lapse Rate=rate of temp change w/elevation ELR=Avg lapse rate ELR=3.5F/1000ft or 6.4C/1000m (higher = colder)

What is the importance of CO2 in the atmosphere? of Ozone?

Carbon dioxide is important because it is used in photosynthesis, a process that is necessary for the survival of life on Earth. Carbon dioxide is also a vital greenhouse gas that helps trap heat in the atmosphere, and it plays a key role in Earth's carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide acts as a climate buffer, because feedback in the carbon cycle helps to maintain global temperatures so Earth's climate does not get too hot or cold to support life The ozone layer is important because it absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, preventing most of it from reaching the earth's surface

REFLECTION

Cloud Reflection(29%), Direct reflection (Albedo)(20%), Albedo = % reflectivity. Earth surface(49% goes goes back up into the atmosphere)

DIFFUSE REFLECTION

Diffuse reflection is the reflection of light from a surface such that an incident ray is reflected at many angles rather than at just one angle as in the case of specular reflection.

PHASE CHANGES OF WATER

Each phase changes involves latent heat(energy involved in a phase change of water)

ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation)

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that has widespread meteorological and ecological impacts on the Earth's surface. Pacific ocean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPA-KpldDVc

RADIATION BALANCE

Global Radiation Balance: incoming radiation equals outgoing radiation. Changes in amounts of incoming vs. outgoing radiation have dramatic effects on global climate. Q*=K(Income)-K(reflected)+L(incoming)-L(outgoing) K=Shortwave, L=Longwave

Why is the lower atmosphere of the Earth often described as behaving like a greenhouse?

Greenhouse gases(gases which allow direct sunlight (relative shortwave energy) to reach the Earth's surface unimpeded) absorb this energy(Long outgoing Radiation), thereby allowing less heat to escape back to space, and 'trapping' it in the lower atmosphere. Many greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide, while others are synthetic.

Atmospheric Pressure

It is the force exerted on a surface by the air above it as gravity pulls it to Earth.

KOPPEN SYSTEM

Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems

What are the four main layers of the atmosphere as identified by lapse rates?

Lapse rate-Change of Temperature with height Tropospher:<lowest layer, <Almost all "weather" <3.5F/1000ft Stratosphere:<Temp increase w/Height b/c of Ozone, O3 Meso/Thermo:<Way up there,<Almost no molecules, temp. is a meaningless measurement.<most meteorites burn up in meso

THREE CELL MODEL OF GLOBAL CIRCULATION

Low pressure=Air rise, High pressure=Air sinks Northern hemisphere=Air moves to the right Southern hemisphere=Air moves to the left

ATMOSPHERIC LAYERS

Lowest to highest: Tropo, Strato, Meso, Thermo. (TSMT)

Atmospheric Composition

Nitrogen(78%), Oxygen(21%), Argon(.93%), Trace gases.

What is the composition of the Earth's atmosphere?

Nitrogen(78%), Oxygen(21%), Argon(.93%), Trace gases.

OZONE

Ozone is a gas made up of three oxygen atoms (O3). It occurs naturally in small (trace) amounts in the upper atmosphere (the stratosphere). Ozone protects life on Earth from the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In the lower atmosphere (the troposphere) near the Earth's surface, ozone is created by chemical reactions between air pollutants from vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, and other emissions. At ground level, high concentrations of ozone are toxic to people and plants.

SCATTERING

SW radiation is scattered in all direction by gas molecules Smaller wavelengths, such as blue light, tend to scatter more than longer wavelengths. This is why the sky looks blue.

Absorption

Solar Radiation is retained by a substance and converted into heat energy.

SHORTWAVE RADIATION

Solar energy enters our atmosphere as shortwave radiation in the form of ultraviolet (UV) rays (the ones that give us sunburn) and visible light. The sun emits shortwave radiation because it is extremely hot and has a lot of energy to give off. Once in the Earth's atmosphere, clouds and the surface absorb the solar energy.

TEMPERATURE, HEAT, TEMPERATURE INVERSION

Temp=A measurement of the avg. Velocity of Molecules 32f'=freezing, 212f'=Boiling 32F=0C 50F=10C 0C=freezing 100C=Boiling Heat=A form of energy capable of being transferred between system, total molecular motion of a substance Temp. Inversion= Temp. increase w/height b/c Normal radiation cooling(calm clear night)

OZONE LAYER

The ozone layer or ozone shield is a region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. ozone absorbs radiation into heat and prevents UV ray from hitting earth.

LONGWAVE RADIATION

The sun emits shortwave radiation because it is extremely hot and has a lot of energy to give off. Once in the Earth's atmosphere, clouds and the surface absorb the solar energy. The ground heats up and re-emits energy as longwave radiation in the form of infrared rays.

INSOLATION

the amount of solar radiation reaching a given area.

LATENT HEAT

the heat required to convert a solid into a liquid or vapor, or a liquid into a vapor, without change of temperature.

ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

the range of wavelengths or frequencies over which electromagnetic radiation extends.