Meteorology Exam 1
In global radiation balance, what process does most shortwave energy go into?
Absorbed and reflected bc of albedo
What is the atmospheric window?
Allows energy to escape into space
What is relative humidity?
Amount of water vapor in air vs. the amount the air can cold.
What is the greenhouse effect?
Atmosphere heated up by the sun, heat cannot be released and is held in the atmosphere
What are the three temp scales?
Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin
What two ways can change the relative humidity in the air?
Change the temp, Change the amount of water vapor
How are temperature and heat different?
Heat is the transfer of energy, temp is the amount of energy
How are clouds classified?
Height!
Example of convection
In an air or water, mixing
What is insolation?
Incoming Solar Radiation, sun's energy that reaches the Earth, various objects intercept energy
How does temperature relate to density?
Increase the temp, decrease the density bc molecules are moving faster
Thermosphere: Lapse OR Inversion
Inversion
Stratosphere: Lapse OR Inversion
Inversion, ozone layer, stable, little weather,
More moisture in the air make the air _____ dense
LESS!
Besides wind, how else might temp be effected at night?
Landscape, temp different in a valley (thermal belt)
Mesosphere: Lapse OR Inversion
Lapse
Troposphere: Lapse OR Inversion
Lapse, where weather occurs, contains most Earth's mass
Why are sunsets/sunrises red?
Light must go through a thicker portion of atmosphere, blue light has already been scattered with leave light to scatter red/orange/yellow
What are the most abundant gases in the atmosphere?
Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon
WHY does temp warm in Stratosphere?
Ozone layer, absorbs UV radiation
Where are pauses located in the atmosphere and what are they named after?
Pauses separate the layers and are named after the layer you are LEAVING (Troposphere-Tropopause-Stratosphere)
What's the most common type of fog around Kutztown?
Radiation Fog!
Electromagnetic Spectrum in order from Longwave to Shortwave
Radio-Microwave-Infrared-Visible-Ultraviolet-Xrays-Gammarays
Why is the sky blue?
Rayleigh Scattering: air molecules are smaller than wavelength of visible light, they scatter the shorter (blue) wavelengths better
Visible Satellite
Satellite used to see where clouds are/are not, can only be used during the day.
Infrared Satellite
Satellite used to view clouds at different levels (taller clouds brighter, lower clouds darker) can be used night and day
Water Vapor Satellite
Satellite used to view where areas of moisture (bright) and areas of dryness are, can be used during night and day
How is humidity measured?
Sling psychrometer! and hygrometer
Example of Radiation
Sun to Earth, through space
What does Wien's Law tell us?
Tells the wavelength at which a surface radiates in
Why does relative humidity decrease during the daytime but increase overnight?
Temp of air changes, water vapor remains the same. Cold air (overnight) can hold less water vapor (which leads to an increase in RH), than warm (daytime) air (which leads to a decrease in RH)
What is specific humidity?
The actual quantity of water in air. Water vapor molecules vs. the amount of dry air
What does the Stefan-Boltzmann Law tell us?
The hotter the object the more radiation is emitted
What is saturation?
The maximum amount of water that can be held in the air
Define dew point.
The temp at which saturation occurs. The higher the DP, the more moisture, lower DP, less moisture
What is forced convection?
Turbulent mixing that redistributed warm surface air with the cooler air above (occurs on a windy day)
How can density of air change?
Varies depending on temperature and moisture
Advection fog
Warm and moist air is pushed over a colder surface and condensation occurs. (usually over water)
Is humidity higher in a warm or cool air mass?
Warm, bc warm air can hold more water vapor
What are some greenhouse gases?
Water Vapor, Methane, Ozone
What is the difference between climate and weather?
Weather is the conditions in the atmosphere at a certain time and place, Climate is the accumulation of this weather over a long period of time
When is saturation achieved?
When condensation and evaporation are balanced
When does an equinox occur? (where is the sun?)
When sun rises directly in the East and sets directly in the South
How is dew created? Frost?
When temp and dew point are the same! condensation occurs at the surface Above freezing: dew, below freezing: frost!
When does a solstice occur? (where is the sun?)
Winter solstice: lowest path Summer solstice: highest path
What is fog?
a low cloud that forms near the surface
What meteorological conditions factor into HEAT INDEX?
air temp and relative humidity
What meteorological conditions factor into WIND CHILL?
air temp and wind (mph)
How do the clouds impact diurnal temp range?
clouds lower daytime temp and raise nighttime temp leading to a smaller diurnal temp range
Three types of heat transfer?
conduction, convection, radiation
What is continentality?
describes how surface types impact your temperature range
Definition: Longwave energy
energy from the Earth
Definition: Shortwave energy
energy from the sun
Vertical clouds (height, composition, prefix)
extend vertically, no specific height, water droplets and ice crystals depending on height, Cumulous-
What are variable gases in the atmosphere?
fluctuate at any given time in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide)
Radiation fog
forms on clear/calm nights where temp cools through radiation cooling
What are permanent gases in the atmosphere?
gases that remain constant (nitrogen and oxygen)
What is sensible heat?
heat that can be measured by a thermometer (heat that can be felt from an object)
The Earth emits which wavelength?
infrared
What is the atmosphere?
layer of gases that surround the Earth
How does humidity affect the diurnal temperature range?
leads to a lower range, temp does not fluctuate as much
What is temperature?
measure of the averages speed of atoms and molecules
Is air a good or poor conductor?
poor, if air is calm, conduction only occurs within a few centimeters from the surface
Why do continent interiors experience a larger temp range than coastal cities?
proximity to a body of water
What is albedo?
scientific term for relectivity
Low clouds (height, composition, prefix)
surface to 6,500ft, mostly water droplets, Stratus-
Definition: Lapse
temp decreases with height
Definition: Inversion
temp increases with height
How is carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere?
the decay and exhalation of animals
What is the diurnal temp range?
the difference between max and min temperature
What is latent heat?
the heat energy required to change a substance from one state to another
When is latent heat released?
transfer from gas to liquid to solid
When is latent heat absorbed?
transfer from solid to liquid to gas
The sun emits which wavelength?
visible
What part of EM spectrum can be seen by humans?
visible spectrum
WHY does temp decrease in Troposphere?
warmer at surface, the further away air gets from surface the colder it gets
Upslope fog
winds push air up a mountain, air cools and fog forms (usually at slop, not peak)
Why is the atmospheric window important?
without window the Earth would be too warm
What is the solar constant value?
1kilowatt per meter²
High clouds (height, composition, prefix)
20,000ft, ice crystals, Cirrus, absorb radiation and increase greenhouse effect
What is the Earth's axis tilt?
23.5°
What are the freezing and boiling points of water in KELVIN?
273.15°K , 373.15°K
What are the freezing and boiling points of water in FAHRENHEIT?
32°F , 212°F
Middle clouds (height, composition, prefix)
6,500ft to 23,000ft, mostly water droplets, can contain ice crystals, Alto-
What is the environmental lapse rate?
6.5° C/Km
Object with high albedo?
Fresh snow, reflect more absorb less
Name the layers of the atmosphere
*starting at surface* Troposphere-Stratosphere-Mesosphere-Thermosphere
What are the freezing and boiling points of water in CELSIUS?
0°C , 100°C
What does wind do to the temperature gradient?
Creates a more even temp throughout atmosphere, gradient is less.
How does sea breeze form?
DURING DAY. cool air from the OCEAN moves to the warmer EARTH, which warms and rises and returns to the ocean and cools
How does land breeze form?
DURING NIGHT. cool air from LAND moves to the warmer OCEAN, which then warms, rises and returns to the land and cools
Object with low albedo?
Dark roof, absorb more reflect less
Example of conduction
Direct contact, pan on stove
How does a radiative inversion form?
During nighttime cooling, ground radiates energy away better than air, so ground becomes cooler than air
