Unit 1 Atmosphere

Atmosphere, Meteorology, Nature of Storms, Climate

By Mr. Palmer
Unit 1 Atmosphere
Click on Image for Concept Map

Atmosphere:

Facts:
 

Composition of Atmosphere
    •78%Nitrogen
    •21%Oxygen
    •1%Other Argon, Carbon Dioxide
 

Structure of Atmosphere
    •Troposphere (Mass of atmosphere and location of weather.)
    •Stratosphere (Location of ozone layer shields us from UV rays.)
    •Mesosphere (Coldest layer of atmosphere meteorites burn up here.)
    •Thermosphere (The hottest layer and is divided into two layers:)
    •Ionosphere (A region of charged particles.)
    •Exosphere (The edge of the atmosphere.)
 

Processes in Atmosphere (water cycle and heat energy)

    •Water transformation:
      evaporation, condensation, precipitation
    •Energy movement:
      conduction, convection, radiation
    •Cloud Formation:
      condensation nuclei, latent heat, orographic lifting, stability
 

Naming of Clouds (Image)
   
Height
•Cirro (low clouds) •Strato (high altitude clouds)
•Alto (mid level clouds)  
Shape
•Cirrus (hair like clouds) •Stratus (sheets of clouds)
•Cumulus (hair like clouds) •Nimbus (flat gray rain clouds)
 

Vocabulary
   
•Ozone •Temperature Inversion
•Temperature •Lifted Condensation Level
•Dew Point •Pressure

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Meteorology:

Facts:
 

Air Mass Modification

   
Five Types
•Maritime Tropical •Continental Tropical
•Maritime Polar •Continental Polar
•Arctic Air Mass  
    •An air mass takes on the properties of the surface it is over.
    •As an air mass moves to a new location it modifies the surface temperature as much as the surface modifies the air mass.
    •Air mass modification leads to the heating and cooling of the Earth.
*

Coriolis Effect

    •Video 1 Anchorage to Miami
    •Video 2 Argentina to Rio de Janeiro
*   •Video 3 Coriolis Effect and High and Low Pressure Systems
 

Major Wind Systems (web page)

    •Global Wind Systems
      trade winds, prevailing westerlies, polar easterlies
    •Convection Currents
     
Warming Zone Cooling Zone
•Warm Air •Cool Air
•Low Density •High Density
•Rising Air •Sinking Air
   

•Movie on Seasonal Changes (web page):
 

Frontal Systems

   
A front is the edge of an air mass.
•Cold Front •Stationary Front
•Warm Front •Occluded Front
 

Pressure Systems

   
•High Pressure •Low Pressure
 

Gathering Weather Data

   
Instrumentation Low Level
•Thermometer (temperature) •Anemometer (wind speed)
•Barometer (pressure) •Hygrometer (humidity)
High Altitude and Technology
•Radiosonde (weather balloon) •Radar/Doppler Radar
Satellites
•Photographs •Infrared
•Radar  
 

Using Weather Data

   
Station Model
•A short hand way of putting lots of weather information onto a map.
•Stations with similar properties can be joined by a line called an isopleth.
  -isobars lines of equal pressure
  -isotherms lines of equal temperature
  Weather Forecasting
    •Digital Forecast: using mathematical models to predict weather.
    •Analog Forecast: using station models and past history to predict weather.
    •Short term forecast is more accurate then long term.

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Nature of Storms:

Facts:
 

Three Types of Thunderstorms:
    •Air Mass Thunderstorm
    •Mountain Thunderstorm
    •Sea-breeze Thunderstorm
 

Three Conditions for Thunderstorm Formation:
    •Warm Moist Air
    •Unstability in the Air
    •Lifting Mechanism
 

Three Stages to a Life of a Thunderstorm
    •Cumulus Stage
    •Mature Stage
    •Dissipation Stage
 

Severe Weather

    •Dangers
     
-Flooding -Lightning
-Hail -Tornado
-High Winds  
    •Tornado Formation
      -Tornados are formed mostly during the spring when supercells are formed. A supercell occurs when a cold front is moving into an area with warm moist air. As the cold air moves through the warm moist air it continuely is fed energy which can result in a tornado.
     
Tornado Classification
-Length of path of destruction -Windspeed
-Durration of tornado  
  Tropical Storms
    •Basically an organized thunderstorm.
    •A low pressure system that forms in warm tropical waters. Typically during late summer and early fall when water temperatures are the highest.
    •Tropical storms are determined by their wind speed.
     
Tropical Storms
-tropical disturbance -tropical storm
-tropical depression -hurricane (Atlantic Ocean)
 

Vocabulary
   
•Fuijita Tornado Intensity Scale •Drought
•Saffir-Simpson Hurrican Scale •Heat Wave
•Eye •Cold Wave
•Eyewall •Wind-Chill Factor
•Storm Surge  

Climate:

Facts:
 

Climate Vs. Weather

    •Weather is the current state of the atmosphere.
    •Climate is a thirty year average of weather for an area.
 

Three Types of Climates

    •Tropical Climate
    •Temperate Climate
    •Polar Climate
 

Causes for Variation in Climate

    •Location (Latitude above or below the equator)
    •Topographical Features (Elevation above sea level)
    •Proximety to Water (Oceans, lakes, rivers)
    •Air Mass Movement History
  Seasonal Changes
    •Equator or tropics tend to have the same weather all year round.
    •Temperate zones tend to have all four seasons.
    •Polar zones tend to have colder weather all year round.
 

Map of Koeppen's Climates
    •Koeppen's system bases climate on three factors, vegitation, rainfall, and temperature.
 

Climate Changes

    •Short Term Climate Changes
      -El Nino
      -La Nina
      -Global Warming? (web page)
    •Long Term Climate Changes
      -Ice Ages
      -Global Warming? (web page)
  Vocabulary
   
•Solar Acitvity •Volcanic Activity
•Maunder Minimum •Microclimates
•Earth's Orbit •Heat Islands
•Greenhouse Effect •Normal
•Earth's Wobble  

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Property of SOESD
December 28, 2008