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Final reviewFeedback
Processes in one system influences processes in another interconnected system by exchange of matter and energy.
Positive Feedback:Positive Feedback: Change in one system causes similar change in the other system. Can cause runaway instability.e.g., water vapor feedback, ice cover feedback
Negative FeedbackNegative Feedback: A positive change in one system causes a negative change in the other.e.g., cloud cover feedback
Composition of the Atmosphere
Major components: Nitrogen (N2), Oxygen (O2), Argon (Ar), Carbon dioxide (CO2),
Minute trace gases: water vapor (H2O),Methane (CH4), Ozone (O3), Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
Variable components: Water vapor, Aerosol, Ozone
Extent of the Atmosphere
Temperature F C, K, :unit o
273.16 t T 32); (t 9
5 t 32; t
5
9 t FF
Troposphere
Stratosphere
•Decreases 6.5C per km up to 11 km (lapse rate).•Nearly all weather happens in this layer.•Height of the tropopause varies with latitude with an average of 10 km. It is higher in the tropics and lower in the high latitudes.
Temperature is constant in the lower part of the layer, and then, increases with height due to O3 absorption of solar UV. ~ 99% of the atmosphere is below the stratopause.
Mechanisms of Energy Transfer
Conduction, convection, and radiation
Laws of blackbody radiation
Stefan-Boltzman law, Wien’s displacement law, Plank’s law
6000K
300K
Greenhouse Effect
Shortwave solar radiation is nearly transparent to the atmosphere, but longwave terrestrial radiation is trapped by greenhouse gases, causing the increase of surface temperature.
Atmospheric window Highly un-reactive greenhouse gases containing bonds of fluorine-carbon or fluorine-sulfur, such as Perfluorocarbons (CF4, C2F6, C3F8) and Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6). These trace gases have strong absorption lines right in the atmospheric window.
Clouds can also absorb longwave radiation in the atmospheric window, and thus, can close up the window
Heat Budget of Earth’s Atmosphere
Controls of Temperature
LatitudeDifferential heating of land and water; Ocean currents; Altitude;Geographic position
Phase change and latent heat
Measuring water vapor in the air
Mixing ratio, r
Moist virtual effect
Saturation
Saturated water vapor pressure, E=E(T)
Relative humidity, h
Dew-point )e(e
First law of thermodynamics in the atmosphere, energy conservation law
Dry adiabatic process
K/100m 98.0 d Dry adiabatic lapse rate
Lapse rate of ambient environment
Lifting condensation level (LCL)
Moist adiabatic process
Moist adiabatic lapse rate ds s
Rain shadow effect
286.0)P
1000(T
Potential temperature is conserved during the dry adiabatic process
Potential temperature
Atmospheric Stability
i0T
iT
0T
T
=
<
Stable
i
i0T
iT
0T
T
=
=
Neutral
i
i0T
iT
0T
T
=
<
Unstable
i
stable , neutral; , unstable; , iii
unstablelly conditiona ,
stable; absolute ,
unstable; absolute ,
ds
d
s
Using potential temperature to determine atmospheric stability and instability
0
=
<
Stable
0z
=
Neutral
<
Unstable
i0
0=
0z
i0
0=
i0
0z
Cloud formation
Adiabatic cooling Water vapor -----> saturation
Cloud condensation nuclei (aerosol)
Cloud Types
Radiation fogFavorable condition: Clear sky; High relative humidity; Weak winds
High clouds: cirrus , cirrostratus, cirrocumulus
Middle clouds: altostratus, altocumulus
Low clouds: shallow cumulus, stratus, stratocumlus
Height:
Bergeron Process (mixed phase clouds)
Mixed phase clouds
E e E s
evaporatecondensate
The saturated vapor pressure above ice crystals is lower than that above supercooled water droplets. Es < E
Cloud affects diurnal variation of surface temperatures
Collision-Coalescence Process (warm clouds)
a.Collision-Larger drops fall faster than smaller drops, the larger drops overtake the smaller drops to form larger drops until rain drops are formed.
b.Coalescence-The merging or "sticking together" of cloud droplets as they collide.
The collision-coalescence mechanism is more efficientin environments where large cloud droplets are plentiful.
Where? tropics
The Bergeron process is more efficient for mixed clouds withplentiful ice crystals and supercooled water droplets.
Where? Mid-latitudes
Atmospheric pressure P: Force F acting on unit area due to the weight of the atmosphere.
Unit: Pascal (Pa); hPa; mb;
Hydrostatic balance
The upward pressure gradient force balances the downward gravity.
1 Pressure decreases with height
Pressure gradient force
Gravitational force2 Pressure depends on temperature3 How does a pressure system change with height?
Low pressure center coldwarm warm
Deep system
Horizontal pressure gradient force
Coriolis force: an apparent forced acting on a moving object
Coriolis deflection depends on latitude
Z
Z
Geostrophic Balance
The horizontal pressure gradient force balances the Coriolis force.
Geostrophic adjustment
High pressure
Low pressure
Coriolis force
Pressure gradient force
Geostrophic Wind
Gradient wind Balance
LPcentFcoriF
V
H
V
coriFP centF
Anti-clockwise (cyclonic) Clockwise (anti-cyclonic)
The balance among horizontal pressure gradient force, Coriolis force, and centrifugal force.
Frictional force
1
gfV
gVfF
V
fF
gfV
L
V
fF
PcoriF
centFH
V
fF
coriFP
centF
Due to the friction, the flow near surface blow across the isobars pointing from high pressure to low pressure
High pressure: divergence at the surface
Low pressure: convergence at the surface
Relationship of Flow Pattern Aloft to Surface Cyclones and Anticyclones
+
- --
Thermal wind: wind difference between two levels
p1F
1V
hPa 1010P01
hPa 1001P02
c1Fhigh
low
Z
9
1001-1010P0
A
Warm
Cold
A
B
hPa 8811201001P12
hPa 9101001010P11
low
high
hPa 19
881910
PPP 12111
2V
c2F
p2F
12T VVV
Mid-latitude jet stream (using thermal wind relation to explain)
African easterly jet (using thermal wind relation to explain)
Ferrel cell: indirect cell
Polar cell: direct cell
Three cell model: (a) Hadley cell, (b) ITCZ (c) trade-wind, (d) mid-latitude westerly, (e) subtropical high
Monsoon refers to a wind system that exhibits a pronounced seasonal reversal in direction.
Asian Monsoon The North American Monsoon
Absolute vorticity=Planetary vorticity + Relative vrticity f a
:effect Planetary vorticity changes with latitude
fCyclone 0
f is defined as positive
Anti-cyclone 0
Planetary vorticity f, relative vorticity , absolute vorticity
Depth
vorticityAbsolute vorticityPotential is conserved
constantH
f
Potential vorticity
Rossby wave: large scale (planetary) wave due to the change of planetary vorticity with latitude. It can only propagate westward.
Wind driven Surface Current
Ekman effect and coastal upwelling and equatorial upwelling
Deep ocean density driven circulation
Walker circulation
The Walker Circulation refers to an east-west circulation of the atmosphere above the tropical ocean in the zonal and vertical directions, with air rising above warmer ocean regions (normally in the west), and descending over the cooler ocean areas (normally in the east). Its strength fluctuates with the change in sea surface temperature.
El Niño and La Niña
El Niño is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, as opposed to La Niña, which characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. El Niño is an oscillation of the ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific that is closely related to the change in the Walker circulation and has important consequences for weather and climate around the globe.
Stronger Walker circulation
Weakened Walker
circulationEl Niño condition
La Niña condition
Teleconnections via atmospheric Rossby waves
Impact of ENSO on Global Climate
mT and cP are most important to the weather east of the Rockies. cP dominates in winter, often bringing cold weathers. mT is responsible for most precipitation in the eastern US.
mP from North Pacific is mostimportant to weather along thePacific coast.
cA and cP can sweep with relativeease far southward into US becausethere are no major barriers to theirmovement.
Air Mass
Lake-Effect Snow: Cold Air over Warm Water
Warm Fronts
Cold Fronts
Stationary Front
Occluded Front
S N
warm cold
density surface
.
Release of potential energy stored in a tilted system to kinetic energy
Dryline
ThunderstormsCharacterized by strong up- and down- movements, producing lightening and thunder, generating gusty winds, heavy rain, and hail. Winds of a thunderstorm do not follow the inward spiral of a cyclone.
Stages of development of a thunderstorm
Severe Thunderstorm
Definition (NWS), wind: 58 mph or hailstone: D=1.9 cm or tornado.
Local circulation, sea breeze
Supercell ThunderstormDiameter: 20 - 50 km; depth: 20 km
Rotated updraft
A squall line is a line of thunderstorms that have a common lifting mechanism.
radarMicrobursts
Doppler EffectDoppler radar
Squall lines
+ + + + + ++
-
--
--
-
Averaged fair-weather electric field near surface is about 130 V/m
The system can be viewed as an electric circuit in which electrified clouds are the generator (batteries).
Thunderstorm
The Earth's Electrical StructureEarth's electrical charge
The Earth is electrically charged. The Earth surface has a net negative charge, while an equal and positive charge resides in the upper atmosphere.
What charges the Earth?
The atmosphere is not a perfect insulator. Negative charge leaks from the Earth and rises to the electrosphere. So, the Earth's charge would dissipate in less than an hour if there were no recharge!
Lightning recharges the Earth by delivering negative charges to the surface.
Lightning
Step-leader: a faint, negatively charged channel with about 50 meters in length and 1 microsecond in duration
Streamers: bolts of ground-to-air lightning
Return stroke: an electric current wave propagates up the established channel as a bright pulse
Dart leader: After return stroke, if additional charge is available at the top of the leader channel, another leader can propagate down the established Channel
THUNDER
Acoustic shock wave caused by the extreme heat generated by a lightning flash.
Tornadoes
The central vortex of a tornado is typically about 100-600 m in diameter. The averaged wind speed is about 96 mph, but can be as strong as or greater than 220 mph. The central pressure in a tornado can be lower than normal atmospheric pressure by over 100 hPa.
Tornados have extremely large horizontal pressure gradient. It is governed by the balance between the inward pressure gradient force and outward centrifugal force.
Hurricane structure What determines the movement of a hurricane?
X
BoundaryLayer
EkmanPumping
Hurricane Secondary circulation
DivergingSpin down
ConvergingSpin upBuoyancy
Pressure grad.force
Centrifugalforce
Coriolisforce
L
It is the convective clouds that generate spin up process to overcome the spin down process induced by the Ekman pumping