Atmosphere Flashcards
Approx composition of dry air by volume
Nitrogen 78%
Oxygen 21%
What % of atmosphere can be made up of water
Up to 4 %
In order, the different layers of the atmosphere (low to high)
Troposphere Tropopause Stratosphere Stratopause Mesosphere Mesopause Thermosphere
What is the lapse rate in the Troposphere
Lapse rate 2°c / 1000ft (1.98°c)
Or
0.65°c / 100m
What % of the earths gasses are in the troposphere
75%
How high does the troposphere extend
11km average or 36,000 feet
Equator 16-18 km
Poles 8-10km
What causes tropopause folds
Large surface temperature changes over a short distance cause abrupt changes in height of the tropopause
Tropopause temperature
Isothermal = -56.5°c = ISA
Over equator can be -75°c
Over poles can be -40/-50°c
Stratosphere height range
From tropopause to around 50km
Stratosphere temperature
At tropopause remains constant until 20 km
Then increases at 0.3°c/ 1000ft
Mesosphere height range
50km - 80km
Mesosphere characteristics
Coldest layer of the atmosphere at around -90°c
Thermosphere characteristics
Ever increasing temperature
Boundary for space occurs around 120km
Temp can vary as high as 2000°c depending on solar activity
The ionosphere is found here
ISA temperature
+15°c
ISA pressure
1013.25Hpa
ISA density
1.225kg/m^3
Pressure lapse rates
0-10,000 = 1hpa / 27 feet
10,000 - 18,000 = 1hpa/ 37 feet
18,000 > = 1 hpa / 50 feet
Density at 10,000feet
0.903 kg/m^2 (75% of msl)
Density at 22,000 feet
0.609 kg/m^3 (50% of msl)
Density at 40,000 feet
0.302 kg/m^3 (25% of msl)
Freezing temperature in Fahrenheit
32°F
Boiling temperature in Fahrenheit
212°c
How to get air temperature accurately
Stevenson screen placed 4feet (1-2m) off the ground away from ground heat radiation
How is the temperature high up measured
Radiosonde
What is insolation
Hearing of the earth from suns rays
What is terrestrial radiation
Radiation let off by the earths surface due to suns heating
What is conduction
Heating of the air next to the ground by contact with the warmer ground
What is convection
The vertical transfer of heat
What is advection
The horizontal transfer of heat
What is latent heat
The heat released or absorbed without changing temperature
Hottest time of day is…
2/3 hours after local mid day
Coldest time of day is..
30 mins after sunrise
Latitudinal variations
The sun rays striking the ground at different angles
Heat equator = straight on
Poles = at angles
What effect does the sea have on diurnal variations
Hotter nights and colder days
Effect of wind on diurnal temperature variations
Colder during day, hotter during night
How does cloud affect diurnal temperature variations
Cloud = colder days
Hotter nights
No cloud = hotter days
Colder nights
What is a isothermal layer
No change in temperature with vertical distance
What is a nocturnal surface inversion
When the air in the atmosphere has cooled slightly but the air next to land has cooled more meaning the air above is warmer
How does a aneroid barometer work
As static pressure decreases the pressure inside the capsule stays the same and expands the capsule which is manually or electively connected to a needle
What is a valley inversion
When air in a valley cools quicker than air above the valley
What is a frontal inversion
When cold air in the front is more dense than warm air so is pushes the warm air up
What is a high pressure inversion
When the air is heated as it defends, when the air is heated more above than it is below it can’t descend any further (as hot air is less dense) there for inversion is created
What is a col
Area of not much slack in the isobars between 2 high and 2 low pressures
What weather does a col bring
Thunderstorms in summer
Fog in winter
Is the pressure change higher or lower in cold or warm weather
Higher in warm air pressure
Lower in cold air pressure
Isohypes
Lines of equal pressure above the surface
Like isobars except for vertical distance
How does temperature affect transition level
Cold air = lower
Warm air = higher
How much does altitude differ for ever 1°c deviation from ISA
120 feet
What % do you apply to the indicated altitude for 10°c deviation from the ISA
4%
Bernoulli effect on altitude reading
Increased airflow causes a reduction in static pressure = dynamic pressure up
Therefore altimeter over reads
Why do thermal lows occur over water in winter
Because air over water is warmer than surrounding air = rises = low
What is a orographic low
Where air flows round a mountain and leaves an area of less air at the downwind side of the mountain
What does a blocking anticyclone do
Blocks polar fronts by diverting them
What is a temporary cold anticyclone
Only exists between 2 polar low pressures
What is the heat equator
Equatorial low pressure belt
What needs to be present for condensation to occur
A nuclei for the water vapour to form around
What is absolute humidity
The amount of water vapour in a given unit of air (g/m^3)
what is specific humidity
The mass of water vapour compared to the mass of air
Kg/kg
What is relative humidity
The amount of water vapour present compared to the amount of water that could be present if the air was saturated given as a %
How much water vapour is there at -20°c
0.8g
How much water vapour is there at -10°c
1.8g
How much water vapour is there at 0°c
3.8g
How much water vapour is there at 10°c
7.8g
How much water vapour is there at 20°c
15g
How much water vapour is there at 30°c
28g
When is relative humidity at its highest
In the morning 30 mins after sunrise
What is adiabatic cooling
Where air rises and cools, when the air expands due to a less pressure there for the molecules have more room to spread out reducing the temperature
What is adiabatic warming
Where a parcel of air sinks it is in a higher pressure environment there for occupies less space, in turn this means the particles hit off each other more frequently causing a rise in temperature
What is the dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR)
1°c / 100m
3°c / 1000ft
Only applies when air is anything less than 100% relative humidity
What is the saturated adiabatic lapse rate (SALR)
- 6°c / 100m
- 8°c /1000 f
Only when relative humidity is 100%
What is absolute stability
When a parcel of air is risen from its equilibrium… once the original lifting force is removed it returns to its equilibrium
This happens when the ELR is less than the DALR and the SALR
How stable do inversions and isotherms tend to be
Very stable
What does the weather in absolutely stable conditions tend to be like
Clouds = very flat Precipitation = fairly light Visibility = haze, for, mist (due to lack of vertical air movement) Turbulence = usually little or non
What is absolute instability
When the ELR is greater than the DALR and the SALR
This means once a parcel of air is displaced from its equilibrium it will keep rising
When might you find air that is absolutely unstable
Summer afternoon
Because air next to surface is hot
Air further up is considerably cooler
Therefor
High ELR
Weather in unstable conditions
Clouds = clouds of considerable vertical extent
Precipitation = intense
Visibility = good
Turbulence = moderate to severe
What is conditional instability
This depends on weather the air is dry or saturated for it to be stable or unstable
DALR will be stable
SALR will be unstable
What is neutral stability
When the either the DALR or the SALR are the same as the ELR so when the air is displaced it is the same temp as the outer environmental air therefor stays at the same height
In cloud form what does cumulus mean
Vertically developed (unstable air)
Water vapour that isn’t attached to a nuclei and is below freezing is said to be what
Super cooled
Water vapour from 0°c > - 10°c is said to be what
Almost entirely super cooled water
Water vapour between -10°c and -40°c is said to be what
A mixture of supercooled water droplets and ice particles
Water vapour less than -40°c is said to be what
Almost entirely ice particles
What height is low level cloud
Surface - 6500ft
What height is middle level cloud
6500-23000
What heigh is high level cloud
16500-45000
What are High level cloud made up off
Ice crystals
What are medium level clouds made up of
Mixture of ice and water droplets
What are low level clouds made from
Mainly water droplets
What is 0 oktas of cloud cover
Sky clear
What is 1-2 oktas of cloud cover
Few
What is 3-4 oktas of cloud cover
Scattered
What is 5-7 oktas of cloud cover
Broken
What is 8 oktas of cloud cover
Overcast
What is the name of the laser used to measure cloud base
Ceilometer
What is the cloud ceiling
Lowest layer of cloud that covers more than half the sky (5 oktas or more)
What defines at cirrus cloud
Ci
High whispy
Ice crystals
What defines a cirrostratus cloud
Cs
Thin veil of high level cloud
Smooth appearance
Halo phenomenon
What defines a cirrocumulus cloud
Cc
High level
Lumpy
Round appearance
Ripples
What defines a altostratus cloud
As
Layer cloud
Medium level
Can just see the sun
Can contain burga
Can be high icing risk
What defines a altocumulus cloud
Ac
Medium level
Lumpy
Shady
Boulders
Rounded appearance
What defines a stratus cloud
St
Grey
Ragged
Sun can be seen in bits but no blue sky
Flat layer
What defines a strato cumulus cloud
Sc
Low patchy
Dark
Thick
Rounded
Slightly layered
What defines a nimbostratus cloud
Low - medium level
High water content
Dark
Thick
What defines a cumulus cloud
Cu
Low level
Vertically formed
Rounded
Fluffy
What defines a cumulonimbus cloud
Cb
Heavy
Dense
Towering
Up to tropopause
Heavy rain or hail
What defines a cumulus humilis
Cu hum
Low level
Below 10,000
Fair weather
Shallow
What defines a cumulus mediocris cloud
Cu med
Low level
Medium vertical extent
Max 10,000 feet
What defines a cumulus congestus
Cu con
Towering cumulus
Up to 25,000
Low / medium level base
What defines a cumulonimbus calvus
Cb calv
Up to 45,000
Sharp outlines
Cumulonimbus capillatus
Cb cap
Flat top at tropopause
What defines a fractus cloud
St/cu
Broken cumulus (fractured)
What defines a castellanus cloud
Acc
Middle level
Castle like
Instability
Cirrus
Cirrocumulus
Alto cumulus
What defines a mamatus cloud
Downward hanging cloud shape
Thunderstorm
What defines a lenticularis cloud
Cc / Ac / Sc
Lens shape
Like flying saucers
What is the cloud descriptor ISOL
Isolated (individual)
What is the cloud descriptor OCNL
Occasional (well- separated)
What is the weather descriptor FRQ
Frequent (little or no separation)
What is the cloud descriptor EMBO
Embedded
What is the cloud descriptor WDSPD
Widespread
What is the wegener-Bergeron- findeisen process
Ice crystals grow
Water attaches to ice crystals causing them to grow more
Once weight overcomes any updrafts then they fall to earth
What is the coalescence theory
All precipitation starts at temperatures above 0°c (water droplets)
Water droplets combine and make larger droplets
These fall out the clouds
What is the size of a cloud droplet
0.02mm
What is the size speed and code of drizzle
DZ 0.5mm 4m/s
Shallow cloud (stratiform)
What is the size speed and code for rain
RA 0.5-5.5mm 9m/s
Almost all clouds
What is the code for ice crystals
IC
What is the temp range and code for snow
SN -5°c > 4°c
Biggest firmed at 0°c
What is the size and code of snow grains
SG <1mm
Stratiform clouds
What is the size of snow pellets / soft hail
2-5mm
Breaks on impact with the ground
What is the size and code of ice pellets
PL up to 5mm
Nimbostratus
What’s the size and weight and code of hail
GR >5mm 1kg
From CB frozen droplets tossed up and down repeatedly in cb
What is the code and size of small hail
GS <5mm
From CB
What causes freezing rain
An inversion under a warm front underneath a nimbostratus
What are the prerequisites for continuous precipitation
60 mins with no breaks
As Ns
What is intermittent precipitation
Continuous with breaks
As Sc
What clouds are showers from
Cumuliformed clouds
What is the scale of intensity for rain
Slight
Moderate
Heavy
Violent
What is the visibility in drizzle
Often <500m
What is the visibility in heavy rain
<1000m
What is the visibility in moderate rain
3-10km
What is the visibility in heavy snow
<50m
What is the visibility in moderate snow
1000m
What is the visibility in blowing surface snow
Greatly reduced (can be white out)
What types of precipitation takes place in stratocumulus
Rain
Freezing rain
Snow
Snow pellets
What precipitation occurs in nimbostratus clouds
Rain
Freezing rain
Snow
Ice pellets
What precipitation occurs in altostratus clouds
Rain
Freezing rain
Snow
Ice pellets
What precipitation occurs in cumulus clouds
Rain
Snow
What precipitation occurs In cumulonimbus clouds
Rain
Snow
Snow pellets
Hail
What precipitation occurs in stratus clouds
Drizzle
Freezing drizzle
Snow grains
Ice crystals
What pressure setting are isobars taken from
QFF
What are the 3 conditions for a thunderstorm
Unstable air through at least 10,000ft above the freeing layer
Lots of moisture
Trigger for up lift (low pressure, convection, weather fronts)
What is a heat thermal thunderstorm
Land heats up (clear skies)
This heats up the air next to land (typically late afternoon)
Causing a high ELR
Therefore ELR > DALR
What is a air mass thunderstorm
Cold air moves over warm surface (cold sea to warm land / warm sea to cold land)
Warm moist air rises through cold air
Rapidly rises
What is a frontal thunderstorm
Cold air cuts under warm air
Warm air forced up
Creates thunderstorm
What is a squall line
Frontal thunderstorms along a cold front
Can be 100’s miles long
What is a orographic thunderstorm
Can happen day or night
Where air is forced up by the land
What speed do thunderstorms move at
Usually the wing speed at 10,000ft (only a rough guid)
What is the first stage of a thunderstorm
Initial / cumulative phase
What speed can air rise at in the cumulative / building stage of a thunderstorm
> 60kts
How long does the building stage of a thunderstorm last
15-30 mins
What is the second stage of a thunderstorm called
Mature stage
How long does the mature stage of a thunderstorm last usually
20 mins
What are the characteristics of the mature stage of a thunderstorm
Rising air Precipitation Downdraughs Wind sheer / gusting conditions 20miles ahead Very turbulent 6,000ft up or down Microbursts 4/5km upto 5 mins
How is a “roll” created in a thunderstorm
As downdraught hits ground and bounces back up it creates a roll infront of the storm
What is a shelf cloud
Warmer air infront of thunderstorm gets sucked into storm
When does a microburst turn into a macroburst
When it lasts longer than 5 mins
What causes and anvil formation on top of a thunderstorm
Caused by updraughs pushing air up to tropopause creating a thunderstorm “hat”
What is stage 3 of a thunderstorm
The dissipating stage
How long does the dissipating stage of a thunderstorm last
1-2 hours
What happens in the dissipating stage of s thunderstorm
Downdraughs only
Precipitation reducing
Cloud base rising
Still chance of hail
What is a supercell thunderstorm
Forms the same as a single cell thunderstorm except lasts longer
Upper winds cause cell to “tilt” = downdraughs are not going through updraughs = doesn’t cancel them out
What is the radius / region of a microburst
3nm (5km) usually
What is the radius / region of a macroburst
3-5 miles across
Does an anvil have precipitation
No but hail can be found in the armpit of the anvil
How could you summarise the 3 stages of a thunderstorm
1) updraughs only
2) up and downdraughs
3) downdraughs only
What are the hazards of thunderstorms
Structural damage
Hail (can fire out top of storm) Turbulence Lightning Tornados Debris Icing
What dangers can hail cause to engines
Ingestion can cause too much water into engine causing a flame out
What is st Elmo’s fire
Static building up outside aircraft
What is thunder and lightning
Lighting = electrostatic discharge
Thunder = rapid expansion of air due to heating from lightning
What is the main risk from lightning
Instrument = unreliable
What instrument errors can occur in a thunderstorm
Pressure sensors, rising and falling air can cause them to give unreliable readings
Magnetic from lightning
How does virga cause icing
Rain falling
Rain evaporating
Latent heat lost in surrounding air
Temperature falls
What is the first stage of windshear
Lift, IAS increase
What is the second stage of windshear
Downdraughs
What is the third stage of windshear
Tail wind
When does a tornado become a tornado
When the funnel of spinning air (funnel cloud) only becomes a tornado when it touches the ground
What is the time duration of a tornado
30 mins max
What is the average diameter of a tornado
100-150m
Where and when are tornados most frequent
Mid west USA
Late spring early summer
What can the wind speeds of a tornado be
120-150kts (can exceed 200)
What is the ground speed of a tornado
20-40kts
How do you measure the intensity of a tornado
Fujita scale (mph)
What is a tornado over water called
A water spout
What is a dust devil
Like a tornado but smaller (10-100ft wide) upto 600ft tall
What is common consequence of static electricity on the radios
Noise on high / medium frequency radio bands
As static increases noise increases
What gives you weather radar returns
(Strongest to weakest) Wet hail Rain Hail Wet snow Dry hail Dry snow
What is the avoidance distance for thunderstorms >20,000ft
By 20 miles at least 5000ft above and below
What distance should thunderstorms be avoided by <20,000
10 miles at least 5,000ft up and down
What frequency band is highly sensitive to wet precipitation
8-12 ghz
2.5 and 4 cm
For airfields below sea level in warm air the QFF is what compared to QNH
QFF is higher than QNH
For airfields below sea level in cold conditions the QFF is what compared to QNH
QFF lower than QNH
What are the regions affected by tropical revolving thunderstorms
America = hurricanes
South east China = typhoons
Everywhere else = cyclone
What % of hurricanes (TRS) occur in the North Atlantic
10-12%
How many cyclones (TRS) occur off North east Australian coast
10%
Where do most of the TRS occur
China sea
What is the speed requirement for a tropical depression
20-33 knots
What is the speed requirement for a tropical storm
34-63 knots
What is the speed requirement for a tropical revolving storm
Wind greater than 64 knots and rotating around a defined core
What is the Beaufort scale
Measures intensity of hurricanes (TRS)
What is a category 1 hurricanes
64-82 knots
Where do TRS occur
5°-25°N/S of equator
What sea temperature is required for a TRS
26.5°c
What is the minimum depth of ocean for a TRS to form
200-300 feet deep
Where are the worst conditions in a TRS
Eye wall
Worst precipitation / wind speeds / turbulence
How quickly does a TRS travel across the ground
15-20 knots
What is the main objective of the tropical cyclone advisory centre (TCAC)
A meteorological centre designated by regional air navigation agreement to provide advisory information
What is the conditions in the eye of the TRS like
Calm and clear skies
Where are the highest winds found in a TRS in the northern hemisphere
Just to the right of track
What is the size of the eye of a TRS
20-50 km
When is the peak period for TRS
June - October in norther Hemisphere
Deferment - April in Southern Hemisphere
What cloud is the highest risk of icing
Medium level (alto)
Due to mix of super cooled water droplets + water droplets + ice crystals
What type of moisture consists in cloud between 0 to -20°c
Both large and small super cooled water droplets
What moisture occurs in clouds between -20 and -40 °c
Small super cooled water droplets
What moisture is present in clouds below -40°c
Most droplets have frozen
How much of a SCWD freezes on impact for ever 1°c below 0°
1/80th
What is the most severe temperature for icing
Most severe ice forming temperature is 0 to -10°c due to large SCWD
What is the worst wing speed combination for icing
Thing high speed wing
Can anti/de-icing equipment sustain long periods of icing
No icing or anti icing equipment can cope with prolonged flight in severe icing conditions
What is hoar frost
Water vapour sublimated onto cold surface
No cloud
What is rime ice
Caused by impact with small SCWD
On leading edge of aircraft
Builds forwards
Trapped air creates opaque appearance
Easy to remove
Can be in FZFG
-15°c / -40°c
What is clear ice (glaze ice)
Flows back over wing surface
Increases weight
Large SCWD
Fraction freezes on impact rest flows back and freezes over wing
Covers whole airframe rapidly
Difficult to remove
0/-15°c
Worst in CB
What is FZRA
Freezing rain
Found ahead of warm front
Clear ice
Can be 100’s miles line 500’s miles wide
What is mixed ice
Mix of small and large SCWD
Clear and rime ice
-20 / -10 °c
Horned rough appearance
What is cloudy ice / packed snow
flying though air below freezing with wet wing
Ice crystals attach to wing
Snowflakes also attach
What risk is there if icing in CB
Clear ice / mod - sev
Stratiform icing risk
Light / mod risk
<0°c small SCWD
Drizzle
What risk of icing is there in High level cloud
Light risk
What icing risk is there in medium level cloud
Light to moderate
What icing risk is in stratiform (low) cloud
Light to mod
What icing risk is in nimbostratus/ cumuliform cloud
Mod / sev
What risk of icing if nimbostratus or cumulus is caused by orographic lifting
Severe
Orographic intensification
What is a severe risk of icing
Accumulation is greater than rate you can get rid of it
Immediate diversion needed
What is moderate icing
Icing equipment is able to cope
What is light icing
Accumulation might be a problem if in situation for over 1 hour
Occasional use of icing equipment
What is trace icing
Not hazardous even without icing equipment
How to calculate the lowest usable flight level to give a min safe altitude
Lowest QNH
Lowest temp
What icing severity is mandatory to report
Moderate
Severe
What is the pressure 10,000 ft
700hpa
What is the pressure at 20,000ft
500hpa
What is the pressure at 30,000ft
300hpa
What is the pressure at 40,000ft
200hpa
What is the definition of relative humidity
Relative humidity is the absolute humidity relative to the maximum for that temperature as a percentage
What is the pressure lapse rate
27 ft / hpa
8m / hpa
What are the geostrophic winds like on isobars
Isobars are straight lines with no surface friction
What does wind speed change by over water with decreasing height
Backs / slacks
10° / 75% of speed
When is the windspeed higher with straight isobars compared to curved isobars
Windspeed higher with curved anticyclone isobars if all other factors are constant
What height (in hpa) is a max wind speeds for a subtropical jet stream in summer
Around 200hpa
Below tropopause
Low level cloud height
GL - 6500