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Intro to Weather and Climate (MEA 130) > Chapter One - Test One > Flashcards

Chapter One - Test One Flashcards

1
Q

Meteorology

A

“anything that fell from or was seen high in the sky.”

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2
Q

Weather:

A

the specific conditions of the atmosphere at a particular place or time

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3
Q

Climate:

A

“average weather” or the mean conditions of the atmosphere over an extended period of time

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4
Q

Means

A

(> or = 30 yrs of data)

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5
Q

Extremes

A

(period of record)

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6
Q

Adage: Climate is what you expect…

A

but weather is what you get

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7
Q

Specific or mean conditions are defined by ____ major elements

A

six (Temperature, Moisture, Clouds, Precipitation, Pressure, and Wind)

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8
Q

Temperature -

A

the degree of hotness or coldness

[ ºFahrenheit, ºCelsius, Kelvin]

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9
Q

Moisture

A
  • a measure of water content
  • relative humidity [ %]
  • dewpoint [ ºF, ºC, K ]
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10
Q

Clouds

A
  • visible mass of suspended water droplets and/or ice crystals
    [cloud type, amount and height]
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11
Q

Precipitation

A
  • any form of water falling to the surface

[precipitation type and amount ]

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12
Q

Pressure

A
  • the weight of the air above an area [ inches of mercury, millibars]
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13
Q

Wind

A
  • movement of the air
  • speed [mph, knots, m/s]
  • direction [quadrants, degrees]
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14
Q

In the U.S., the responsibility for gathering and dissemination weather related information, including forecasts and warnings, lies with the:

A

National Weather Service (NWS)

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15
Q

forecasts / warnings are disseminated through

A

regional Weather Forecast Offices

Ours is located on Centennial Campus here at NCSU!

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16
Q

Because __ percent of all declared emergences are weather-related, the NWS maintains two specialized centers

A

80%

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17
Q

Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK

A

Issue severe thunderstorm and tornado watches

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18
Q

National Hurricane Center in Miami, FL

A

Issue hurricane watches and warnings

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19
Q

Measurements of four of these elements (temp., moisture, press. and wind) are collected by balloon-borne instrument packages called:

A

Radiosondes or Rawinsondes

which are launched twice daily at 92 stations in the U.S. (Fig. 1.8b).

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20
Q

Radiosonde data can then be disseminated Nationwide and displayed using a variety of plots and maps including the:

A

synoptic weather map (Fig. 12.5a, Box 12-2).

The word synoptic is derived from the Greek words “syn” which means together and “optikos” which means seen……seen together.

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21
Q

provide hourly information of the elements at a particular location over an extended time period.

A

Meteograms

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22
Q

The ____ experiences more varied and more severe weather than any other nation

A 
United States
(In a typical year we have:
~	100,000 thousand thunderstorms
		10,000 of which are severe
		1,000 of which produce tornadoes)
23
Q

The number one killer in an average year:

A

Heat Waves

24
Q

NWS developed ____ to warn people about heat waves

A

Heat Index

25
Q

The number two killer:

A

Floods

26
Q

The Atmosphere

A

Atmosphere is a thin gaseous envelope

- 99% lies within 30 km (~20 miles) of the earth’s surface
     - Although thin, the atmosphere protects us from harmful ultraviolet (uv) radiation from the sun and space debris
27
Q

The Hydrosphere

A

Water makes Earth unique among all know planets

	- 71% of the surface is covered by oceans, which contain 97% of the Earth’s water (Fig. 1.14).
- Hydrological Cycle (Fig. 1-15)
		- Evaporation, Sublimation, Transpiration
		- Condensation, Deposition, Precipitation
28
Q

Three gases comprise 99.96% of the volume of the dry
(excluding H2O) atmosphere (Fig 1-17, Table 1-2).
- ? 78.08%
- ? 20.95%
- ? 0.93%

A

Nitrogen (N2), Oxygen (O2), Argon (Ar)

  • each of these gases are considered permanent
  • these gases are of little or no direct importance to weather
29
Q

The concentration of some gases, such as Carbon Dioxide or Ozone are so small that we also call these:

A

trace gases

30
Q

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Concentrations

A

0.039% 390 ppm

31
Q

Ozone (O3) Concentrations

A

0.000004% 40.0 ppb

32
Q

Though a trace gas, it presence and variability are important because CO2 is a _____.

A

Greenhouse Gas

33
Q

Greenhouse Gas:

A

a gas that absorbs earth’s (longwave) radiation, and like a “Greenhouse” or blanket, keeps the earth and it’s atmosphere warm (and inhabitable)

34
Q

CO2 concentrations have risen dramatically since the beginning of the industrial revolution as illustrated by the:

A

“Keeling Curve” (Fig. 1.18)

35
Q

Measurements of CO2 recorded at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, since 1958 indicate ~ ____ increase (from 315 ppm to 390 ppm).

A

20%

36
Q

CO2 Levels are Rising

This is attributable to anthropogenic (human-made) activities:

A
  • Burning of fossil fuels (i.e. coal, oil, natural gas) which releases carbon
    • Deforestation
      • decrease in photosynthesis (sink)
      • increase in decay (source)
37
Q

Nearly all scientists now believe that the earth’s atmosphere is warming as a direct consequence of _____.

A

human activities

38
Q

An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded:

A
  • Global temperatures have increased 0.7 degrees C (1.3 degrees F) since 1900 (Fig. 14.14)
  • The first decade of this century was the warmest on record with: 2005, then 2010, then 2014 and now 2015 being warmest year on record.
39
Q

Ozone is a critical gas for all life forms because it is a:

A 
-  photoreceptor of lethal uv solar
   radiation, which prevents it from 
   reaching the surface.
-  greatest concentration is found 
   in the stratosphere, between 10 and 
   50 km, with a peak at 25 km
40
Q

a decrease in concentrations of O3 in the stratosphere due to emissions of:

A

CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons)

41
Q

A very successful international agreement, called the _____ was signed in 1987 which established a timetable for reducing CFC emissions and hence eventual recovery of the O3 layer.

A

Montreal Protocol

42
Q

Air pressure (p) is defined as the:

A

“weight of the atmosphere above a given point”

43
Q

At sea level, the mean air pressure is:

A
  • 14.7 lb in^-2
  • 29.92 inches of mercury (“ Hg)
  • 1013.25 millibars (mbs)
44
Q

Air pressure always ____ with respect to (wrt) height (z) (Fig 1.23)

A

decreases; ∆p/ Δz

45
Q

We can approximate the air pressure (mb) for different heights (km), using the equation
(where z = height in kms):

A

p = 1000 mb x 0.5^ (z / 5.6)

Ex. Mt. Everest at 8.8 km in elevation:
p = 1000 mb x 0.5^(8.8 / 5.6) = 336 mb

46
Q

From the surface to ~ 12 km, the T generally ____ wrt height:

A

decreases; ΔT/Δz

47
Q

The average rate at which the T decreases is called the:

A

“Environmental Lapse Rate”

ΔT/Δz = -6.5ºC/1000 meters

48
Q

Within the troposphere:

A
  • The air is very well mixed.
  • Molecules can circulate through the entire depth within a day or so.
  • Most of what we call “weather” occurs within this region.
49
Q

The depth of the troposphere varies (Fig. 1.26).

A

Lower in polar regions, higher in tropical regions

50
Q

Around 12 km, the Temperature no longer decreases wrt height, and the Lapse Rate becomes ____:

A

zero; ΔT/Δz = 0

- this is called an isothermal layer which means “Equal Temperature”

51
Q

The word “stratus” means stratified, not well mixed.

- within the stratosphere the temperature generally ____ wrt height

A

increases; ΔT/Δz > 0

  • such an increase is called a Temperature Inversion.
52
Q

Inversions ____ vertical mixing, as a result conditions become stratified and air molecules tend to remain within this region for long periods of time.

A

inhibit

53
Q

The source of the “heating” in the stratosphere is:

A

the absorption of the sun’s uv radiation by O3 which as discussed earlier has its max concentration in this area

Intro to Weather and Climate (MEA 130) (9 decks)

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