Circulation Systems Flashcards
In what type of orbit does earth take around the sun?
elliptical
What does perihelion mean? When is it?
Details when the earth is closest to the sun - 3rd January
What does Aphelion mean? When is it?
Details when the earth is the furthest away from the sun - 3rd June
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
Conservation of energy
What is entropy?
Unavailability of heat energy for conversion
What is the second law of thermodynamics?
Entropy increases with time, becoming more disordered
What medium does radiation require?
It doesn’t require a medium!
What is albedo?
The measure of the reflecting power of a surface expressed as a percentage of incoming radiation
When is radiant energy the greatest?
Temperature is high, Wavelengths are short
What are the two influxes contributing to full energy balance?
Sensible and latent heat
What type of radiation does earth emit?
Infrared radiation
What radioactive waves are visible?
Short wave
What is earth’s albedo?
30%
What has the greatest albedo reflection?
snow
What is emissivity? What has the greatest emissivity?
How effectively a surface emits infrared radiation. Rainforests
Where does diffuse radiation come from?
Clouds
Where does temperature fluctuate alot?
Continental areas
What does cyclonic weather systems mean?
Circulation systems that rotate in the same way - NZ is clockwise
In what direction do weather systems move over the tropics?
To the west
What is an orographic enhancement?
Placement. Depends on the area. Eg. West coast rains more than the east coast does for a reason.
What is low-level flow influenced by?
Mountains
What is a mesoscale circulation?
Small scale circulation systems
What type of air is associated with higher pressure systems?
Denser air
What type of winds are associated with lower pressure systems?
Stronger winds
Where does air converge?
Up high where the atmosphere is cooler
Where does air diverge?
Down low in warmer, dryer conditions
Close isobars are associated with what strength in wind?
Strong wind
What is the Coriolis force affected by?
Sign of the latitude
What is the Coriolis force proportional to?
Velocity, rotation rate
Why does the Coriolis force arise?
Due to rotation
What is the centrifugal force and what does it affect?
Acts radially and has a component affecting the speed
Why does air spiral into a cyclone?
Because it moves from high to low pressure
What is the trade wind?
It is equatorward, easterly winds
What is the jet stream?
Arise in high-pressure gradient regions
What is cyclogenesis?
When upper-level divergence exceeds low-level convergence.fall in surface pressure and ascending air
What is anticyclogenesis?
When strong upper-level convergence is greater than weaker lower level divergence. Causing high pressure and subsiding air
What are frontal depressions?
Waves along a polar front
