Climate and the Structure of the Atmosphere Flashcards
What generates the climate at the Earth’s surface?
Weather and climate are generated by various movements of energy and mass in space.
What drives movements in the Earth’s energy budget?
Movements driven by imbalances in Earth’s energy budget.
How does insolation vary across the Earth’s surface?
Insolation varies due to the curvature of the Earth, leading to different amounts of sunlight reaching the surface.
Why is solar energy absorbed differently at the equator and poles?
The equator receives more intense solar energy, while energy absorbed is about 40% less intense near the poles.
What is the net energy balance at low latitudes?
The net energy balance is positive at low latitudes.
What is the net energy balance at high latitudes?
The net energy balance is negative at high latitudes.
What drives the climate system?
The movement of heat from low latitudes to high latitudes offsets energy imbalances and drives the climate system.
What does the Ideal Gas Law relate to?
The Ideal Gas Law relates the number of molecules per volume of gas to temperature and pressure.
How does humidity affect air density?
Humid air is lighter than dry air because H2O molecules replace N2 molecules in the air.
What is the relationship between temperature and air density?
Temperature is inversely related to air density; as temperature increases, density decreases.
What happens to a parcel of air when it rises?
As a parcel of air rises, the pressure decreases, causing it to expand and cool.
What is adiabatic cooling?
Adiabatic cooling occurs when a parcel of air expands and loses energy without exchanging heat with its surroundings.
What is the dry adiabatic lapse rate?
The dry adiabatic lapse rate is the rate at which the temperature of rising dry air decreases with elevation.
How does warm, humid air affect climate?
Warm, humid air rises, causing adiabatic cooling and condensation, which fuels precipitation.
What is latent heat?
Latent heat is the heat stored in water vapor that is released during condensation.
What role does water vapor play in the climate system?
Water vapor acts as an engine for the climate, affecting temperature and weather patterns.
What structures are part of the atmosphere?
The atmosphere includes features like the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), Hadley Cell, and Ferrel Cell.
What causes the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) to form?
The ITCZ forms due to low pressure resulting from convection that fuels frequent precipitation.
Where is the ITCZ generally located?
The ITCZ is usually located near the equator where solar radiation imbalance is greatest.
What is the Hadley Cell?
The Hadley Cell is formed by rising air due to surface heating that moves poleward.
What causes the Polar Cell to form?
The Polar Cell is formed by sinking air due to surface cooling in the polar regions.
What is the Ferrel Cell’s response to the motion of the other two cells?
The Ferrel Cell responds to the motion of the Hadley and Polar cells.
What are fronts in climatology?
Fronts are boundaries between different air masses that influence latitudinal climate patterns.
What occurs at the ITCZ?
At the ITCZ, rising warm, humid air expands and cools, causing precipitation.
What are the Doldrums?
The Doldrums are areas of minimal horizontal surface winds near the equator.
What are the Trade Winds?
Trade Winds are steady winds that replace rising surface air in the tropics.
What happens at the Subtropical Front?
The Subtropical Front is where sinking cool air compresses and warms, creating high pressure.
How does the Coriolis Effect influence wind direction?
The Coriolis Effect causes winds in the Northern Hemisphere to deflect right and in the Southern Hemisphere to deflect left.
How are winds named?
Winds are named based on their direction of origin, e.g., westerly winds come from the west.
What is the role of the Polar Jet?
The Polar Jet reinforces the boundary between polar and Ferrel cell air, exacerbating lift and creating low pressure areas.
What occurs during the formation of extratropical cyclones?
Warmer, wetter air overrides colder, drier air, leading to adiabatic cooling and condensation, which forms low pressure areas.
How do extratropical cyclones affect North Atlantic weather?
Extratropical cyclones provide periodic rain events and influence seasonal weather patterns near the polar front.
What effect does the location of the polar front have throughout the year?
The location of the polar front varies with the seasons, affecting large areas of the Earth.
What is the main driver of the Earth’s climate system?
The main driver is the interaction of solar energy with the atmosphere and ocean currents.
How does rising air cause precipitation in the ITCZ?
Rising warm air expands, cools, and condenses, leading to precipitation due to the low pressure area.
What happens to warm humid air when it encounters cold air?
Warm humid air lifts over cold air, causing condensation and releasing latent heat, reinforcing the upward motion.
What is the role of adiabatic cooling in weather events?
Adiabatic cooling plays a critical role in cloud formation, precipitation, and storm development.
What results from the mixing of warm and cold air masses?
Mixing of warm and cold air masses can lead to weather fronts and storm systems.
What geographic features can influence climate patterns?
Features like oceans, deserts, and mountains can significantly influence local and regional climates.
What conditions are typically found in desert regions?
Desert regions are often characterized by sinking cool air and high pressure, resulting in low humidity.
How do tropical rainforests relate to the ITCZ?
Tropical rainforests coincide with the ITCZ, benefiting from the frequent precipitation generated by rising warm air.
What drives the movement of air in the atmosphere?
The movement of air is primarily driven by temperature differences and pressure gradients in the atmosphere.
What is the significance of the Tropopause in the atmosphere?
The Tropopause marks the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere, influencing weather patterns.
How does climate vary with altitude?
Climate typically changes with altitude, as temperature decreases with higher elevation due to adiabatic cooling.
What is the relationship between evaporation and humidity?
Evaporation increases humidity by adding water vapor to the air, which can subsequently condense.
