exam 1

Question 1

Is the global energy budget in balance?

Answer 1

no

Question 2

Hadley Cell

Answer 2

low altitude overturning circulation caused by intense sun @ equator

Question 3

Uplift

Answer 3

warm air moves up, forms clouds

Question 4

Subsidence

Answer 4

air cools, sinks

Question 5

Ferrell cells

Answer 5

forms from Hadley cells, sinking air (subsidence) and rising air @ polar front

Question 6

Polar cells

Answer 6

caused by subsidence @ poles (high pressure), smallest and weakest cell

Question 7

Coriolis effect

Answer 7

causes apparent deflection in wind caused by Earth’s rotation
-Right in N hemisphere, left in S hemisphere
-Only acts on objects moving at large scale
-Weakest @ equator

Question 8

he intertropical convergence zone represents the position of uplift in Hadley cells. Do we expect the ITCZ to shift across seasons, if so how?

Answer 8

Yes, it does shift. ITCZ moves north during northern summers and vice versa

Question 9

Inter tropical convergence zone (ITCZ)

Answer 9

-Belt of low pressure, captures position of uplift in Hadley cells & convergence of trade winds
-Positions change across seasons
-Can be seen from satellites!
-Further south in January vs July

Question 10

Jet streams

Answer 10

-bands of high altitude wind driven by pressure gradients (set up by solar radiation/Coriolis effect)
-Forms at intersection between atmospheric cells
-Air always moves from high → low pressure and that can set up broad patterns of wind

Question 11

Polar “wobble

Answer 11

-Stable polar vortex maintained by a strong polar jet stream, strong polar jet stream maintained by strong temp difference between warm lats/polar region & rotation
-Weakening temp difference can cause a “wobbly” polar vortex

Question 12

Are the oceans or land more variable in temperature?

Answer 12

land. Takes less energy to heat up land vs water

Question 13

What other factors influence climate?

Answer 13

-Elevation - higher elevation, lower temperature (Himalayas)
-Albedo effect (Antarctica)
-Latitude
-Rain shadow effect (Andes Mountains)
-Ocean currents (influence of the gulf stream)

Question 14

Upwelling currents

Answer 14

-Wind driven circulation of deep water to surface
-Driven by Ekman transport: wind + –Coriolis, results in 90° net movement of water (to the right in N hemisphere, left in S hemisphere)
-Water movement offshore causes deep water to rise

Question 15

Why does ice melt faster in freshwater?

Answer 15

Meltwater at the top of the salt water jar stays cold while salt water stays warm, entirety of the fresh water jar is warm

Question 16

What is the relationship between temperature and salinity?

Answer 16

-Cold water is denser than warm
-Salinity between salt water/freshwater overrides differences in temperature