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GEOG 373 > Final > Flashcards

Final Flashcards

1
Q

why did the airport in China collapse?

A

because of strong winds

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2
Q

Describe a direct and indirect impact of wind

A

Direct: strong wind blowing roof off a building
Indirect: strong wind creating larger shore waves that contribute to coastal erosion.

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3
Q

How is water able to destroy culverts and highways?

A

Once soil has reached saturation, it becomes surface runoff, at 1kg per L, it can become a heavy force of potential and kinetic energy acting on a surface.

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4
Q

what is a load?

A

a load is a force: can have wind loading, rain loading, snow loading…

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5
Q

Why is it a good idea to open your windows when there is a tornado?

A

Depending on where the wind load is acting on the building, low pressure from tornados cause either a positive or negative pressure inside the home causing the walls to collapse.

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6
Q

what is the relationship between wind speed and pressure?

A

exponential

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7
Q

How does wind positively pressurize a structure?

A

Wind blowing against an opening in a structure creates a positive internal pressure and wind blowing against an opposite wall to an opening creates negative internal pressure and suction through the opening.

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8
Q

where is pressure strongest on a wind bearing structure?

A

at its corners (airfoil effect)

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9
Q

what do irregularities in a structure cause when it comes to wind?

A

local eddies. this means rocks on roof can be displaced. Flow around building accelerates around edges, can pull off roofing material, gutters.

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10
Q

types of wind + building interactions:

A
  • Exposure (wind pushing on wall)
  • Internal Pressurization (seen with tornado)
  • Aerodynamic Pressure (air foil example)
  • Topography
  • building height
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11
Q

types of winds

A
  • straight line wind
  • downslope wind
  • thunderstorm
  • downburst
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12
Q

straight line wind reoccurrence interval

A

Design for the 50 year recurrence interval

100 year recurrence for larger buildings

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13
Q

static vs dynamic loading

A

static: structure supporting its own weight
dynamic: for supporting additional weight (patrons)

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14
Q

role of climate change in the relationship between wind and engineering

A

Shifts baseline frequencies and probabilities.
More thunderstorms
More ice storms in eastern states

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15
Q

name the 5 weather parameters that impact wildfire

A
  • wind speed and direction
  • humidity
  • precipitation
  • temperature
  • pressure
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16
Q

how does wind speed + direction impact wildfire

A

○ Enhances spread: spotting via carrying embers to other parts of the
forest
○ More oxygen as fuel for the fire
○ Can dry out an area to enhance its burning effect
○ Direction of wind can determine fate of the fire (if it pushes it to a lake
it’ll be terminal vs into more wooded area)

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17
Q

how does humidity impact forest fires?

A

○ Relative is compared to amount air needs to saturate
○ Absolute is the actual amount of moisture in air
○ if air is really dry it’ll take moisture from other things (skin or
from forest materials) drying

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18
Q

how does precipitation impact wildfire

A

it wets the fuel and can slow the fire

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19
Q

how does temperature impact forest fire

A

○ Impacts dew point, relative humidity. Relative humidity throughout the day decreases because temp rises.
○ RH=e/es x100 (impacts denominator)

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20
Q

how does pressure impact forest fire

A

○ 2nd order effect- can influence wind speed and direction. Don’t need to measure this at the fire site, its over a large scale that will impact the fire large scale.

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21
Q

What does the USA use to forecast fire?

A

uses NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) storm prediction center

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22
Q

what parameters does NOAA storm prediction center measure?

A

-Cloud cover
- Precip type
- Probability of Precip
- Temperature
- Relative humidity
- winds at 20ft (10m * 0.8)
morning
afternoon forecast
8-pt compass used
- Lightning potential
- “Haines Index”

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23
Q

Snow vs rain on fire

A

snow requires more energy to melt to water therefore is more restrictive to fire development

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24
Q

what is Haines Index (HI)

A

an atmospheric index used to indicate the potential for wildfire growth by measuring the stability and dryness of air.
○ HI numbers are computed for 3 different elevations using the following parameters:
HI=stability term A + moisture term B.
Haines Index classifications take values 2 - 6 (2=very low, 6=High)

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25
Q

how does Canada forecast fire?

A

It is a Federal responsibility: Canadian forest service division is now NRCan. All provinces have their own monitoring service.

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26
Q

what is a CL-215

A

a Canadian made water bomber airplane- they are very costly to use at $10’000 an hour in gas.

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27
Q

which fire weather observations are taken in Canada?

A

Daily: Temperature, RH, Wind
24hr: rain
daily = noon values
24hr = added up over the preceding 24hrs

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28
Q

what type of system does canada use for fire weather observations?

A

a grid based system; station values are interpolated and temperature is corrected for elevation.

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29
Q

what is a limitation to using interpolation for fire weather observations?

A

no known value between points. if you have a DTM (digital terrain model) you’d have more information for estimates. adiabatic lapse rates: higher elevation, colder temperatures, dry cools faster than moist.

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30
Q

Name and describe the 3 Fuel Moisture codes

A

FFMC: fine fuel moisture code. uses temp, RH, wind and rain. moisture content of litter.
DMC: Duff moisture code. uses temp, RH, rain. moisture content of moderate depth organics.
DC: drought code. uses temp and rain. moisture content of deep, compact organics.

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31
Q

list the 3 fire behaviour indices

A

ISI: initial spread index.
BUI: build up index. Total amount of available fuel
FWI: fire weather index. numeric rating of fire intensity.

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32
Q

what is ladder fuel?

A

the smaller trees that allow for fire to spread into forest canopy

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33
Q

FWI24 vs FWI34

A

FWI24 starts getting into the crowns

FWI 34 very severe, don’t try to fight these fires, instead try to steer it

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34
Q

fire spreads faster or slower uphill and why?

A

Fire will spread uphill 16x faster than on flat terrain because it heats it up in advance, same when wind is present it will preheat the fuel ahead of it.

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35
Q

5 Northern transportation issues

A
  • Bad weather
  • Low visibility
  • Cold air drainage
  • Ice roads and tundra transport
  • Marine transport and the northwest passage
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36
Q

list the weather elements that cause low visibility

A
  • fog
  • rain
  • snow
  • blowing snow
  • smoke
  • dust
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37
Q

what are the dangers of cold air drainage?

A

black ice

38
Q

what are the benefits of issuing forecasting in northern cities? (example: Alaska)

A

allows for safer hunting and travelling- Indigenous ways of weather forecasting is becoming harder as climate change increases variance in weather. also beneficial to have weather forecasting up north for feedback on its accuracy.

39
Q

what is a berm

A

a berm is the result of ice piling up on shore.

40
Q

how do berms form?

A

Water column needs to fully cool, then crystal form, then grease forms (surface of the water changes with more tension limiting waves) if conditions are right then ice crystals get dumped on shore and pile up and then can freeze solid with a wall of ice on shore- a berm.

41
Q

Pro and Con of ice berms

A

good for stopping storm surge in its tracks, but limits access to smooth frozen sea ice for transport.

42
Q

impact of air temp and surge on berms

A

Low air temp and positive surge= large, wide berms, weak.

No positive surge and no low air temp= moderate 3m height nearshore berms, durable.

43
Q

why did the Russian plane crash

A

from bad weather and rain getting into sensors- plane was designed in a very dry area.

44
Q

how can we measure dust in the atmosphere and where might the dust come from?

A

using atmospheric LiDAR pointing upwards from the ground measuring the difference in two pulse types between ground and sensor in airborne vehicle. Dust can come from the Gobi Desert region. needs winds strong enough to loft dust into atmosphere and traverse great distances.

45
Q

why don’t we build roads in the north?

A
  • freeze thaw can crack and ruin the road
  • imbalance in insulation from snow vs bare road can cause longitudinal cracks from temperature difference.
  • permafrost is hard to penetrate and also have a delicate thermal balance which, if imbalanced, can cause roads to sink.
46
Q

Climate change impacts on marine transport up north

A

Northwest passage and northern route has experienced greater ice melt, resulting in less multi-year ice. However, there is more mobile ice which can be a greater hazard to boats.

47
Q

importance of the Bow and Elbow River in Calgary

A

for urban and agricultural needs of southern Alberta.

48
Q

flood management for the Bow river

A

Dams and Dikes upstream have been put in place, however they are not large enough and too far upstream to stop the large spring or summer floods.

49
Q

what causes Bow river flooding

A

in the summer, large precip. events on snow can cause for high rates of melt and runoff. Ice jams in the spring or from winter chinook winds can cause pile up and block river flow until melt where it then creates a huge volume of water.

50
Q

Impacts from springs

A

springs occur where gravel or bedrock aquifers intersect with the surface, causing huge areas of thick ice which can block bike paths.

51
Q

list 6 uses for the Bow river

A
  • recreational
  • agriculture
  • wildlife habitat
  • municipal water supply
  • industry
  • power generation
52
Q

Describe 7 ways climate change can impact the Bow river

A

snowpack/glacier melt: reduce water supply

forest fires: hotter drier summer leads to more wildfire

agriculture: increased demand for irrigation and more pressure on water availability

extreme weather: more extreme weather such as tornado, hail, heat waves, floods.

river flow: reduced flow meaning less hydro power, less water supply and quality

habitat: warmer waters will stress cold water species such as trout
groundwater: less recharge can mean shallow wells run dry

53
Q

which states does the Colorado River pass through

A
  1. Colorado
  2. Utah
  3. Nevada
  4. California
  5. Arizona
54
Q

which cities depend on the Colorado river

A

Las Vegas, Phoenix and Tuscon. it is also used for power generation and irrigation in the Californian imperial valley

55
Q

which is the most polluted river of its size in the US?

A

the Colorado River- its flow is not natural and consists of agriculture runoff and industrial dumping.

56
Q

environment vs development of Colorado river

A

Delta Smelt fish was deemed a protected species and forced the re-routing of the channel flow to protect it, limiting water access to farmers and causing food prices to rise.

57
Q

impacts of dams on the Colorado RIver

A

reduced the deltas to small wetlands and brackish mudflats. freshwater flows no longer reach the delta either.

58
Q

explain the “water wars”

A

Law of the River took place after 2 decades of record water levels which formed the basis of allocation, meaning that water was distributed as an absolute value higher than what was truly available and became a problem when farmers and increased population put greater demand on water supply.

59
Q

whats happened to lake Mead?

A

only 40% full and getting emptier with decade long drought. even if drought ends climate change is expected to reduce water input by 10-30%.

60
Q

water management options: add to rainfall

A

through cloud seeding- planes drop aerosol to help form droplets.

61
Q

water management option: reduce natural loss

A

remove salt cedar grove and limit evaporation

62
Q

water management option: use alternate sources

A

desalt ocean water, reuse wastewater, ship icebergs from alaska.

63
Q

water management option: add to inflow

A

use water from coal-bed methane production, divert water from other rivers.

64
Q

water management option: store underground

A

create storage banks in arizona and california

65
Q

water management option: reduce outflow

A

reduce powerplant use and store tributary stormwater

66
Q

what is the largest power-outputting hydropower plant in the world ?

A

Three Gorges Dam, Itaipu, Parana River is Second.

67
Q

significance of the Plata basin

A

one of the largest food producers (for cereal, soybeans and livestock) in the world.

68
Q

issues with Parana river

A

increased demand (~5%) and reliance on hydropower makes it even more vulnerable to drought and water shortages.

69
Q

monthly vs seasonal forecast

A

monthly: 30 days
seasonal: 3 months

70
Q

explain the James Bay hydroelectric project

A

series of dams in place for aluminum smelting and power exports. impacts:

  • 4 rivers diverted
  • displaced cree villages, flooded an area the size of Belgium
  • lots of biomercury released from trees going underwater.
71
Q

Ogallala Aquifer- Major Uses

A

agriculture and drinking water. 30% of countries groundwater, drinking water for 80% of habitants

72
Q

Ogallala draw down and recharge determined by?

A

determined by:

  • precipitation
  • winds: stronger winds, more evaporation
  • soil: caliche or carbonate layers can prevent infiltration
73
Q

what is an extreme?

A

anything out of the ordinary

74
Q

issues with monocropping

A
  • depletes nutrients in soil
  • increases risk of pest and disease
  • lowers diversity
75
Q

Nepal subsistence

A

strongly microclimate dependent

76
Q

wind impact on crop health and disease

A

wind can blow diseases and pests across vast areas, for example wheat rust being blown to eastern prairies from westerly winds.

77
Q

what is phenology and how does it relate to species distribution?

A

phenology is the the study of periodic events in biological life cycles and how these are influenced by seasonal and inter-annual variations in climate, as well as habitat factors. As climate changes, seasonal and inter-annual variations in climate change too and can impact the suitability of certain species within an area.

78
Q

help for farmers with threatening climate/pests Canada vs US

A

Canada provides governmental help, usually by each province whereas the US uses extension services provided through schools

79
Q

what is a plant hardiness map?

A

a map that depicts which plants can grow where given its climactic conditions.

80
Q

name an environmental and health concern caused by urban heat islands.

A

environmental: increased demand for air conditioning and electricity use
health: increased mortality in elders from extreme heat.

81
Q

T or F: Heat exposure has caused more deaths than hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes combined?

A

true

82
Q

T or F: lack of night time cooling rather than day time highs are what pose the health risk

A

true

83
Q

impact of sea breeze on temperature?

A

sea breeze results in significantly cooler sites mid-day compared to non sea-breeze sites.

84
Q

when are climate guidelines useful?

A

when accompanied by detailed spatial delineation

85
Q

explain the side by side images viewed in class of Buffalo and Providence

A

first image is a visual light image (as in a picture) taken via MODiS Satellite, second image is surface heat taken in IR or near IR Landsat , third image is developed land and final image is vegetation cover, both from analysis.classification model from the MODiS and Landsat.

86
Q

couldn’t delete

A

:)

87
Q

UCL vs UBL

A

UCL: urban canopy layer. extends from ground to top of buildings/trees, this is where the most intense exchange of momentum, heat and moisture occur.
UBL: urban boundary layer, planetary boundary layer above UCL, impacted by urban area below it.

88
Q

main causes of canopy layer UHI

A

UHI: urban heat island.
From increased downward long-wave radiation in town, decreased long-wave radiation loss, high release of anthropogenic heat, less energy consumption in ET, nighttime release of stored daytime heat

89
Q

urban impact on precipitation

A

the surface roughness and aerosols (CCN) outputted from urban landscapes can increase or enhance convective clouds

90
Q

what are the considerations for using meteorological data from places such as WMO

A

good for macro-scale climate, not mesoscale/local and also doesn’t always have appropriate metadata attached for location, characteristics of location, change over time or instrument used.

91
Q

three types of models that can be applied to urban climate

A
  1. mathematical numerical models
  2. scale models
  3. empirical (statistical) models
92
Q

describe the mathematical model, scale model and empirical model.

A
  • -mathematical: based on equations that reproduce the energetic processes that occur in urban areas and can simulate current and altered climate conditions
  • -scale: good for characterizing the effects of urban features and for validating predictions from mathematical models.
  • -empirical: based on observation

GEOG 373 (1 decks)

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