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GEOG 3010 > FINAL!! > Flashcards

FINAL!! Flashcards

1
Q

POLAR FRONT THEORY PHASE 1: STATIONARY FRONT

A
  • prior to the development of a midlatitude cyclone, a stationary front will exist at the surface (no low pressure yet)
  • winds of either side of the front will blow in opposite directions
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2
Q

POLAR FRONT THEORY PHASE 2: FRONTAL WAVE

A
  • winds blowing in opposite directions trigger a ‘kink’ in the isobars
  • surface pressure begins to fall
  • surface low forms at the ‘kink’
  • rotation around the low spurs the development of a cold and warm front
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3
Q

POLAR FRONT THEORY PHASE 3: OPEN WAVE

A
  • cold air advection and warm air advection strengthen
  • cold front becomes oriented from NE to SW
  • surface pressure falls
  • defined warm sector exists
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4
Q

POLAR FRONT THEORY PHASE 4: MATURE

A
  • distinct cold and warm fronts still exist
  • cold front becomes oriented from N to S and nearly intersects warm front
  • surface pressure continues to fall
  • warm sector shrinks
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5
Q

POLAR FRONT THEORY PHASE 5: OCCULUSION OR ADVANCED OCCLUSION

A
  • cold front now intersects the warm front
  • occlusion front forms
  • low has reached maximum intensity
  • warm sector is now removed from surface low
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6
Q

POLAR FRONT THEORY PHASE 6: CUT-OFF CYCLONE OR DECAY STAGE

A
  • surface low is totally removed from any temperature gradient
  • low spins and fills (pressure increases) in the cold air
  • residual stationary front is left to the SE
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7
Q

what is cyclogenesis and cyclolysis?
what are common regions of cyclogenesis in the U.S.?
what is meant by explosive cyclogenesis (i.e., ‘bombs’)

A
  • cyclogenesis: development of cyclones
  • cyclists: weakening or terminating of a cyclonic circulation in the atmosphere
  • Alberta Clipper, Colorado Low, Nor’easters, Hatteras Low
  • “bomb” = cyclones whose pressure drops 24mb in 24 hours
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8
Q

how do dynamic low and high pressure systems differ?

A
  • dynamic low = intensity with height
  • higher pressure at its center than the areas around it
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9
Q

what is divergence, and what two types of divergence (convergence) are there?

A
  • stronger wind moves away from a weaker wind or when air streams move in opposite directions
  • ?
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10
Q

what is meant by a baroclinic and barotropic atmosphere?
does a barotropic or baroclinic atmosphere favor the strengthening of a midlatitude cyclone and its fronts?

A
  • barotropic: no temperature advection
  • baroclinic: strong temperature advection
  • needs baroclinic instability for midlatitude cyclone
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11
Q

what role does the jet stream play in cyclone development?

A

jet stream linked to the frontogenesis process in midlatitudes, as the acceleration/deceleration of the air flow induces areas of low/high pressure

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12
Q

what is vorticity, and how to absolute and relative vorticity differ?

A
  • vorticity: measure of the spin of air parcels
  • absolute relativity: sum total of planetary, curvature, and shear vorticities
  • relative vorticity: rotation of an object based upon its location in an air current
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13
Q

how does vorticity strengthen a developing low pressure center?

A

divergence aloft causes an increase in the cyclonic vorticity of surface cyclones

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14
Q

what are the three main types of thunderstorms?

A
  • air mass (ordinary cell) storms
  • multi-cell storm
  • supercell storm
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15
Q

ordinary cell storm?

A
  • little to no vertical wind speed shear
  • last an hour or less, rarely severe weather
  • precipitation enhances entrainment, leads to the formation of the downdraft
  • gust front: where the cold downdraft reaches the surface and spreads out
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16
Q

multi-cell storm?

A
  • t-storms that contain a number of convection cells
  • moderate to strong vertical wind shear
  • can last for several hours and become severe
17
Q

supercell storm?

A
  • large, long-lasting thunderstorm with a single rotating draft
  • strong vertical wind shear (directional and speed)
  • outflow never undercuts updraft
  • mesocyclone: column of rotating air
  • wall cloud: cloud that forms at the base, often will rotate along with mesocyclone
18
Q

what are downbursts and straight line winds? How do they differ?

A

downbursts: intense downdrafts which hit the surface and spread radially
straight line winds: thunderstorm winds that have no rotation

19
Q

what are squall lines and mesoscale convective complexes, and what type of thunderstorm do they occur with?

A

squall lines: line of multi-cell thunderstorms
mesoscale convective complexes: cluster of individual multi-cell thunderstorms grow in size and organize into a large circular convective weather system
- OCCUR W MULTI-CELL STORMS

20
Q

how are tornadoes defined, and how do they differ from funnel clouds?

A
  • tornado: rapidly rotating column of air, blows around a small area of intense low pressure, circulation reaches the ground
  • funnel cloud: rotation not in contact with the ground
21
Q

how does the (enhanced) Fujita scale classify tornado intensity?

A

based upon damage by storm

22
Q

what are the basic requirements for tornadic formation?

A

instability - warm moist air near the ground, with cooler dry air aloft and wind shear - a change in wind speed and/or direction with height

23
Q

what is a hurricane?

A

tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls

24
Q

what conditions are necessary for hurricane development and maintenance?

A
  • deep layer of high humidity (up to tropopause ideal)
  • light winds with little to no shear
  • a trigger mechanism to start up drift
25
Q

what features lead to hurricane dissipation?

A
  • cold water, land
  • friction slows system down over land
  • warm ocean waters aren’t deep (winds up well cold ocean waters)
  • wind shear disperses too much sensible and latent heat
26
Q

do hurricanes favor barotropic or baroclinic environments?

A

barotropic

27
Q

what role do latent and sensible heat play in a hurricane?

A
  • transfer of sensible and latent heat to atmosphere serves as fuel to maintain hurricane
28
Q

what are the stages of hurricane development, and what wind speeds are necessary to move between the stages?

A

1) tropical disturbance
2) tropical depression (22-34kts, 25-38 mph)
3) tropical storm (35-64kts, 39-73mph)
4) hurricane (≥65kts, 74mph)

29
Q

how does the Saffir-Simpson scale classify hurricane intensity?

A

by wind speed and likely storm surge damage

30
Q

how do hurricane watches and warnings differ from other severe weather watches?

A

watch: potential hurricane
warning: hurricane expected

31
Q

what is the difference between climate variability and climate change?

A
  • variability: natural ups and downs in climate
  • change: a shift to a new climate regime
32
Q

–what is the uniqueness of the last century in terms of temperature variations?

A

-

33
Q

–what types of external mechanisms could be anthropogenic, and which could be natural?

A

-

34
Q

positive and negative feedback mechanism that could lead to or suppress climate changes?

A
  • positives: (+) water vapor-greenhouse gas feedback, (+) snow-albedo feedback
  • negative: (-) infrared radiation
35
Q

–what are the three Milankovitch cycles (by name and function), and how do they affect climate over the last million years (ice ages, etc.)

A

-

36
Q

what is meant by the direct and indirect aerosol effect on climate?
do these processes warm or cool the Earth?

A
  • direct aerosol: aerosols in the troposphere (sulfate) may cause cooling due to reflection and scattering of radiation
  • indirect aerosol: aerosols serve as condensation nuclei, supporting more clouds
  • they cool
37
Q

how do sunspots change climate, and what is the frequency of their cycles?

A
  • sunspots cause more radiation to be generated by the sun
  • 11-year cycle in number of sunspots
38
Q

–from the TopHat lecture, be able to write an essay about what the anthropogenic argument is, how we know human activity is the main mechanism for ongoing change, and what greenhouse enhancement is. Be also able to talk about the natural cause argument and 1 piece of evidence that may support this argument in some (limited) way

A

GEOG 3010 (12 decks)

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