Final Exam Practice Questions Flashcards
Explain how and why ozone affects the vertical temperature profile of the standard
atmosphere
Ozone absorbs high-energy UV radiation and therefore heats the atmosphere around it. So
where ozone is located, in the upper stratosphere, the air is warmer than it is at the top of the troposphere. This means that stratospheric temperature increases with height, which makes it a very stable layer to convection (warm over cold = light over dense, through the ideal gas law on layer of constant pressure).
It also heats the thermosphere from below, so the thermosphere has a vertical temperature
profile that is fairly similar to that of the troposphere, in which the air is heated from below by the Earth’s surface.
What would happen to terrestrial life if we did not have ozone in our atmosphere?
There would be no terrestrial life on the planet if we did not have ozone in our atmosphere (at least, life as we know it). UV radiation and wavelengths below it are too damaging to
cells.
describe the distinction between weather and climate, both in terms of spatial scale and temporal scale
climate is a long-term (30-yr) average of weather. Weather changes day-to-day and is much more variable than climate. Weather is not as predictable as climate. Weather affects much smaller spatial scales. Although climate can be defined for a specific location, it is more meaningful when applied to larger spatial scales
Why is it impossible on Earth for the Hadley cell to extend all the way to the
poles?
Angular momentum would not be conserved if the Hadley cell extended from
the equator to the poles. In this case, then the Earth’s rotation would have to
slow down to compensate
How does weather differ in the Northern versus Southern hemispheres?
There is more land, particularly in the mid-latitudes in the Northern
hemisphere compared to the Southern hemisphere. Since land and ocean
heat and cool at different rates, weather in the continental Northern
hemisphere can be warmer in the summer and colder in the winter. There is
also more impact from the meeting of air masses formed over land versus
ocean, which can have different temperature and humidity characteristics.
The lack of mountains in the Southern hemisphere also plays a role, as
orthographic lifting can affect precipitation, mountains can act as a barrier
to wind patterns, as well as impact Rossby wave generation.
What is the role of air density in atmospheric circulation?
Air density is very important for vertical movement of air, as less dense air wants to sit over more dense air. The Hadley and Ferrel cells are convectively driven circulation cells, meaning they are driven by differences in air density (which comes from the air being different temperatures)
If you were planning a fishing expedition in the Southern hemisphere, would you
recommend going to the East coast of Australia or the Peruvian coast? Explain
your answer in terms of global wind patterns and ocean movements.
Both locations are in the band of the Hadley cell, with prevailing winds in the
Southeast (trade winds). Since Ekman transport is 90° to the left of the wind
direction, this means that of the coast of Peru there is upwelling, surface water is pulled offshore and deep water can upwell while off the east coast of Australia there is downwelling, as surface waters are pushed into the coast and sink. For this reason, I would recommend going to the Peruvian coast, as upwelling brings nutrients to the surface, leading to more fish.
do winds travel faster for cyclonic or anticyclonic rotation?
anticyclonic
(the top of the wave in a map of pressure contours, not the bottom)
