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Dynamics > Final Exam Spring > Flashcards

Final Exam Spring Flashcards

1
Q

Scaling analysis for synoptic scale motion outside the planetary boundary layer shows these motions to be approximately in Geostrophic and hydrostatic balance

A

True

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2
Q

Geostrophic balance is a force balance involving the vertical component of the pressure gradient force and gravity

A

False

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3
Q

When using pressure as the vertical component (isobaric conditions), the Geostrophic wind is expressed using the horizontal pressure gradient

A

False

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4
Q

If the thermal wind is 0 (vt =0) then the atmosphere is Barotropic

A

True

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5
Q

Deformation, acting by itself in the horizontal plane, can bring about a change in the shape of an air parcel in the horizontal plane

A

True

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6
Q

The mass flux provides a measure of the amount of mass moving through an area in a given period of time

A

True

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7
Q

Surface Pressure tendency: If there is a net positive divergence (more positive divergence than negative divergence) in the column from the surface to the top of the atmosphere, the surface pressure will increase

A

False

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8
Q

Circulation is a microscopic measure of rotation in a fluid at a single point in space

A

False

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9
Q

Absolute vorticity is the sum of curvature vorticity and shear vorticity

A

False

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10
Q

If the curvature vorticity associated with a flow pattern is greater than zero, streamline curve in a clockwise or anticyclonic sense

A

False

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11
Q

The absolute vorticity equation can have a divergence term, a tilting/twisting term, and a baroclinic/solenoid term appear on the right hand side of the equation

A

True

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12
Q

When scaled for synoptic scale motion, the absolute vorticity equation will only have a divergence term appearing on the right hand side of the equation

A

True

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13
Q

The velocity potential “chi” is used to represent the rotational part of the flow

A

False

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14
Q

Rossby waves are the result of absolute vorticity being conserved following an air parcel

A

True

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15
Q

The perturbation method for solving the governing equations involves approximating all meteorological variables contained in the equations in terms of only their background average value

A

False

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16
Q

Winds in the planetary boundary layer where friction is present tend to be subgeostrophic with the wind blowing across the isobars/height contours towards low pressure

A

True

17
Q

When we look at the concept of stability in the atmosphere, the issue we are concerned with is whether a disturbance will amplify (grow) or damp out (dissipate) with time

A

True

18
Q

The static stability parameter (Sp) we derived in class simply the difference between the dry Adiabatic lapse rate and the saturated (moist) Adiabatic lapse rate

A

False

19
Q

The atmosphere is statically stable when the environmental lapse rate is greater than the dry adiabatic lapse rate

A

False

20
Q

The release of latent heat under saturated conditions allows a statically stable atmosphere to become unstable

A

True

21
Q

Cyclogenesis

A

The formation and/or the strengthening of a low pressure system center at the surface

22
Q

What can cyclogenesis be thought of as

A

Dynamic instability

23
Q

What exists when cyclogenesis is occurring

A

A disruption of geostrophy

24
Q

Stages of formation with CISK

A

Conditional instability-> Initial disturbance -> Latent Heat Release -> Upper- Level Divergence -> surface pressure falls

25
Q

Stages of formation WISHE

A

Conditional instability-> Initial disturbance -> Latent Heat Release -> Upper- Level Divergence -> surface pressure falls -> faster surface winds -> greater surface moisture flux

26
Q

What drives the net divergence tray leads to cyclogenesis in the midlatitudes

A

Baroclinic instability

27
Q

Baroclinic vorticity

A

Thermal advection’s interacting with vorticity effects are the important processes

28
Q

Main regions of cyclogenesis

A

Gulf coast/ east coast cyclogenesis
Lee (or east side) of the Rockies

29
Q

Potential vorticity

A

It’s defined as the absolute vorticity associated with an isolate volume of air bounded top and bottom by isentropic surfaces and is divided by the depth of the volume

30
Q

secondary ageostrophic circulations

A
  1. When the atmosphere deviates from Geostrophic balance and acceleration associated with ageostrophic motion results
  2. Divergence associated with the ageostrophic motion leads to vertical motion producing this
31
Q

How does WISHE modifies CISK theory?

A

WISHE adds sfc. Moisture flux that is proportional to the surface wind speed and the increased surface moisture flow flux destabilizes the atmosphere. The main issue with CISK is that it suggests that tropical cyclones will form over land, the reason for WISHE’s existence

Dynamics (3 decks)

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