G1250 - Exam 1 Flashcards
Exam 1
1
Q
How is time put on prog charts
A
Zulu Time
2
Q
how are station models used
A
to efficiently organize a large amount of observed data on a map
3
Q
what are the numbers next to the station model number
A
temp (F)
Tdewpoint (F)
P (mb)
4
Q
what other data does a station model provide
A
wind (direction and speed)
cloud cover
sig. weather
5
Q
how to decode SLP in mb - if the number is less than 500
A
add “10” before the first number
place “.” before the last number
6
Q
how to decode SLP in mb - if the number is more than 500
A
add “9” before the first number
place “.” before the last number
7
Q
what are isobars
A
lines of equal pressure expressed in millibar’s in 4mb contour intervals
8
Q
what are the two types of pressure systems
A
high and low
9
Q
what are fronts and name the four types
A
boundaries that divide warm and cold air
Cold
Occluded
Warm
Stationary
10
Q
what is a pressure gradient
A
rate of pressure change over a distance
11
Q
what two factors goes into a pressure gradient
A
distance between isobars and relationship with wind speed (inverse)
12
Q
what is dew point depression (DPD)
A
T-Tdewpoint (in F)
approx. measure of RH
13
Q
how is doppler radar expressed
A
base reflectivity mode
14
Q
in base reflectivity mode, energy what
A
scatters
15
Q
what are the two GOES Satellite
A
Vis - reflect
infrared - emit
16
Q
an air mass is
A
either cold or warm, not both
either humid of dry, not both
covers a huge area
17
Q
an air mass source region
A
is extremely large
18
Q
air masses don’t form over the midlatitudes because the midlatitudes are too
A
windy
19
Q
a front
A
is a boundary between 2 different air masses
typically causes warm air to rise
usually leads to clouds and precipitation
20
Q
both cold and warm fronts cause ? air to rise because the ? air is more dense
A
warm, cold
21
Q
Air masses cover
A
very large areas with uniform temp and humidity characteristics
22
Q
name the 5 air masses
A
continental tropical (cT)
maritime tropical (mT)
continental Polar (cP)
maritime Polar (mP)
Arctic (A)
23
Q
air mass source regions are
A
where air masses form
24
Q
where do air masses form
A
very large area
either land or water, not both
either cold or warm, not both
light winds
not mountainous
25
frontal types are always determined by
cold air movements (density)
26
cold fronts
cold air advances
27
warm fronts
cold air retreats
28
stationary fronts
cold air neither advances nor retreats
29
frontal position
ALWAYS extend from lows
NEVER extend from highs
30
when cold air advances on a cold front
warm air is forced to rise by advancing cold/dense air
31
what type of clouds are associated with cold fronts & weather
towering clouds
intense showers, storms along relatively narrow band along and ahead of front
32
when cold air retreats on a warm front
warm air forces to rise up and over retreating cold/dense air
33
what type of clouds are associated with warm & weather
extensive stratiform cloud shield along and ahead of the front / overrunning
large shield of light to moderate steady precipitation along and ahead of the front
34
when cold air neither advances nor retreats
warm air is forces to rise up and over stationary cold/dense air
35
what type of clouds are associated with stationary fronts & weather
cloud signature similar to warm front / overrunning
large shield of light to moderate steady precipitation along and ahead of front
36
which way does air flow in a high pressure system
CW and out (down)
37
why fronts with high pressure
all air swirls out from a single point, its the center
and there's uniform temp and humidity characterizes
38
what is a streamline analysis for high
instantaneous flow of air and air swirls cw and out from the center of a high pressure
39
which was does air flow in a low pressure system
CCW and in (up)
40
why are there fronts with low pressures
all air swirls in toward from a single point
polar air from the north and tropical air from the south converge upon the low center
41
streamline analysis for low
air swirls ccw and in toward the center of low pressure
42
streamlines converge
at the low center and along fronts
43
circulation sectors around a surface low (warm)
east of cold front, south of warm front
44
circulation sectors around a surface low (cold)
north of warm front, west of cold front
45
what is does a metogram measure
the change in wx at a point during 24 hours period
46
what are the big three gases in the atmosphere
nitrogen (N2)
oxygen (O2)
argon (Ar)
47
greenhouse gases are transparent to
incoming energy from the sun
48
greenhouse gases increase concentrations that cause
the climate to warm (greenhouse effect)
49
greenhouse gases include
CO2
CH4
N2O
H20 vapor
50
temperature is the measure of
mechancial energy
51
TE= PE +
KE
52
temperature is which kind of energy
KE (mean)
53
vertical temperature variations are based on
heat source locations
(spheres and pauses)
54
name the layers of the atmosphere, in order
troposphere
tropopause
stratosphere
stratopause
mesosphere
thermosphere
55
which layers of the atmosphere have heat sources
troposphere
stratosphere
thermosphere
56
what is the heat source of the troposphere
the surface
57
what is the heat source of the stratosphere
O3
58
what is the heat source of the thermosphere
ToA
59
is heat a noun or a verb
verb
60
when heating an object, energy is transferred from a
warm object to a cold object
61
how many types of heat are there
3
62
name the three different types of heat
conduction
convection
laten (hidden) heat
63
what is conductive heat
the transfer of energy from a warm to cold THROUGH an object
64
what is convection heat
the transfer of energy by moving a warm object to a cold location
65
what is convection heat driven by
density differences
66
when the sun heats the ground, it is called
radiation
67
when the ground heats the air, it is called
conduction
68
when the warm air rises, it is called
convection
69
when does laten (hidden) heat occur
when water changes phase
70
Solid to vapor, is called
sublimation
71
vapor to solid, is called
deposition
72
energy content of vapor
high
73
energy content of liquid
medium
74
energy content of a solid
low
75
energy absorbed is what process
cooling
76
energy releases is what process
warming
77
the cooling process
melting
evaporation
sublimation
78
the warming process
freezing
condensation
deposition
79
latent heat is the energy that
is required to change the phase of water, at a constant water temperature
80
metrological application of laten heat
atmospheric stability
thunderstorms
81
Evaporation is a cooling process because
the surrounding air cools during the phase change
82
condensation is a warming process because
the surrounding air warms during the phase change
83
in general terms, when water changes phase, the phase change is accompanied by a change in ? temperature
air
84
latent heat is defined to be the energy ?
required to change the phase of water at a constant water temp
85
evaporation is a ? process where latent heat is ? the environment
cooling, absorbed from
86
condensation is a ? process where latent heat is ? the environment
warming, released to
87
pressure is measued with a
barometer
88
how to measure the atmospheric weight
F=ma
89
standard atmosphere
1ATM =
14.7 lbs/in2
29.92 Hg
1013.25mb (950-1050mb)
90
vertical pressure profile is
exponential decrease with height
91
relationship between p+(m/v) and mechanical energy
consider a volume with a constant mass
92
blow off duster is an example of
expansional cooling
93
driving on an overinflated tire is an example of
compressional warming
94
pressure is a measure of atmospheric
weight
95
sea level pressure is almost always between
950-1050mb
96
sea level pressure is typically around
1,000 mb
97
Density is a measure of atmospheric
mass per unit volume
98
both pressure and density ? with increasing height
decrease exponentially
99
expansional cooling occurs when a volume of air expands. at the same time, its potential energy ? and its kinetic energy ?
increase, decreases
100
compressional warming occurs when a volume of air is compressed. at the same time, its potential energy ? and its kinetic energy ?
decreases, increases
101
what are the three types of energy
mechanical energy
electromagnetic energy
conversion from electromagnetic to mechanical via absorption
102
Stefan-Boltzman Law is
energy emitted
E = OT4
103
wavelengths at which energy is emitted is what law
wien's displacement law
104
planck function of the sun
0.5
105
planck function of the earth
10.0
106
the earth system energy balance is at
change in temp = o
107
the top of the energy system is equal to what
342
108
the middle of the earth system is
519
109
the surface of the earth system is
492
110
the enhacned GHE and changing climate
paleoclimate
- tree rings
- ice cores
- mud/silt cores
111
a greenhouse gas ? incoming solar energy and ? outgoing infrared energy from the earth
it transparent to, absorbs
112
the greenhouse effect is the warming of the atmosphere that results from the ? of the earths outgoing infrared energy by the greenhouse gases
absorption
113
increased atmospheric greenhouse concentrations cause both ? and ? to increase
IR energy absorbed by the atmosphere, IR energy emitted by the atmosphere (back radiation)
114
how many types of weather satellite are there
two types
115
name the two types of weather satellites
geosynchronous (GOES) and Polar Orbiting (POES)
116
is GOES stationary or does it move
stationary above the point on the equator
117
advantages of GOES
high resolution
60degrees N- 60 degrees S
118
disadvantages of GOES
high latitudes
119
POES rotates
beneath satellite
120
disadvantages of POES
multiple times in single image
low Latitude
Resolution
120
Advantage of POES
high latitudes
121
what are the three types of satellite sensors
visible (vis) and infrared (IR) and water vapor (VAP)
122
how VIS measures what
reflected vis
123
what's an issue with VIS
no utility at night
124
how is IR measured
emitted IR
125
water vapor mauseres
emitted IR at the highest altitude vapor
126
base reflectivity radar emits
microwave pulse and energy is scattered back to radar
127
national base reflectivity radar intensity is at
0.5 degrees
128
national composite reflectivity radar maximum intensity is between
0.5 and 3.5 degrees
129
motion towards radar waves
compress and increase in frequency
130
motion away from radar waves
stretch and decrease frequency
131
not every tornado produces a
hook echo
132
focus on what mode to id rotation
base velocity
133
doppler radar emits pules of ? energy, that interacts with droplets and crystals in the clouds
microwave
134
when is base reflectivity mode, doppler radar measures the amount of energy that is ? back to the radar
scattered
135
a composite reflectivity radar provides more information than base reflective radar because it
sense through a greater depth of a cloud
136
a tornado can be ID by doppler radar in base reflectivity mode when the reflectivity indicate
a hook echo
137
a tornado can be ID by doppler radar in base velocity mode when velocities indicate ?
a cloud level rotation
138
base reflectivity radar often misses the occurrence of Tornados because not every tornado produces a
a hook echo
139
an air mass
is extremely large
140
an air mass source region
is either land or water, not both
is either warm or cold, not both
is extremely large
has very light winds
141
a front
is a boundary between 2 different air masses
typically causes warm air to rise
usually leads to clouds and precip
142
the movement of a front is always determined by the movement of the ? air because it is ?
cold, more dense
143
a boundary is a cold front when the ?
cold air advances
144
a boundary is a warm front when the ?
cold air retreats
145
overrunning occurs in the vicinity of a ? front when ? air glides up and over retreating ? air along and ahead of the front
cold, warm, cold
146
the wind circulation around a center of high pressure is ?
CW and outward
147
the wind circulation around a center of low pressure is ?
CCW and inward
148
fronts always extend from center of ? pressure because ?
low, air flows inward from all directions to the low center
149
the three most common gases in the dry atmosphere are
argon, oxygen and nitrogen
150
a greenhouse gas ? incoming energy from the sun and ? outgoing energy from the earth
is transparent to, absorbs
151
the only has in the list is not a greenhouse gas
nitrogen
152
temperature is a measure of ?
mean kinetic energy
153
ice melts at a temp of 32 F and ?C
0
154
temp ? with increasing height in the troposphere because ?
decreases, the earths surface is a heat source
155
temp ? with increasing height in the stratosphere because ?
increase, ozone absorbs incoming ultraviolet energy from the sun
156
virtually all of the earths weather takes place in the
troposphere
157
temp is a measure of ?
mean kinetic energy
158
heat is a measure of
energy transfer from a warm to cold object
159
conduction occurs when energy is transferred ?
through an object from warm to cold
160
convection occurs when energy is transferred ?
by moving a warm object to a cold location
161
in general terms, when water changes phase, the phase change is accompanies by a change in ? temperature
air
162
Latent heat is defined to be the energy ?
required to change the phase of water at a constant water temperature
163
Evaporation is a ? process where latent heat is ? the environment.
cooling, absorbed from
164
Condensation is a ? process where latent heat is ? the environment.
warming, released to
165
The Stefan-Boltzmann law tells us that the amount of energy an object emits per unit area depends on the object's ?.
temperature to the 4th power
166
The Sun emits 160,000 times more energy than the Earth (per unit area) because the Sun is ? than the Earth.
20 times hotter
167
168
The Sun emits energy primarily in the ? range while the Earth emits primarily in the ? range.
visible, infrared
169
Wien's displacement law tells us that 𝛌max of the Sun occurs in the ? range while 𝛌max of the Earth occurs in the ? range.
visible, infrared
170
Visible satellite sensors measure the amount of visible light that is ? by Earth and atmosphere.
reflected
171
Infrared satellite sensors measure that amount of infrared energy that is ? by the highest object at a given location.
emitted
172
Water vapor satellite sensors measure that amount of infrared energy that is ? by the top of the vapor layer at a given location.
emitted
