Global and synoptic scale processes - Climatology Flashcards
Weather vs climate
Weather = state of atmosphere at any given time, short-term variability
Climate = long term state of the atmosphere, seasonal variability/long term trends
Processes responsible for vertical motion operate on:
Processes responsible for horizontal motion operate on:
Processes of similar importance operate on:
- Microscale
- Macroscale
- Mesoscale
Atmosphere requires what to operate maintain the processes that operate at spatial and temporal scales
Energy
Energy cannot be
Created nor destroyed (first law of thermodynamics)
How does the Earth recieve energy from the sun (starting point)
By injecting radiative waves of electromagnetic energy into space and therefore into earth
Primary energy source from the sun
Radiation
What would result in the absense of continuous radiation from the sun
Atmospheric motion would cease within days due to friction
What carries energy between sun and earth
Light through a vacuum by means of electromagnetic radiation
How does electromagnetic radiation travel from the sun
In wave-like patterns/oscillations
Wavelengths vary and are ________ to frequency
Inversely proportional
Speed of light equation
Frequency x wavelength = speed of light
f x λ = c
Speed of light =
3 x 10^8 m/s
Absolute zero =
-273.15 degrees or 0 K
What objects emit electromagnetic radiation
Anything above absolute zero
Suns exterior temperature =
6000 k
Blackbody
An object that absorbs radiation that strikes from it and emits radiation at a max rate for its given temperature e.g the sun
The amount of energy emitted by an object is a function of its
Temperature
Equation that describes the thermal intensity of radiation from an object
Stefan-Boltzmann law
Stefan-Boltzmann law
Energy = emmissivity of the object x Stefan Boltzmann constant (5.67x10^-8) x temperature^4
Equation used to calculate maximum wavelength
Wiens law
Wiens law
λmax = 2897/temperature
Suns dominant wavelength
0.48 um
Primary constituents in the atmosphere
Nitrogen (78%) Oxygen (21%)
Which segment of the atmosphere has over 80% of the air
Troposphere