Introduction

Question 1

what is tropical meteorology?

Answer 1

study of tropical atmosphere and weather (systems)

Question 2

Tropical weather systems:

Answer 2

1. tropical cyclones
2. thunderstorms and squall lines
3. tropical easterly waves
4. easterly jet streams
5. el nino and southern oscillation (ENSO: coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenas)
6. Dust storms
7. Moonsoon: reversal in seasonal wind
8. Trade wind Inversion (Increasing temperature with height)
9. Madden - Julian oscillations

Question 3

types of tropics definitions

Answer 3

1. geographical (simple explenation)
2. cliamtological
3. energy balance
4. climatological
5. meteorological tropics

Question 4

Geographical definition (simple explenation)

Answer 4

the zone within which the sun is directly overhead at sometime during the year 23.5 N & S

(the tropics recieve more energy and supply energy to the extratropics)

Question 5

climatological definition (2)

Answer 5

devide the globe into two halves: tropics and extratropics

(includes all the climatic zones that can be regarded as tropical)

30^o

Question 6

what is the difference between the climatological definition (2) and the geographical definition

Answer 6

according to the first definition the UAE is 1/2 tropics and 1/2 extra tropics but according to the second definition the UAE is tropics

(UAE: 22^o50’ and 26^o)

Question 7

energy balance definition:

Answer 7

regions of surplus energy (35 s- 40 s and 35 n - 40 n)

energy balance = incoming solar radiation - outgoing terrestrial radiation
if +ve –> surplus and if -ve –> deficit

Question 8

terrestrial definition depends on

Answer 8

the temperature of the emitting surface

Question 9

why is the solar radiation more in the tropics

Answer 9

because the distance between the area and the source of radiation is short and

because of the spherical shape of the earth

slanting

Question 10

what happens to the surplus?

Answer 10

the surplus is transported to regions of dificit due to circulation (atmospheric & oceanic circulation)

Question 11

clatological definition (4)

Answer 11

area within ehich the diagonal temperature change is greater than the range of annual mean temperature

Question 12

meteorological tropics definition

Answer 12

the region between easterlu and westerly wind regions,

Question 13

compare the definitions

Answer 13

definition 1 and 2 are fixed while 3,4 and 5 depend on the seasons