Module 1 Flashcards
The six steps to create a histogram
- Identify range in data
- Divide range into a set of equally spaced intervals
- Number the intervals
- Determine which interval each data point belongs in
- Add up total number of data points in each interval
- Plot the counts vs interval
Probability Density Function (PDF)
Graph of probability densities which gives an idea about probability of occurrence in each bin
Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF)
Gives cumulative sum of probability for all occurrences less than some value
Mean
Average of data
Median
Middle value which splits data into 2
Mode
Most common value
Bimodal
When a PDF has two modes
Standard deviation
Measure of variations in the data about the mean
A normal distribution shows…
The mean and standard deviation
In a normal distribution, the mean, median and mode are…
All equal
Probability describes the likelihood of an event occurring between the numbers…
0 and 1
Many phenomena in the natural world shows…
Random behavior
Natural Random Processes are also known as…
Brownian motion
Probability density
Probability per unit distance along the x-axis of a histogram
The total probability of a PDF must be…
1
How to convert a histogram to a PDF
Divide the frequency of points by (the total number of points times the bin width)
The difference between a PDF and a histogram
The y-axis
PDF measures probability density while histogram measures frequency
The 3 ways the atmosphere and ocean are heated
Electromagnetic radiation, convection, and conduction
Layers of the atmosphere (top to bottom)
Thermosphere (mesopause) Mesosphere (stratopause) Stratosphere (tropopause) Troposphere
Geostrophic wind
When the Coriolous Force and Pressure Gradient Force are equal and opposite
How can data be represented?
A time series
A histogram
A probability density function
A cumulative probability distribution function
The extreme events of data are found here on a PDF
The tails
What is the thermosphere heated by?
Absorption of high energy solar radiation
What is the stratosphere heated by?
UV radiation absorption by stratospheric ozone
What is the troposphere heated by?
From below by emission of infrared radiation emitted by the earth surface
Conduction
Transfer of heat from molecule to molecule as a result of molecular collisions
Convection
Transfer of heat by mass movement of fluid
Radiative Equilibrium
Net radiation absorbed = Net radiation emitted
Pressure Gradient Force
A force associated with changes from high to low pressure
Wind moves in what direction in the Northern Hemisphere?
Right of the Coriolis Force
Wind moves in what direction in the Southern Hemisphere?
Left of the Coriolis Force
Random Numbers are…
Inherently unpredictable and described by a probability density function
Time series
Evaluating patterns over time
The standard deviation is the square root of…
Variance
A normal distribution is determined by…
The mean and standard deviation
The primary greenhouse gases (hint: there are 7)
Water vapor, Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Ozone, Freon-11, Freon-12
Greenhouse Effect
Absorption of infrared radiation by greenhouse gases found in atmosphere
Three cell structure of atmosphere
Hadley cells, Ferrel cells, and polar cells
Hadley cells are found in…
The tropics and subtropics
Ferrel cells are found…
Between subtropical and the subpolar latitudes
Polar cells are found…
Poleward of subpolar latitudes
Coriolis Force
A consequence of observing the motion of the atmosphere on the rotating earth
The strength of winds is proportional to…
The isobars
Closely spaced isobars result in…
Strong winds
Widely spaced isobars result in…
Weak winds
