Term
| Where is the surplus energy from the Earth's surface radiated out of? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the circulation of the atmosphere driven by? |
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Definition
| Latitudinal temp. gradient. Oceans and atm combine to move excess heat poleward. |
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Term
| What is the pressure gradient force? |
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Definition
| push as the air moves from high pressure to low pressure. |
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Term
| What 3 factors control winds? |
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Definition
| The PGF, Coriolis Effect/Acceleration, friction |
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Term
| Why do the upper westerlies exist? |
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Definition
| unequal heating of the earth causes a latitudinal temp. gradient, causes pressure surfaces to slope poleward. |
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Term
| What is the circumpolar vortex? |
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Definition
| upper level flow is geostrophic (westerly), meanders in Rosby Waves, can be zonal/azonal, with ridges and troughs |
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Term
| What does Azonal refer to? |
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Definition
| meridional flow, N-S, meanders |
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Term
| What does Zonal refer to? |
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Definition
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Term
| The upper air pattern most conductive to cyclone development is ______ because this pattern creates large variations in absolute vorticity. |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What are some characteristics of the Polar Front Jet Stream/Upper Level Westerly? |
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Definition
| surface goes from warm to cold quickly. slope drops quickly, fast geostrophic winds. |
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Term
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Definition
| Spin or rotation of air parcel around local vertical |
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Term
| What is relative vorticity and what is it determined by? |
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Definition
| local rotation that can be + or -. curvature or shear. |
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Term
| Where is relative vorticity + and - |
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Definition
| + in troughs, - in ridges. |
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Term
| How is area affected by vorticity increasing and decreasing? |
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Definition
as vorticity increases, area decreases.
vorticity decreases, area increases |
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Term
| What is divergence of air masses? |
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Definition
| air moving out of a slow area into a fast one. |
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Term
| what are the characteristics of a high pressure anticyclone? |
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Definition
| warming air, no clouds, mid-level inversion, warm clear weather. |
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Term
| what are the characteristics of a cyclone? |
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Definition
| low pressure, adiabatic cooling, storms, clouds |
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Term
| what does upper level divergence create? |
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Definition
| air pushed downwards, surface divergence, anticyclone |
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Term
| what does upper level divergence create? |
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Definition
| decreasing area vorticity, upper level divergence pulls air up. |
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Term
| Where does absolute vorticity tend to be conserved? |
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Definition
| in the air parcel, short time scales, |
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Term
| Where do both earth and absolute vorticity increase in the rosby waves? |
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Definition
| poleward. There is a decrease in relative vorticity in order for the waves to remain constant |
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Term
| How does a mountain range impact air masses? |
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Definition
| -air mass forced up, squeezed into smaller depth column. relative vorticity decreases, must curve to the clockwise direction. Once it moves over the mountain, air mass spreads out, depth increases, RV must increase. curve straightens, heads up to high lat to conserve RV, trough forms downwind of mtn range |
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Term
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Definition
| a large homogenous segment of the atm, that is near uniform in terms of stability, temp and humidity |
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Term
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Definition
| an area that gives its characteristics to the air mass. Flat, uniform region. Anticyclonic conditions predominate. (descending divergent air, promotes contact with the surface. low winds.) |
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Term
| an air mass moving over a warm area becomes ____ while an air mass moving over a cool area becomes _____ |
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Definition
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Term
| What air mass characteristics get modified by the land surface below as the air mass moves over it? |
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Definition
| temp, moisture, stability. |
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Term
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Definition
| boundary zone between air masses. named by which is pushing the other out of the way. less dense air mass is shoveled up and lifted. weather produced. |
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Term
| What are 4 things a front can produce? |
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Definition
| convection, temperature/humidity changes and wind shifts |
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Term
| What causes an onshore flow in coastal areas? |
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Definition
| warming of the land during the day produces thermal L over the land. cooler marine air is at H pressure. air flow from H to L pressure starts |
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