Transcript Layers of the Atmosphere

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Weather and Climate Power
Point
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Atmospheric Composition
Our “air” is made up of:
78% Nitrogen
21% Oxygen
0-4% Water Vapor
0.93% Argon
.038% Carbon
Dioxide
0.01% Trace Gases
(Carbon dioxide has increased
from 0.028% over the past 150
years)
Our Atmosphere From Space
Layers of the Atmosphere:
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Exosphere- the traditional boundary
between Earth’s atmosphere and outer
space.
Thermosphere: The layer has extremely
low density which causes the
temperature, temp is more than 1000°C.
Last/Outer Layer
of our
Atmosphere
This layer also contains the Aurora from solar wind!
Mesosphere: This layer actually
decreases in temperature.
This is the layer that protects us from meteoroids!
Stratosphere- Here temperature
increases with altitude, especially in the
Ozone Layer. The UV absorption of UV
radiation in the ozone causes the
temperature to rise.
The OZONE layer protects humans from the
extremely dangerous UV waves from the Sun.
Troposphere – The layer we live in. All
weather happens here.
Atmospheric Layers
Surface of Earth
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Air Pressure
• Air Pressure is the weight of the air pressing
down on you.
• Air Pressure and Elevation- As you go higher
in elevation, the air molecules are more
spread out, therefore the air is less dense.
Also, there is less air above you being pulled
down on you by gravity.
• Air pressure and Weather:
Sunny Weather= High Pressure (approx the
weight of a school bus!)
Cloudy/Rainy Weather = Low Pressure (approx
the weight of a Volkswagen beetle)
Why don’t humans crush if we are always
under such extreme pressure?
Air Pressure is measured
with a barometer.
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Heat TransfersThe way heat is exchanged on Earth.
Radiation: The direct transfer of
heat through the air.
Ex: sunlight, heat given off from
a fire or stove
Conduction: The transfer of
heat from one object to another.
Ex: heat from the hot pot to your
hand
Convection: The circulation of
heat through a liquid or gas.
Ex: Convection currents in the
mantle or a boiling pot of water.
Why does warm air rise?
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Cirrus tell that
there will be a
storm in a
couple of days
Fair
sunny
weather
These are the
only vertical
clouds and
are the huge
thunderstorm
and tornado
clouds.
Rain but not
thunderstorms
Flat/Low
overcast
clouds
Dew point is the temperature at which the air can no longer hold
all of its water vapor, and that vapor begins to condense into liquid
water.
Shape
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Precipitation
-Cirrus means
curly or thin.
-Stratus means
layered.
-Cumulus means
lumpy or piled up.
Clouds containing
precipitation will
have the word
Nimb somewhere
in the name.
CLOUD NAMES
Height
-Cirro are clouds
above 6,250 meters.
-Alto clouds are
between 1,875 and
6,250 meters.
-There is no prefix for
clouds below 1,875
meters.
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Cloud Formation- clouds form by tiny water droplets attaching to dust
particles in the sky. Eventually the drops will build up on the dust until it
becomes heavy enough for gravity to pull it to the Earth’s surface as
precipitation.
1. Evaporation fills the air with water vapor (gaseous water)
2. Air rises away from the surface, carrying the moisture upward.
3. As it rises, the temperature drops causing the water vapor to condense into
tiny droplets.
4. Water molecules attach to condensation nuclei (tiny dust particles that cloud
droplets form around).
5. Coalescence - The droplets continue to grow in size as condensation
continues. Most droplets will eventually collide with another droplet,
increasing size.
6. Once they become heavy enough, gravity will pull them to the ground as
precipitation.
Cloud Formation Time Lapse
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Types of Precipitation
A. Rain- liquid precipitation
B. Sleet- frozen ice pellets (less
than 5mm)
C. Freezing Rain- comes down as
a liquid by freezes on contact
leaving a glaze of ice.
D. Snow- frozen, six-sided
crystals.
E. Hail- (only forms in
cumulonimbus clouds) ice
pellets that circulates vertically
in the clouds and forms layers
as it grows bigger.
http://dsc.discovery.com/search/results.html?query=hail
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The Water Cycle
Global Wind Systems:
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Polar Easterlies
Prevailing Westerlies
Northern Trade
Winds
ITCZ Low Pressure
Intertropical
Convergence Zone
Southern Trade Winds
Prevailing Westerlies
Polar Easterlies
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WHY DO THESE WINDS CURVE???
The Coriolis Effect causes global winds and
ocean currents to curve. This is due to the
Earth’s rotation.
**In the northern hemisphere, winds and
currents rotate clockwise.
**In the southern hemisphere, winds and
currents rotate counter-clockwise.
How come an airplane you are travelling
on never travels in a straight line?
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Air Mass- large volume of air
that has characteristics of the
area over which it forms.
A (Arctic)- Extremely cold and
dry, forms over northern
Canada.
cP (Continental Polar) dry
and cold, forms over central
Canada.
mP (Maritime Polar) Cold and
wet, forms over northern
Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
mT (Maritime Tropical) warm
and wet, forms over southern
Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
cT (Continental Tropical)
Warm and dry, forms over
Mexico in the SUMMER
ONLY.
•Types of Air Masses
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Examples of Areas that
have specific Air
Masses
cP- Central Canada, North
Dakota, Siberia
mP- Maine, Northern
Canadian Coast, Washington
and Alaska
mT- Florida, Rainforests,
Northern Australian Coast
cT- Texas, Mexico, Los
Vegas, Arizona
A- Northern Siberia, Arctic
Circle, Northern Canada and
Alaska and Greenland
cP
mP
mT
mT
cT
A
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Fronts- The boundary at the front of an air mass
The front created depends on the characteristics of the air
mass..
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7r.html
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Cumulonimbus Clouds- these are the dangerous
thunderstorm clouds, they are also called thunderheads.
These clouds usually form on a hot and humid day when the
warm air rises quickly
Lightning- is a sudden spark or discharge released from
energy within a cumulonimbus cloud. Lightning can be up to
30,000°C.
Thunder- is the sound of the explosion. Since light travels
so much faster than sound, you always see the lightning
first, than HEAR there explosion within seconds of the
lightning.
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Tornadoes- is a rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that
reaches from the cloud to the Earth’s surface.
Tornadoes usually last less than 15 minutes but within that
time, tornadoes can have winds speeds up to 320 miles per
hour and be up to half a mile wide!
TORNADO FORMATION
TV Warning vs WatchThunderstorm or tornado Warning means that there IS A
STORM or funnel cloud and it is heading your way!
Watch means that there is a very good chance that the
thunderstorm and tornado COULD FORM.
Tornado Safety- safest places are a strong cement basement
or bath tub with a mattress over your body. If in a car, get out!
Get to a bridge overpass or lie in a ditch with your hands over
your head away from any objects that could become
projectile.
Cause for Tornado Alley:
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1. cP Air Mass from the north mixes with the mT from the south. The large
temperature contrasts cause the formation of supercells (extremely powerful
thunderstorms). The rotation begins within the thunderstorm clouds and the
updrafts create a column which increases rotation. The air pressure lowers in
the center causes a violent increase in wind speed.
The Fujita Scale Rates
Tornadoes :
F0-F1 (last 1-10 minutes
and winds up to 45-120
mph)
F2-F3 (last 20 minutes,
winds up to120-220mph)
F4- F5 (Last up to 1 hour,
winds are up to 220340mph)
What is the most violent
season for tornadoes?
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Location of Tornado Alley
HURRICANE FORMATION
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Hurricanes:
Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Formation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Warm air absorbs moisture from the
ocean.
Water Vapor is lifted into the
atmosphere.
As the water vapor rises, the cooler
upper air condenses it into liquid
droplets.
Condensation releases latent heat into
the atmosphere, making the air less
dense.
As the lighter air rises, moist air from the
ocean takes its places creating a wind
current.
Moving air begin the rotate due the
Coriolis Effect (the process curving large
wind and water systems due to the very
fast rotation of the Earth)
Tropical Depression- Some
thunderstorms and winds are 25-40 mph
Tropical Storm- thunderstorm wall
becomes more solid, winds 42-78mph
Hurricane or Cyclone- distinguished
eye with a surrounding eyewall (layers of
thunderstorms that surrounds the eye)
and winds are more than 78 mph.
Hurricane Katrina
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Climate- the average year after year
conditions of temperature, precipitation,
wind, and clouds of an area.
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BIOMES OF EARTH
RAINFOREST
SAVANNA
DESERT
DECIDUOUS
FOREST
GRASSLAND
TAIGA
TUNDRA
ALPINE
Biomes are geographic
areas of land on Earth
that share similar
climates, animals,
plants, and type of soil.
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BIOMES OF EARTH
Rainforest-Tropical Moist Climates (Af) Rainfall is heavy, more than 250 cm. (100
in.),temperatures of 27°C (80°F),Humidity is between 77 and 88%.
savanna-Wet-Dry Tropical Climates (Aw)-there is a very wet season and a very dry season. It
gets a little cooler during this dry season but will become very hot just before the wet season.
desert biome-Dry Tropical Climate (BW) -These desert climates are found in low-latitude deserts
approximately between 18° to 28°This makes for a very dry heat. The dry arid desert is a true
desert climate, and covers 12 % of the Earth's land surface.
Deciduous Forest biome-Moist Continental Climate (Cf) - This climate is in the polar front zone
- the battleground of polar and tropical air masses. Seasonal changes between summer and winter
are very large. Daily temperatures also change often. Abundant precipitation falls throughout the
year.
grasslands biome- Dry Midlatitude Climates (Bs) Annual temperatures range widely. Summers
are warm to hot, but winters are cold. These dry climates are limited to the interiors of North
America and Eurasia.
taiga biome-Boreal forest Climate ( Dfc) -This is a continental climate with long, very cold
winters, and short, cool summers. Very cold air masses from the arctic often move in.
tundra biome-Tundra Climate (E) -Polar and arctic air , The winter season is long and severe, A
short, mild season exists, but not a true summer season
Alpine Biome- Highland Climate (H) Highland climates are cool to cold, found in mountains and
high plateaus. Climates change rapidly on mountains, becoming colder the higher the altitude gets.
The climate of a highland area is closely related to the climate of the surrounding biome
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Biomes According to Bear Grylls
1) Desert Biome
2) Rainforest Biome
3) Grasslands Biome
4) Tundra Biome
5) Alpine Biome
6) Deciduous Biome
7) Taiga Biome
8) Savanna Biome
9) Marine Bioime