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unit 4 meteorology

TermDefinition
Ozone a colorless unstable toxic gas with a pungent odor and powerful oxidizing properties, formed from oxygen by electrical discharges or ultraviolet light. It differs from normal oxygen (O2) in having three atoms in its molecule (O3).
Troposphere the lowest region of the atmosphere, extending from the earth's surface to a height of about 3.7–6.2 miles (6–10 km), which is the lower boundary of the stratosphere.
Stratosphere the layer of the earth's atmosphere above the troposphere, extending to about 32 miles (50 km) above the earth's surface (the lower boundary of the mesosphere).
Mesosphere the region of the earth's atmosphere above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere, between about 30 and 50 miles (50 and 80 km) in altitude.
Thermosphere the region of the atmosphere above the mesosphere and below the height at which the atmosphere ceases to have the properties of a continuous medium. The thermosphere is characterized throughout by an increase in temperature with height.
Conduction the process by which heat or electricity is directly transmitted through a substance when there is a difference of temperature or of electrical potential between adjoining regions, without movement of the material.
Radiation the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially high-energy particles that cause ionization.
Reflection the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it.
Scattering the process in which electromagnetic radiation or particles are deflected or diffused.
Greenhouse Effect the trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface.
Albedo the proportion of the incident light or radiation that is reflected by a surface, typically that of a planet or moon.
Isotherms a curve on a diagram joining points representing states or conditions of equal temperature.
Precipitation the action or process of precipitating a substance from a solution.
Latent Heat the heat required to convert a solid into a liquid or vapor, or a liquid into a vapor, without change of temperature.
Evaporation Evaporation is the process of a substance in a liquid state changing to a gaseous state due to an increase in temperature and/or pressure.
Condensation the conversion of a vapor or gas to a liquid.
Sublimation is a chemical process where a solid turns into a gas without going through a liquid stage. An example of sublimiation is when ice cubes shrink in the freezer.
Humidity a quantity representing the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere or a gas.
Saturated (of an organic molecule) containing the greatest possible number of hydrogen atoms, and so having no carbon–carbon double or triple bonds.
Dew Point the atmospheric temperature (varying according to pressure and humidity) below which water droplets begin to condense and dew can form.
Hygrometer/Psychrometer an instrument for measuring the humidity of the air or a gas.
Weather Front A weather front is a boundary separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of meteorological phenomena.
Condensation Nuclei small particles typically 0.2 µm, or 1/100th the size of a cloud droplet on which water vapour condenses.
Cirrus cloud forming wispy filamentous tufted streaks (“mare's tails”) at high altitude, usually 16,500–45,000 feet (5–13 km).
Cumulus a cloud forming rounded masses heaped on each other above a flat base at fairly low altitude.
Stratus cloud forming a continuous horizontal gray sheet, often with rain or snow.
Supersaturated increase the concentration of (a solution) beyond saturation point.
Air pressure pressure exerted by air: a : atmospheric pressure. b : the pressure within a container due to the compression of atmospheric gases
Barometer an instrument measuring atmospheric pressure, used especially in forecasting the weather and determining altitude.
Pressure Gradient a physical quantity that describes which direction and at what rate the pressure changes the most rapidly around a particular location.
Jet Stream a narrow, variable band of very strong, predominantly westerly air currents encircling the globe several miles above the earth. There are typically two or three jet streams in each of the northern and southern hemispheres.
Cyclone a system of winds rotating inward to an area of low atmospheric pressure, with a counterclockwise (northern hemisphere) or clockwise (southern hemisphere) circulation; a depression.
Anti-cyclone a weather system with high atmospheric pressure at its center, around which air slowly circulates in a clockwise (northern hemisphere) or counterclockwise (southern hemisphere) direction. Anticyclones are associated with calm, fine weather.
Trade winds a wind blowing toward the equator from the northeast in the northern hemisphere or the southeast in the southern hemisphere, especially at sea.
Westerlies a wind blowing from the west.
Polar Easterlies The polar easterlies (also Polar Hadley cells) are the dry, cold prevailing winds that blow from the high-pressure areas of the polar highs at the north and south poles towards low-pressure areas within the Westerlies at high latitudes.
El Nino an irregularly occurring and complex series of climatic changes affecting the equatorial Pacific region and beyond every few years
Air mass a body of air with horizontally uniform temperature, humidity, and pressure.
Stationary Front A stationary front is a pair of air masses, neither of which is strong enough to replace the other. On a weather map, this is shown by an inter-playing series of blue spikes pointing one direction and red domes pointing the other.
Occluded front a composite front produced by occlusion.
Storm surge a rising of the sea as a result of atmospheric pressure changes and wind associated with a storm.
Created by: 3082210
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