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Texas State / Spring '10 / Meteorology / Dr. Dixon

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Question
Answer
Water cycles through the earth the atmospheres   evaporation, transpiration, interception, infiltration, and condensation  
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Evaporation   occurs if energy is available to a water surface  
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Saturation   = equilibrium between evaporation and condensation adding more water vapor or additional cooling will lead to condensation in the atmosphere i.e. cloud formation.  
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Humidity   the amount of water vapor in the air. Expressed in many ways: vapor pressure, saturation vapor, absolute humidity,  
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vapor pressure   pressure exerted on the atmosphere by water vapor. dependent on temperature and density.  
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Saturation vapor pressure   maximum water vapor pressure possible solely temp. dependent exponentially increases with temp.  
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Absolute Humidity   density of water vapor in g/M^3 changes as air volume changes.  
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Specific Humidity   a mass of water vapor per mass of air in g/kg does not vary with volume fluxes and does not change what temp.  
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Mixing Ratio   amount of water vapor relative to only a mass of dry air and it’s a ratio.  
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Relative Humidity   given as a % of water vapor amount relative to the saturation point. Depends on air temp/total water vapor present. I.E very inaccurate R.h can be very misleading. highest occurs during coolest times and vis a vis .cannot not be used to compare 2 differen  
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Dew Point   temp at which saturation occurs.  
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Dew point temp saturation.   temp to which air must be cooled without changing the water vapor content or the pressure to reach  
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Frost point   Saturation occurs below the freezing point.  
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Methods of achieving saturation   addition of water vapor, mixing cold air with warm moist air, cooling air to the dew point.  
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Measuring humidity   sling psychrometer- two thermometers to measure wet and dry bulb temps. Aspirated and hair hygrometers are alternatives.  
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Heat index   combines heat and humidity factors.  
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High humidity   reduces evaporation  
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diabatic process   the direct addition addition or removal of heat energy.  
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The second law of Thermodynamics   energy transfers from areas of high temp to areas of lower temp.  
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Dry adiabatic lapse rate   -1C/100m(-5.5F/1000Ft), sinking parcels experience compression warming.  
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The environmental lapse rate   Overall decrease in air temp with height, Changes diurnally from place to place, air aloft is located farther from surface heating.  
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Convergence   air converging into low-pressure regions.  
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Localized convection   Free, Forced (mechanical).  
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Clouds   instrumental to the earth’s energy and moisture balances, form as parcels lift and cool. Mechanisms that lift air = Orthographic lift, Windward Vs. Leaward -Rianshadow.  
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Frontal lifting   boundaries between unlike air masses, warm/moist air rises to form clouds, cold and warm fronts occur.  
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Static Stability   Atmospheric conditions relative to vertical air motions, Related to temp-controlled buoyancy, - positive and negative buoyancy.  
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Types of Static Stability   Statically unstable, Statically stable, Statically neutral.  
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Absolutely unstable   positive buoyancy, parcel cooling rates are less than that of ambient air.  
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Absolutely stable air   Negative buoyancy, parcel cooler than the ambient air.  
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Conditionally unstable air   nvironmental Lapse Rate is between the dry and adiabatic lapse rate and the saturated adiabatic lapse rate, negative buoyancy initially, positive buoyancy after saturation.  
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Cloud types   nlimited variety of size, shape, and composition, classes based on appearance and/or height. Not all clouds precipitate, precipitation requires rapid cloud drop growth.  
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Factors influencing the ELR   heating/cooling the lower atmosphere. Surface-based observations: Ceilometers, laser used.  
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Clouds observation by satellite   visible images, infrared images.  
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Saturated adiabatic lapse rate   occurs in saturated air, -.5C/100m(-3.3F/1000Ft).  
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Growth in warm clouds   Collision-Coalesence, -Larger collector drops begin process,- responsible for most latitude precipitation events.  
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Growth in cool and cold clouds    
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Bergeron process   coexistence of ice and supercooled water is critical, rapid growth of ice crystals, riming and aggregation, responsible for most mid and high latitude precipitation events.  
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Forms of precipitations   Snow- bergeron process, riming and aggretion  
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North American distribution = Topographic influences: Lake effect snow: Large bodies of water, snow stimulated as cold air passes over warmer lake surface(evaporation), - Destabilizes overlying atmosphere,-provides uplift, snow occurs in narrow bands in l    
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Cumulonimbus clouds   ice(top, fuzzy cloudy margins), liquid(bottom, sharp margin), and mix of ice and liquid(middle).  
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Hail   Concentric layers of ice around graupel-up- and downdraft interactions in thunderstorms,- Great plains/highest frequency, - may grow to large size and cause significant damage.  
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Rain   drop size greater than .5mm.  
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Measuring precipitation   Standard raingages,- Sparse network.  
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Sleet   ice crystals melt in an inversion then refreeze near surface.  
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Freezing rain   Similar to sleet, but freezes at surface.  
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Rain gage measurement errors   Point estimates/ wide variations across small spaces,- measurement errors- wind, residual water, non-level surfaces.  
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Precipitation measurement by weather Radar   precipitation estimates, real-time information.  
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Snow measurement   Accumulated snow measured, water equivalent of snow/10 to 1.  
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Automated snow pillows   convert weight to water equivalent. SWE important in water resources planning throughout western states.  
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Absolutely Unstable   Parcel cools slower than environment, parcel is buoyant and rises.  
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Absolutely Stable   Parcel cools faster than environment, parcel is not buoyant, does not rise.  
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Conditionally Stable   Environmental lapse rate between dry and wet adiabatic lapse rates, air is initially not buoyant, but become buoyant after saturation.  
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