Chapter 17 - Air masses

Question 1

Air mass

Answer 1

A large body of air moving nearly uniform condition of temperature and humidity

Question 2

Air mass source regions

Answer 2

Notably stagnant with little pressure gardient and unofmr surface features. This allows the air to take on the characteristic of the surface over which it lies

Question 3

What are the Bergeron classification of air masses?

Answer 3

Moisture properties at source (continental or Maritime area), Thermal properties of source region (tropical; polar: and less recently, artic or antarctic: monsoon and equatorial), whether the air is cold or warm…. relative to the surface over which is moving.

Question 4

What are the characteristics of tropical and equatorial air masses, and how do their properties differ based on their development over land and ocean?

Answer 4

Tropical and equatorial air masses are hot. They develop at lower latitudes. Those that develop over land are direr and hotter than those develop over the ocean

Question 5

Continental Polar air masses is…

Answer 5

Cold and dry

Question 6

Continental tropical air masses are…

Answer 6

a type a type of tropical air produced by the subtropical ridge over large areas of land

Question 7

What are three main air masses that affect Europe?

Answer 7

Polar maritime, Tropical maritime and tropical continental… and sometimes polar continental

Question 8

The final properties of an air mass are governed by what?

Answer 8

By its track and speed

Question 9

Provide the final properties of an air mass (track and speed)

Answer 9

Maritime tracks, which increase the relative and absolute humidity of the air mass