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Climate Risk Management > Exam 2 > Flashcards

Exam 2 Flashcards

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1
Q

Definition

Evaporation

A

Process by which water molecules break free from liquid surface
(latent heat of fusion)

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2
Q

Definition

Latent Heat

A

Enery required to be absorbed/released to change a substance from one phase (form) to another
*without changing temperature!!

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3
Q

Definition

Condensation

A

Process by which water molecules collide with liquid surface and bond to the liquid surface (latent heat of vaporization)

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4
Q

Definition

Sublimation

A

Process of converting a solid directly to a gas without going through the liquid state

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5
Q

Examples of Sublimation

A

Snow sublimates directly into water vapor

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6
Q

Definition

Deposition

A

Process of converting a gas directly to a solid without going through the liquid state

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7
Q

Example of Deposition

A

Frost on your windshield

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8
Q

Definition

Vapor Pressure

A

Partical pressure of water vapor in the air (Pascals)

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9
Q

Definition

Saturated Vapor Pressure

A

Vapor pressure the atmosphere would have if it were saturated
(temperature dependent)

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10
Q

Definition

Actual Vapor Pressure

A

Vapor pressure the atmosphere actually has

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11
Q

Definition

Saturation*

A

Occurs when rate of evaporation = rate of condensation
(very highly dependent on temperature)

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12
Q

Definition

Dew Point (Td)

A

Temperature at which the air is saturated

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13
Q

How to change the dew point temperature and vapor pressure

A

Change the amount of water vapor in the air

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14
Q

Definition

Air Parcel

A

A body of air that has specific temperature and humidity characteristics

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15
Q

Definition

Adiabatic Process

A

No exchange of heat or matter between air parcel and its surrounding environment

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16
Q

Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate

A

Occurs in a unsaturated rising or sinking that is being forced up or down
- Consists of positive or negative buoyancy

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17
Q

Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate (DALR)

A

-10 C

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18
Q

Moist Adiabatic Lapse Rate

A

Air parcel is being forced to rise -> its buoyant
- Soon as an air parcel cools it’s dew point, condensation occurs, releasing latent heat

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19
Q

Average MALR

A

-5 C

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20
Q

Definition

Environmental Lapse Rate

A

Actual change in temperature you would experience as you rise through the atmosphere

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21
Q

Definition

Dew Point Lapse Rate

A

Rate at which dew point temperature changes with elevation is a complicated function of the moisture content of the rising air parcel

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22
Q

Average Dew Point Lapse Rate

A

-2 C

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23
Q

Definition

Speed Convergence

A

Occurs when faster moving air slows down (deceleration)

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24
Q

Speed Divergence

A

Occurs when slower moving air speeds up
(acceleration)

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25
# Definition Directional Convergence
Occurs when isobars get **closer together**
26
# Definition Directional Divergence
Occurs when isobars get **further apart**
27
# Definition Fronts
A boundary separating air masses of different densities, one warmer and often more humid than the other
28
# Definition Frontogenesis (general terms)
The change iin the magnitude and orientation of the temperature gradient at a level or in a layer (eg. surface, 850-700mb, etc) due to directional and speed changes in the wind field
29
# Definition Frontogenesis (Specific Terms)
To an increase in the horizontal thermal gradient with time
30
What causes Frontogenesis
The geometry of the horizontal flow has a strong influence on frontogenesis in most situations
31
# Definition Lifting Condensation Level
Altitude at which water vapor in a rising air parcel will beign to condense
32
# Definition Stability
Tendency of air parcel to remain in place or to change vertical position by rising or descending
33
# Defintion Stable
If parcel is **colder** than surroundings, its **more dense** and will resist displacement upwards
34
# Definition Unstable
If parcel is **warmer** than surroundings, its **less dense** and will rise and move away from its original position
35
# Definition Convection
Unequal heating causes pockets (parcels) of air to rise
36
# Definition Orographic
Air forced up and over mountains
37
# Definition Convergence
"Piling up" of horizontally-moving air (leads to rising air motion)
38
# Definition Warm Front (Frontal)
Lower density of warm air mass replacing cold air mass forces warm air over cold air, causing condensation and precipitation
39
# Definition Cold Front (Frontal)
Higher density of cold air mass replacing warm air mass forces cold air under warm air, causing condensation and precipitation
40
# Cloud Formation Cloud Condensation Nuclei
- Very Small Particles - Les than one-trillionth of a gram - Microscopic dust, smoke, salt particles - NEEDED for cloud formation
41
# Cloud Formation Hydroscopic Nuclei
Water Seeking - Most effective sites for condensation - Water droplets can form < 100% relative humidity - Eg. Salts
42
# Cloud Formation Hydrophobic Nuclei
Water Repelling - Water droplets won't form until 100% humidity
43
Fog
A cloud with its base at or very near the ground
44
When is Fog reported?
When visibility is reduced to 1km or less
45
# Fog Types Formed by Cooling Radiation Fog
Results from nighttime radiative cooling of the ground and adjacent air - Requires clear skies and fairly high relative humidity
46
# Fog from Moving & Cooling Advection Fog
When air in one place migrates to another place where conditions are right for saturation - Warm moist air moves over a cold surface
47
# Fog from Moving & Cooling Upslope Fog
When relatively humid air move up a sloping plain or mountain slope and cools to saturation
48
# Fog from Adding Water Vapor Evaporation/Steam Fog
Evaporation from water to air - "Seeing your breath" caused by this process
49
# Fog from Adding Water Vapor Frontal Fog (warm front)
Rain evaporates in colder air thats already near the dew point and fog is produced
50
How are clouds classified
Form and height
51
Basic Forms of Clouds
- Cirroform - Stratiform - Cumuliform
52
# Basic Cloud Types High Clouds
- Cirrus - Cirrostratus - Cirrocumulus
53
# Basic Cloud Types Low Clouds
- Stratus - Stratocumulus - Nimbostratus
54
# Basic Cloud Types Middle Clouds
- Altostratus - Altocumulus
55
# Basic Cloud Types Vertically Developed
- Cumulus - Cumulonimbus
56
Cirrus (Ci)
- High, thin, wispy clouds - Take a large variety of forms - Can indicate everything from fair weather to a coming low pressure system - Often occur above other cloud types - Composed **entirely of ice**
57
Cirrostratus (Cs)
- High, thin clouds - Form a relatively extensive, consistent layer - Often indicative of a coming low pressure (especially snow, in winter) - Can occur above other clou types
58
How are Cirrostratus clouds different from Cirrus clouds
Form a relatively extensive, consistent layer
59
Cirrocumulus (Cc)
- High, small, billowy clouds - Rarely cover entire sky - Indicative of instability and/or wind shear at high levels (coming low pressure) - Often occur in parallel rows
60
Altostratus (As)
- Mid-level, often composed of liquid drops - Extensive, consistent coverage - Often occur ahead of nimbostratus (rain,snow) - Dreary Day
61
Altocumulus (Ac)
- Mid-level, billowy clouds - Can be extensive in coverage - Wide range of appearances (random to organized, thin to thick) - Often occur ahead of rain or snow and can be indicative of instability and a chance for thunderstorms in warmer weather
62
Stratus (St)
- Low, greyish, dreary clouds - "Fog" that occurs **above ground level** - Can produce drizzle - Often "burn off" during morning - Often develop when high humidity present at lower layers during night
63
Nimbostratus (Ns)
- Rainy or snowy day cloud type - Extensive coverage, low base - Layered, have range of thicknesses - Often not visible due to precipitation - Often form due to large scale lift
64
Cumulus (Cu)
- "Fair Weather Cumulus" - Scattered, puffy clouds - Indicates shallow instability and convection occuring (single, small air particles) - Dissipate when air parcel stops rising - Shallowo regions of air sinking occur in between clouds
65
Cumulus Congestus
- Extensive vertical development - Low base - Indicates deeper convection occuring - May become a cumulonimbus (thunderstorm) - Air parcel has become an "updraft"
66
Cumulonimbus (Cb)
- Thunderstorm, severe weather - Low bases to as high as 70,000 feet - Updraft can extend several kilometers into stratosphere ("overshooting top") - Liquid at low levels to ice at high levels - Anvil at tropopause - Can be isolated to extensive coverage
67
Whats a typical cloud droplet size
Very Small (20 μm)

Climate Risk Management (6 decks)

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