ESCI 106 – Weather and Climate Lecture 1 8-18-2011 Jennifer D. Small Jennifer D. Small.

ESCI 106 – Weather and ESCI 106 – Weather and ClimateClimate

Lecture 1Lecture 1

8-18-20118-18-2011

Jennifer D. Small Jennifer D. Small

Weather Fact of the Day: August 18

2005: 27 tornadoes were documented in WI, thus establishing its record for the greatest number of tornadoes reported in a calendar day.

Most were F0 or F1, but an F3 storm killed 1, and hurt 23 between Fitchburg and Rockdale. 4 other injuries were reported

FOCUS

Successful students focus on the work to be done. They are academically self-disciplined, spending appropriate amounts of time studying. They come to class on time and prepared. They complete all assignments and turn them in on time. They finish their programs. 

ADVANCE

Successful students advance by always improving. They embrace life-long learning. They understand that subject expertise requires a long-term commitment, and commit to ongoing development of thinking skills and learning skills.

LINK UP

Successful students link up to make connections with the academic community. They get involved. They get to know their professors and study in groups, surrounding themselves with focused students and mentors. They use college resources and programs to help them with their learning.

COMPREHEND

Successful students comprehend. They study for comprehension. They seek to understand course content rather than simply complete requirements. They ask questions to gain understanding, reflect on what they are learning as well as if they are learning.

ORGANIZE

Successful students organize a plan to succeed. They have an educational goal. They focus on their educational purposes, maintain a specific education plan, and choose classes with an intentional learning purpose in mind. They are well-organized to meet all of their commitments and to achieve their goals.

NEW IDEAS

Successful students nurture new ideas. They are curious. They seek out new ideas, perspectives, and skills. They transfer concepts to new contexts in order to solve problems. They integrate concepts and knowledge to form a greater personal understanding.

How do you envision a scientist?

Most will picture a white middle aged man

White coat

Chemistry equipment…

Villians in movies

Does this look familiar??

TEXT BOOK

Tarbuck, E.J., and Lutgens, F.K, 2010, Textbook: The Atmosphere – An Introduction to Meteorology, 11th edition.

Available from the bookstore.

Reading Assignments!

Should be completed BEFORE class!!!! Come prepared to discuss the material

covered in each chapter!

What topics will we cover??

Tornadoes

Cloud Types and Formation

Natural Disasters

Energy Budget

Hurricanes

Thunderstorms

Global Winds

Too many to list on one slide!!

What is Meteorology??

Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere and atmospheric phenomena including weather and climate. Not just TV Weather People Researchers (NASA, NOAA) Private Companies (AccuWeather, Weather Channel) Academics (Universities, Colleges)

Why do we study Meteorology??

Daily Weather – affects how we plan our days Severe Weather – causes damage, loss of life, loss of

property (memorable) Includes, tornadoes, hurricanes, snow storms, floods,

thunderstorms… and much more. Climate Change – How will weather and climate change

in the future? Affects quality of life, water supplies, food supplies

Did you know??

On average, ~150 people die each year in the US from floods and flash floods—more than any other natural disaster?

Can you name any recent weather related natural disasters in the US or Globally?

2004 – Hurrican Ivan

2005 - Hurricane Katrina

2011 Tornadoes - Midwestern US

2011 Blizzards – East Coast Snow Storms

Current heat wave in Central US (TX etc).

Meteorology is a mathematical science!

Scientific Quantities and SI Units Science has it’s own

language Scientific Notation

To make things easier when dealing with very large and very small numbers

Significant Figures Accuracy and precision

are important!

LETS WORK THROUGH SOME EXAMPLES TOGETHER!

Scientific Quantities and Units! Energy – Joules, J = Nm = kg*m/s2

* m (Force times distance)

Pressure – N/m2 = Pascale, Pa (Force divided by area) kg*m/s2 *1/m2

Density (ρ) – kg/m3 (Mass per volume)

Area – m2

Volume – m3

Power – Watt = J/s (energy per time)

Mole – 6.023*1023 Things

Mass – kg

Distance – m

Time – s

Temperature – K

Force – Newton, N, kg*m/s2 (Mass times acceleration)

Velocity – m/s (Distance per unit time)

Acceleration – m/s2 (change in velocity/change in time)

Scientific Notation!

10000 = 1 x 104 24327 = 2.4327 x 104

1000 = 1 x 103 7354 = 7.354 x 103

100 = 1 x 102 482 = 4.82 x 102

10 = 1 x 101 89 = 8.9 x 101

1 = 1 x 100

1/10 = 1 x 10-1 0.32 = 3.2 x 10-1

1/100 = 1 x 10-2 0.053 = 5.3 x 10-2

1/1000 = 1 x 10-3 0.0078 = 7.8 x 10-3

1/10000 = 1 x 10-4 0.00044 = 4.4 x 10-4

Significant Figures!

No more than 3 sig figs, usually 2000 2 x 103 has ONE sig fig 2000 2.0 x 103 has TWO sig fig

RULES1) Multiplication & Division

Round the final result to the least number of significant figures of any ONE term…. See example

2) Addition & Subtraction Round the final result to the least number of decimal

places, regardless of the significant figure of any one term…. See example

Chapter 1 – Introduction to the Atmosphere

Weather The state of the atmosphere

at any given time

Climate A description of aggregate

weather conditions; the sum of all statistical weather information that helps describe a place or region

“Climate is what you expect, but weather is what you get”

Meteorology every day

Our typical experience with meteorology is through TV, print and online weather forecasts

Great resource: http://www.nws.gov/ National Weather Service

Earth’s Spheres

http://www.its-about-time.com/iesart/iesspheres.jpg

The Geosphere

Extends from the surface to the center of the Earth (6400 km, 4000 miles)

The largest of the spheres

Main components are the crust, mantle, core

http://earth.rice.edu/mtpe/geo/geosphere/what_images/interior.jpg

The Biosphere

Includes all life on Earth

Ocean life is concentrated near the surface (sun penetrating)

Life land can survive a few meters underground and flying insects and birds up to 1 km above the surface

Extraordinary life found near deep sea vents, hot springs, deep rocks, upper atmosphere

http://earth.rice.edu/mtpe/geo/geosphere/what_images/interior.jpg

Showing different biomes, forests, deserts, plankton…

The Hydrosphere

Evaporation from the ocean and Transpiration from plants

Cloud formation via condensation

Precipitation onto land and ocean

Runoff and infiltration

http://earth.rice.edu/mtpe/geo/geosphere/what_images/interior.jpg

The Water Cycle

The Atmosphere

The life giving envelope of gases

VERY THIN Provides air we breath Provides protection

from damaging UV radiation from the Sun

All the weather experiences takes place within it.

NOT TO SCALE!!!!

The Layers of the Atmosphere

http://www.theozonehole.com/atmosphere.htm

Evolution of the Atmosphere

The Earth’s atmosphere is the product of a lengthy evolutionary process that began 4.6 billion years ago

Solar winds swept away the Earth’s early Hydrogen (H) and helium (He) atmosphere

Primeval Phase An atmosphere unfamiliar

to us

Modern Phase What we live in now

Primeval Atmosphere

Our Solar System, including the Earth is believed to have developed from the accretion of dust and gases

The Earth grew by accretion as the planet swept up cosmic dust in its path and it was hit by meteorites.

In time, volcanoes began to spew forth lava, ash and gases

By 4.4 billion yrs ago the Earth’s gravitational field was strong enough to retain a thin gaseous envelope

Primeval Atmosphere The principle source of atmospheric gases was OUTGASSING

The release of gases from rock through volcanic eruptions and impact of meteorites

Perhaps 85% of all outgassing took within a million years of the planet’s formation

Primeval Atmosphere was mostly CO2, N2, H2O, little CH4, NH3 (ammonia),

SO2, HCl.

Radioactive decay of an isotope of potassium added argon.

Free Oxygen (O or O2) was absent!!!

Primeval Atmosphere The Primeval atmosphere was rich in CO2 and may have been 10-20

times denser! Computer models predict that the average temperature of the earth as

185-230F!! After 4 billion years, the Earth (rocks) cooled enough to allow water

vapor to condense into clouds and rain.

CO2 dissolves in water so the rain, and oceans, “washed out” some of the CO2… cooling the planet further.

After life emerged, primarily photosynthetic bacteria (~2.5 billion yrs ago), emerged O2 began building up, since O2 is a product of photosynthesis (and removes CO2).

Modern Atmospheric Composition 78% Nitrogen (N) – basically inert

so it was able to build up in the atmosphere

21% Oxygen (O) 1% Argon (Ar) – also inert

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – from respiration, combustion, GHG

Methane (CH4) – cows, wetlands, rice patties, low oxygen environments, GHG

Ozone (O3) – in both the stratosphere (good) and troposphere (bad)

Water (H2O) – 0-5% variable over the surface of the earth

Hydrogen (H2) Helium (He) Carbon Monoxide (CO) Ammonia (NH3) Nitrogen Oxide (NO) Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Particles – Aerosols, dust, smoke

Atmospheric Composition

Where did all the Nitrogen come from? The answer lies mostly in three facts:

1. nitrogen is volatile in most of its forms 2. it is unreactive with materials that make up the solid earth 3. it is very stable in the presence of solar radiation.

Over geological time, it has built up in the atmosphere to a much greater extent than oxygen

It is an important component of life on earth (Nitrogen Cycle)

Nitrogen Cycle

http://www.chemicool.com/elements/nitrogen.html

Atmospheric Composition

Why is Argon Third? Argon is formed by radioactive decay

within the earth and released into the atmosphere through volcanic activity.

It is an inert (and nonradioactive) gas and does not react chemically, so it gradually accumulates in the atmosphere.

After a few billion years' worth of volcanoes, it's now the third (or fourth, depending on the humidity) most common gas in the atmosphere.

Fun Fact: Used in Neon Lights!

Atmospheric Composition

Where does the oxygen come from? The primary way in which the

Earth generates oxygen for the atmosphere is through photoshynthesis

Photosynthesis accounts for 98% of the world's atmospheric oxygen

The breakup of water molecules by ultraviolet radiation composes the other 1-2%.

Atmospheric Composition

Carbon dioxide News worthy Global Climate

Change CO2 is an efficient absorber of

energy emitted by the sun! Present in minute amounts

~0.0387% or 387 ppm

Proportion of CO2 is relatively constant over the earth

Steadily increasing since the 1960s….

Keeling Curve We’ll talk more about later

Atmospheric Composition

Variable Components Water Vapor

Varies from 0-4% by volume Clouds and precipitation Heats the atmosphere like CO2

Releases or absorbs energy when it changes states (gas-liquid-solid)

Aerosols Tiny solid and liquid particles Dust, pollution, sea salt, ash,

smoke, biogenic particles

Ozone NEXT SLIDE!

Atmospheric Composition

Ozone (O3) Water Vapor

Three Oxygen Molecules! Concentrated high above the surface

(in the stratosphere) Protects us from UV rays from the sun

(what gives us sun burns) We’ll go into detail later…

Ozone Hole We’ll spend a whole lecture on this

later… Predominantly found in the

Antarctic Montreal Protocol – What

happens when the scientists and politicians of the world come together. SUCCESS!!!

Atmospheric Composition

Extent of the Atmosphere

No clear boundary at the upper atmosphere

Rapidly thins as altitude increases

Half the atmosphere lies below ~5.6 km (3.5 miles)

Rate of pressure decrease is not constant

Air is HIGHLY compressible

Thermal Structure of the Atmosphere

Troposphere – warmed by earth decreases with height

Stratosphere – sun warms ozone, ozone warms the air, temperature increases with height

Mesosphere – returns to normal temperature decrease with height

Thermosphere – very high temperatures, the sun warms N2 and O2 and heats up the rarefied “air”. The molecules have lots of energy and that energy is not necessarily in ‘heat’ energy. Thus, the temperature is high due to the interactions of the energized molecules bumping into one another.

Troposphere

Name literally means the region where air “turns over” Where “Weather” happens

Due to vertical and horizontal mixing of air

Temperature decreases with height Environmental lapse rate

6.5 deg K per km 3.6 deg F per 100 ft Highly variable

Inversions – when it’s reversed Decreases until ~12 km

TROPOPAUSE!

Is the main focus of meteorologists Often called the “weather sphere”

Stratosphere

Begins above the tropopause (12 km - ~50 km) Temperature remains the same from ~12-20 km Temperatures increase from the Stratopause until the

Mesopause (~50km - ~80 km) Temperature INCREASES with height

-60 C to ~ 0 C (-80 F to 32 F) Due to the presence of OZONE, which heats the layer

Ozone absorbs solar radiation Maximum from 15-30 km

We study this layer with Weather balloons High altitude aircraft Satellites

Mesosphere

COLDEST temperatures in the atmosphere are observed here ~80-90 km (Mesopause) -90 C (-130 F)

Pressure is very low

Is the least studied region Difficult to access by

Aircraft, balloons and satellites

Still learning more!! Noctilucent clouds occur here!

Thermosphere

Begins after the Mesosphere and has no well defined upper limit (~80 km and above)

Temperature begins to increase with height again! Counter intuitive, yup Minute fraction of the mass Extremely high temps (1000 C)

Temperature is defined as: Average speed at which molecules move Gases here move FAST in thermosphere Even though there are few of them… What if an astronaut exposed his hand?

It would not feel hot, not enough particles!

Ionosphere

The Ionosphere Located between 80-400 km Overlaps with the Thermosphere Is an electrically charged layer An ion is a atomic-scale particle

that carries an electric charge

No influence on daily weather

Important for long wave radio transmission since it reflects radio transmissions They travel in straight lines and bounce off the Ionosphere

The ionosphere is also the site of Aurora – Pretty!!

Auroras The Auroras

Aurora borealis (northern lights) Aurora australis (southern lights) Closely correlated with solar-flare activity Geographic location (Earth’s magnetic poles)

Appear in the night sky as overlapping curtains Bottom at 100 km (62 miles) Tops at 400 km (248 miles or higher)

Triggered by the Solar Wind A stream of electrically charged particles

Includes protons and electrons Earth’s magnetic field deflects that wind

Magnetosphere (next slide)

Collisions rip apart molecules and excite atoms. As atoms shift down from the excited states or combine with free

electrons they emit radiation (part of which is the visible aurora)

Magnetosphere

The magnetopshere The region of the upper

atmosphere encompassed by the Earth’s magnetic field

Earth’s magnetic field deflects the solar wind

Results in it’s characteristic teardrop shape surrounding the planet

Problem Solving

Refer to weather map from Weather.com from 8-16-11 Estimate the observed high

temperatures in central New York State and central Texas

Refer to weather map from Weather.com from 8-18-11 Where is the coldest area on the

weather map? Where is the warmest?

Central NY: 64 F

Central TX: 86 F

Northern Maine

Death Valley, CA/West Arizona