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Global Change
Week 1
Weather vs Climate
Structure of the Atmosphere
Global Wind Belts
Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a
given place and time. For example, right
now, the temperature in Huntsville, AL is
90°F with Partly Sunny skies.
Climate is the average condition of the
atmosphere (such as temperature or
precipitation) over a long period of time.
For example, the average annual temperature
over the past 30 years for Huntsville is 62°F.
The average annual precipitation is 54 inches.
Climate is the average of weather conditions
in a place.
Just as the weather differs from day to day, the
climate differs from place to place.
Seattle, WA Houston, TX Phoenix, AZ Barrow, AK
Cool Warm Hot Cold
Moist Moist Dry Dry
Two important elements of weather and
climate are: precipitation and temperature
•Notice how the temperature line on the climograph is almost level? This location is
near the equator. It receives the same amount of sunlight all year which results in an
almost straight temperature line.
•Can you pick out the one that depicts a tropical climate? How do
you know?
•Is it a tropical wet or a tropical wet and dry climate? How do you
know?
Climate A Climate B
Where is the atmosphere?
Everywhere!
Completely surrounds
Earth
Held to Earth by
gravitational attraction
What makes up the atmosphere?
Water Vapor
Location of this in the atmosphere is
highly variable
Significantly influences climate &
weather
How?
Atmospheric Thickness
Over 90% of
atmosphere in
the lowest 16km
& is where nearly
all weather occurs
Temperature Basics
Temperature – measure of average kinetic energy
(motion) of individual molecules in matter
Three temperature scales (units): Kelvin (K), Celsius (C),
Fahrenheit (F)
All scales are relative
degrees F = 9⁄5 degrees C + 32
degrees K = degrees C + 273.15
Temperature Layers
Due to Solar
winds, Cosmic
rays
Due to ozone
absorption of
sunlight
Thermosphere
Troposphere
Lowest region of
the atmosphere
Contains ½ of the
Earth’s
atmosphere density
Troposphere
Depth of tropopause
Between the Troposphere & Stratosphere is the
tropopause
Height is variable – Thermal expansion &
contraction
How do we determine where the
tropopause is located?
Stratosphere
Temperature
decreases with an
increase in altitude
Where meteors burn
up while entering the
Earth’s atmosphere
Thermosphere
•horse latitude
•trade winds
•doldrums
•prevailing westerlies
•polar easterlies
•polar front
The Three-Cell Model Polar cell --
Ferrel cell --
northeasterly winds
southwesterly winds
at surface
at surface
Intertropical
convergence zone
(ITCZ) -- surface low
pressure with clouds
and rain
Observed Distribution of Pressure and Winds
(a) An imaginary uniform Earth with (b) Actual planetary winds belts on
idealized zonal (continuous) pressure Earth taking into account continents
belts and ocean currents
Idealized Pressure Belts
Equatorial Low- warm air rising creates cell of low pressure.
Polar Highs – located over the poles! The process which produces
the polar highs is different than the process which produces the
subtropical highs. Surface cooling is the principle reason the
polar high.
The ITCZ is a band of clouds across the tropics
ITCZ
The three-celled model vs. reality: