GEOG 1900 Final Exam: Questions & Answers (Pass!)
The forces involved in surface winds and in geostrophic winds Correct
Ans - Eddy viscosity
Geostrophic winds
Eddy viscosity Correct Ans - Friction associated with the dissipation of
kinetic energy due to eddies. The rougher the surface, the greater the eddy
viscosity. The eddy viscosity decays rapidly with the height above the Earth's
surface so that the horizontal winds strengthen with the height.
Geostrophic winds Correct Ans - upper-level winds (the balance
between the horizontal pressure gradient and the Coriolis force)
What causes and what are the adiabatic changes in temperature experienced
by an air parcel moving vertically in the atmosphere Correct Ans -
Adiabatic lapse rate
Atmospheric stability
When the air parcel rises up, it expands (does work to it surrounding) and
cools down. Therefore, the air parcel tends to sink down.
Adiabatic lapse rate Correct Ans - the change in temperature with height
due to expansion and compression of the air parcel.
Remember: The dry adiabatic lapse rate is always larger than the saturated
lapse rate (the dry air cools quicker than the moist air)
Atmospheric stability Correct Ans - Atmosphere is stable when the
adiabatic lapse rate is larger than the environmental lapse rate.
Why is the lifting of air parcels associated with cloud formation? Correct
Ans - Cloud formation is frequently a result of upward movement in
adiabatic cooling and condensation/deposition of water vapor because the
atmosphere cools with elevation
Oceanic convergence and divergence and how these generate downwelling
and upwelling Correct Ans - Convergence- water is incompressible
Water pushed down- gravity
,Downwelling: water is pushed TO the coast
Divergence- water moved upward; surface water is pushed FROM the coast by
the Ekman effect
Upwelling- to fill in to compensate for water moving away?
thermal stability of water Correct Ans - The specific heat of water is
greater than the sand. Therefore, the temperature change of water is not
obvious. Thus, at night, the wind is from the land to the sea (land breeze).
During the day, the wind is from the sea to the land (sea breeze).
The ice albedo-temperature feedback Correct Ans - Temperature
increase -> ice cover decrease-> albedo decrease-> Temperature increase
Temperature decrease-> ice cover increase-> albedo increase-> temperature
decrease
ENSO: Definition and frequency of occurrence;
the coupled atmospheric-oceanic processes that characterized the mean state
of the Equatorial Pacific;
how positive feedbacks can amplify disturbances to one of these components
leading to El Niño or La Niña states; Correct Ans - ENSO (EI Nino
Southern Oscillation): the natural oscillation of the atmosphere-ocean system
centered in the tropical Pacific which occurs on an irregular cycle. (every 3-7
years)
Ocean/ Atmosphere: coupled system: (a circulation)
-Zonal pressure gradient sustains trades.
-Trades winds drive warm water west.
-Maintains zonal (east-west) sea surface temperature (SST) gradient.
-Sea Surface Temperature gradient maintains pressure gradient. (go back to
1)
The difference between the El Niño state and the mean state Correct Ans -
The western equatorial pacific becomes higher pressure. The Eastern
equatorial pacific becomes lower pressure.
The trade winds flow from the west to the east.
, The difference between the La Niña state and the mean state Correct Ans
- -La Niña is the "intensification" of the mean condition.
-The west becomes warmer and wetter.
-The east becomes colder and dryer.
-The trade winds are stronger.
El Niño impacts: on tropical pacific precipitation and winds; on local ocean
productivity and the fisheries off Peru and Ecuador; on the US climate during
winter. Correct Ans - Warm/ wet in the East
cold/ dry in the West
Effects highly variable
Fisheries do poorly?
Are ENSO events all similar in intensity and location of anomalies? What does
this mean for potential ENSO impacts? Correct Ans - Common impacts of
EI Nino effects are highly variable and depend, in part, on the magnitude and
location of the sea surface temperature anomaly.
La Nina and EI Nino are not the only factors determining climate variability at
any location.
Air Masses: What are they and how do they get formed? What are the different
types? Correct Ans - Categorized by their source region or relative
moisture amount
-Continental (c) - originates over land mass, dry
-Maritime (m) - originates over ocean, moist
Categorized by temperature
-Arctic - very cold
-Polar - cool to cold
-Tropical - warm
Fronts: Definition and different types;
differences between cold and warm fronts;
The forces involved in surface winds and in geostrophic winds Correct
Ans - Eddy viscosity
Geostrophic winds
Eddy viscosity Correct Ans - Friction associated with the dissipation of
kinetic energy due to eddies. The rougher the surface, the greater the eddy
viscosity. The eddy viscosity decays rapidly with the height above the Earth's
surface so that the horizontal winds strengthen with the height.
Geostrophic winds Correct Ans - upper-level winds (the balance
between the horizontal pressure gradient and the Coriolis force)
What causes and what are the adiabatic changes in temperature experienced
by an air parcel moving vertically in the atmosphere Correct Ans -
Adiabatic lapse rate
Atmospheric stability
When the air parcel rises up, it expands (does work to it surrounding) and
cools down. Therefore, the air parcel tends to sink down.
Adiabatic lapse rate Correct Ans - the change in temperature with height
due to expansion and compression of the air parcel.
Remember: The dry adiabatic lapse rate is always larger than the saturated
lapse rate (the dry air cools quicker than the moist air)
Atmospheric stability Correct Ans - Atmosphere is stable when the
adiabatic lapse rate is larger than the environmental lapse rate.
Why is the lifting of air parcels associated with cloud formation? Correct
Ans - Cloud formation is frequently a result of upward movement in
adiabatic cooling and condensation/deposition of water vapor because the
atmosphere cools with elevation
Oceanic convergence and divergence and how these generate downwelling
and upwelling Correct Ans - Convergence- water is incompressible
Water pushed down- gravity
,Downwelling: water is pushed TO the coast
Divergence- water moved upward; surface water is pushed FROM the coast by
the Ekman effect
Upwelling- to fill in to compensate for water moving away?
thermal stability of water Correct Ans - The specific heat of water is
greater than the sand. Therefore, the temperature change of water is not
obvious. Thus, at night, the wind is from the land to the sea (land breeze).
During the day, the wind is from the sea to the land (sea breeze).
The ice albedo-temperature feedback Correct Ans - Temperature
increase -> ice cover decrease-> albedo decrease-> Temperature increase
Temperature decrease-> ice cover increase-> albedo increase-> temperature
decrease
ENSO: Definition and frequency of occurrence;
the coupled atmospheric-oceanic processes that characterized the mean state
of the Equatorial Pacific;
how positive feedbacks can amplify disturbances to one of these components
leading to El Niño or La Niña states; Correct Ans - ENSO (EI Nino
Southern Oscillation): the natural oscillation of the atmosphere-ocean system
centered in the tropical Pacific which occurs on an irregular cycle. (every 3-7
years)
Ocean/ Atmosphere: coupled system: (a circulation)
-Zonal pressure gradient sustains trades.
-Trades winds drive warm water west.
-Maintains zonal (east-west) sea surface temperature (SST) gradient.
-Sea Surface Temperature gradient maintains pressure gradient. (go back to
1)
The difference between the El Niño state and the mean state Correct Ans -
The western equatorial pacific becomes higher pressure. The Eastern
equatorial pacific becomes lower pressure.
The trade winds flow from the west to the east.
, The difference between the La Niña state and the mean state Correct Ans
- -La Niña is the "intensification" of the mean condition.
-The west becomes warmer and wetter.
-The east becomes colder and dryer.
-The trade winds are stronger.
El Niño impacts: on tropical pacific precipitation and winds; on local ocean
productivity and the fisheries off Peru and Ecuador; on the US climate during
winter. Correct Ans - Warm/ wet in the East
cold/ dry in the West
Effects highly variable
Fisheries do poorly?
Are ENSO events all similar in intensity and location of anomalies? What does
this mean for potential ENSO impacts? Correct Ans - Common impacts of
EI Nino effects are highly variable and depend, in part, on the magnitude and
location of the sea surface temperature anomaly.
La Nina and EI Nino are not the only factors determining climate variability at
any location.
Air Masses: What are they and how do they get formed? What are the different
types? Correct Ans - Categorized by their source region or relative
moisture amount
-Continental (c) - originates over land mass, dry
-Maritime (m) - originates over ocean, moist
Categorized by temperature
-Arctic - very cold
-Polar - cool to cold
-Tropical - warm
Fronts: Definition and different types;
differences between cold and warm fronts;
