Meteorology 211
Spring Quarter 2011
Homework Assignment #1
***Due Date: Friday, April 15***
Answer
the following questions based on the assigned reading and classroom
discussions. Answers must be typed. Please use complete sentences.
1) a. How many layers are there in the Earth’s atmosphere?
Vertical structure(layering --->Figure 2.1 in Book):
There four layers of the Atmosphere which include the thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, and the troposphere.
-Thermosphere
-Mesosphere
-Stratosphere ---"The Ozone Layer"
-Troposphere ---All of the weather originates in this layer.
b. In which of these layers does virtually all of our observable weather occur?
(precipitation, storms, etc.)
All most all of our observable weather occurs in the troposphere.
2) a. In which atmospheric layer do we find most of the naturally-occurring ozone
in the atmosphere?
Most of the naturally-occurring ozone is located in the stratosphere.
b. Explain how it is that ozone can be considered a good thing in one layer of
the atmosphere and a bad thing in another layer.
Ozone which is contained in the stratosphere, absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the Earth's surface. However in
the troposphere Nitrogen oxide in the presence of sunlight produces
ozone (photochemical smog). Ozone (photochemical smog) is a bad thing in
the troposphere, It can cause health issues, it is an air pollutant,
and toxin.
3) a. How many prevailing surface wind zones do we find on Earth?
There are four Types of Prevailing Winds which include trade winds, westerlies, polar easterlies and jet streams.
(1)Trade Winds :
In olden days, sailors heavily depended on these prevailing winds to
sail from Europe to America. The northeast trade winds are found between
the latitudes of 30 to 0°N and the southeast trade winds occur between 0
to 30°S latitudes.
(2)Westerlies : These prevailing winds are found below the Ferrel circulation cell in the mid latitudes.
(3)Polar Easterlies
are prevailing winds that are permanent cold winds which form a part of
the polar circulation cell. These winds can mix with the Gulf Stream to
form very violent and strong tornadoes and thunderstorms.
(4)Jet Streams are prevailing winds which are very swift currents of the higher level.
b. What do we call the wind zones on either side of the equator (between
the equator and about 30˚N and S latitudes)?
The wind zone on either side of the equator is called the Trade Winds.
c. What do we call the wind zone that includes the majority of the continental
United States?
The wind zone that includes the majority of the continental United States is the Westerlies wind zone.
4)
Explain what is meant by the “high thermal (or heat) capacity” of
water, and what effect this property of water has on the average climate
of continental coastal regions.
Water
absorbs or releases more heat than many substances for each degree of
temperature increase or decrease. In other words water has an unusual
ability to hold heat, it maintains a relatively stable temperature which
in turn moderates the temperatures of coastal regions.
For
example, local fog or mist is likely to occur if a lake cools the
surrounding air enough to cause saturation; consequently, small water
droplets are suspended in the air. Large bodies of water, such as the
oceans or the Great Lakes, have a profound influence on climate. They
are the world's great heat reservoirs and heat exchangers and the source
of much of the moisture that falls as rain and snow over adjacent land
masses. When water is colder than the air, precipitation is curbed,
winds are reduced, and fog banks are formed.
5) Why is the ocean salty, and why does it not keep getting saltier over time?
The
rain that falls on the land contains some dissolved carbon dioxide from
the surrounding air. This causes the rainwater to be slightly acidic
due to carbonic acid. The rain physically erodes the rock and the acids
chemically break down the rocks and carries salts and minerals along in a
dissolved state as ions. The ions in the runoff are carried to the
streams and rivers and then to the ocean. Many of the dissolved ions are
used by organisms in the ocean and are removed from the water. Others
are not used up and are left for long periods of time where their
concentrations increase over time.Rivers
and surface runoff are not the only source of dissolved salts.
Hydrothermal vents are recently-discovered features on the crest of
oceanic ridges that contribute dissolved minerals to the oceans. These
vents are the exit point on the ocean floor from which sea water that
has seeped into the rocks of the oceanic crust has become hotter, has
dissolved some of the minerals from the crust, and then flows back into
the ocean. With the hot water comes large amounts of dissolved minerals.
Estimates of the amount of hydrothermal fluids now flowing from these
vents indicate that the entire volume of the oceans could seep through
the oceanic crust in about 10 million years. Thus, this process has a
very important effect on salinity. The reactions between seawater and
oceanic basalt, the rock of ocean crust, are not one-way, however; some
of the dissolved salts react with the rock and are removed from
seawater.
A
final process that provides salts to the oceans is submarine volcanism,
the eruption of volcanoes under water. This is similar to the previous
process in that seawater is reacting with hot rock and dissolving some
of the mineral constituents. Several processes can cause salinity to
change. These processes include Evaporation and Precipitation with
increase and decrease saltiness, freezing and thawing add and removes
fresh water affecting saltiness. The global ocean conveyor system also
regulates the saltiness of the ocean.
6) a. How many distinct vertical layers do we usually find in the ocean?
The
ocean has three major layers. The mixed layer, which extends 20 to 200
meters in depth, and is where most of the oceans heat is stored. The
thermocline, in this layer temperature decreases and salinity increases.
The thermocline extends 500 to 900 meters. Below the thermocline is the
deep zone/layer, in this layer salinity and temperature vary only
slightly with depth.
b. What physical properties of water cause the ocean to form layers?
The physical properties of water which cause the ocean to form layers are density, temperature, and salinity.
These
physical properties cause less dense stuff to float on denser stuff. As
well as causing Warm water to float on cold water, and less salty
(fresher) water to float on saltier water.
7) What is a “subtropical gyre”, and how many of those do we find in the Earth’s oceans?
The
five most notable gyres include North Atlantic Gyre, South Atlantic
Gyre, Indian Ocean Gyre, North Pacific Gyre, South Pacific Gyre,
Subtropical gyres.
The
currents of the ocean are mainly affect by wind. Like wind the currents
of the Ocean are affected by the Coriolis Effect, causing them to form
distinct patterns, overpowered by subtropical gryes, or semicircular
current systems on either side of the equator. The generally easterly
trade winds push the westward flowing arms of the subtropical ocean
gryes near the equator. The flow as a result generates eastward-flowing
equatorial countercurrents both at and below the surface.
8)
Look at Figure 3.8 on page 46 of the textbook, which depicts the
“global ocean conveyor system”. Obviously this moves (or “conveys”) a
lot of water around the Earth’s oceans, but what other important
property does it also carry throughout the oceans?
The
meridional overturning circulation, represents an enormous transport of
heat from north to south. This illustrates how the ocean can have a
significant moderating effect on regional climate.
9) El Niño and La Niña are names for two different (opposite)
atmospheric/oceanic circulation patterns that sometimes develop in the
equatorial Pacific Ocean. Not many people live in the equatorial Pacific
– so why should those of us in the rest of the world care about these
events?
El
nino and la nina affect the climate and ocean condition in a slightly
widespread manner. These abnormal circulation patterns can cause
disruption in fish populations and migration patterns. These circulation
patterns can change the temperature of the ocean waters near the coast
which can affect the climate bringing colder/wetter or warmer/drier
weather to North and South America.
