Post on 19-Dec-2015
CHAPTER 4: ATMOSPHERIC TRANSPORTCHAPTER 4: ATMOSPHERIC TRANSPORTForces in the atmosphere:
• Gravity g• Pressure-gradient• Coriolis • Friction
1 /p P 2 sinc v to R of direction of motion (NH) or L (SH)
f kv
Equilibrium of forces:
In vertical: barometric law
In horizontal: geostrophic flow parallel to isobars P
P + P
p
c
v
In horizontal, near surface: flow tilted to region of low pressure
P
P + Pc
vf
p
Angular velocity ω = 2π/24hWind speed vLatitude Friction coefficient k
Betty Heidler hammer throw
Air converges near the surface in low pressure centers, due to the modification of geostrophic flow under the influence of friction. Air diverges from high pressure centers. At altitude, the flows are reversed: divergence and convergence are associated with lows and highs respectively
Link to current weather map
THE HADLEY CIRCULATION (1735): global sea breezeTHE HADLEY CIRCULATION (1735): global sea breeze
HOT
COLD
COLD
Explains:• Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)• Wet tropics, dry poles• Easterly trade winds in the tropics
But… Meridional transport of air between Equator and poles results in strong winds in the longitudinal direction because of conservation of angular momentum; this results eventually in unstable conditions.
TROPICAL HADLEY CELLTROPICAL HADLEY CELL
• Easterly “trade winds” in the tropics at low altitudes• Subtropical anticyclones at about 30o latitude
CLIMATOLOGICAL SURFACE WINDS AND PRESSURESCLIMATOLOGICAL SURFACE WINDS AND PRESSURES(January)(January)
Global cloud cover this morning (visible)Global cloud cover this morning (visible)
Intellicast.com
Global cloud cover this morning (infrared)Global cloud cover this morning (infrared)Bright colors indicate the tallest cloudsBright colors indicate the tallest clouds
Intellicast.com
QuestionsQuestions
1. Would you expect winds to be generally stronger in winter or in summer?
2. The circular air motion of cylones is a consequence of the fictitious Coriolis force in our observation reference frame on a rotating sphere. Yet we are familiar with satellite images of hurricanes (tropical cyclones). Why does the circular motion persist in the satellite reference frame?
Hurricane Sandy loop
3. Can tropical cyclones cross the Equator?
Cyclone tracks, 1985-2005
Satellites in geostationary orbit
CLIMATOLOGICAL SURFACE WINDS AND PRESSURESCLIMATOLOGICAL SURFACE WINDS AND PRESSURES(January)(January)
CLIMATOLOGICAL SURFACE WINDS AND PRESSURESCLIMATOLOGICAL SURFACE WINDS AND PRESSURES(July)(July)
TIME SCALES FOR HORIZONTAL TRANSPORTTIME SCALES FOR HORIZONTAL TRANSPORT(TROPOSPHERE)(TROPOSPHERE)
2 weeks1-2 months
1-2 months
1 year
VERTICAL TRANSPORT: BUOYANCYVERTICAL TRANSPORT: BUOYANCY
Object (z
z+zFluid (’)
Buoyancy acceleration (upward) :
b pγ = γ - g g
Barometric law assumes T = T’ b = 0 (zero buoyancy)
T T’ produces buoyant acceleration upward or downward
g
pγ
P(z) > P(z+Δz) pressure-gradient force on object directed upward
Consider an object (density ρ) immersed in a fluid (density ρ’):
For air, aM P
RT so ρ↑ as T↓
ATMOSPHERIC LAPSE RATE AND STABILITYATMOSPHERIC LAPSE RATE AND STABILITY
T
z
= 9.8 K km-1
Consider an air parcel at z lifted to z+dz and released.It cools upon lifting (expansion). Assuming lifting to be adiabatic, the cooling follows the adiabatic lapse rate :
z
“Lapse rate” = -dT/dz
-1/ 9.8 K kmp
gdT dz
C
ATM(observed)
What happens following release depends on the local lapse rate –dTATM/dz:• -dTATM/dz > upward buoyancy amplifies initial perturbation: atmosphere is unstable• -dTATM/dz = zero buoyancy does not alter perturbation: atmosphere is neutral• -dTATM/dz < downward buoyancy relaxes initial perturbation: atmosphere is stable• dTATM/dz > 0 (“inversion”): very stable
unstable
inversion
unstable
stable
The stability of the atmosphere against vertical mixing is solely determined by its lapse rate.
TEMPERATURE SOUNDING AT CHATHAM, MATEMPERATURE SOUNDING AT CHATHAM, MAFeb 14, 2013 at 12Z (7 am)Feb 14, 2013 at 12Z (7 am)
weather.unisys.com
Temperature
Dew point
Aadiabaticlapse rate
WHAT DETERMINES THE LAPSE RATE OF THE WHAT DETERMINES THE LAPSE RATE OF THE ATMOSPHERE?ATMOSPHERE?
• An atmosphere left to evolve adiabatically from an initial state would eventually tend to neutral conditions (-dT/dz = at equilibrium
• Solar heating of surface and radiative cooling from the atmosphere disrupts that equilibrium and produces an unstable atmosphere:
Initial equilibriumstate: - dT/dz =
z
T
z
T
Solar heating ofsurface/radiative cooling of air: unstable atmosphere
ATM
ATM
z
Tinitial
final
buoyant motions relaxunstable atmosphere back towards –dT/dz =
• Fast vertical mixing in an unstable atmosphere maintains the lapse rate to Observation of -dT/dz = is sure indicator of an unstable atmosphere.
IN CLOUDY AIR PARCEL, HEAT RELEASE FROM IN CLOUDY AIR PARCEL, HEAT RELEASE FROM HH22O CONDENSATION MODIFIES O CONDENSATION MODIFIES
RH > 100%:Cloud forms
“Latent” heat releaseas H2O condenses
9.8 K km-1
W2-7 K km-1
RH
100%
T
z
W
Wet adiabatic lapse rate W = 2-7 K km-1
-20 -10 0 10 20 30 Temperature, oC
0
1
4
2
3
Alt
itu
de,
km
cloud
boundarylayer
SUBSIDENCE INVERSIONSUBSIDENCE INVERSION
typically 2 km altitude
DIURNAL CYCLE OF SURFACE HEATING/COOLING:DIURNAL CYCLE OF SURFACE HEATING/COOLING:ventilation of urban pollutionventilation of urban pollution
z
T0
1 km
MIDDAY
NIGHT
MORNING
Mixingdepth
Subsidenceinversion
NIGHT MORNING AFTERNOON
PlanetaryBoundaryLayer (PBL)depth
VERTICAL PROFILE OF TEMPERATUREVERTICAL PROFILE OF TEMPERATUREMean values for 30Mean values for 30ooN, MarchN, March
Alt
itu
de,
km
Surface heating
Latent heat releaseRadiativecooling (ch.7) - 6.5 K km-1
+2 K km-1
- 3 K km-1Radiativecooling (ch.7)
Radiative heating:O3 + h→O2 + OO + O2 + M →O3+M
heat
TYPICAL TIME SCALES FOR VERTICAL MIXINGTYPICAL TIME SCALES FOR VERTICAL MIXING
0 km
2 km
1 dayplanetaryboundary layer
tropopause(10 km)
1 month
10 years
Questions
1. A sea-breeze circulation often produces a temperature inversion. Explain why.
2. A well known air pollution problem is "fumigation" where surface sites downwind of a major pollution source with elevated smokestacks experience sudden bursts of very high pollutant concentrations in mid-morning. Can you explain this observation on the basis of atmospheric stability?
3. A persistent mystery in atmospheric chemistry is why the stratosphere is so dry (3-5 ppmv H2O). Based on water vapor concentrations observed just below the tropopause, one would expect the air entering the stratosphere to be moister, One theory is that very strong thunderstorms piercing through the tropopause can act as a "cold finger" for condensation of water and thereby remove water from the lower stratosphere. How would this work?
Los Angeles smog: sea breeze (“marine layer”) and strong subsidence inversion
DIURNAL CYCLE OF SURFACE HEATING/COOLING:DIURNAL CYCLE OF SURFACE HEATING/COOLING:ventilation of urban pollutionventilation of urban pollution
z
T0
1 km
MIDDAY
NIGHT
MORNING
Mixingdepth
Subsidenceinversion
NIGHT MORNING AFTERNOON
PlanetaryBoundaryLayer (PBL)depth
VERTICAL PROFILE OF TEMPERATUREVERTICAL PROFILE OF TEMPERATUREMean values for 30Mean values for 30ooN, MarchN, March
Alt
itu
de,
km
Surface heating
Latent heat releaseRadiativecooling (ch.7) - 6.5 K km-1
+2 K km-1
- 3 K km-1Radiativecooling (ch.7)
Radiative heating:O3 + h→O2 + OO + O2 + M →O3+M
heat