LECTURE 4: ATMOSPHERIC HUMIDITY

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EVAPORATION

Water exists in all 3 phases in the atmosphere: solid (ice), liquid (drops) and vapor (gas). o Water vapor is the most abundant.

The most important difference between phases: A. Amount of energy per water molecules Increases from solid to vapor. Measurement of the difference between phases LATENT HEAT (Heat needed to change the phase at constant temperature) B. Motion of water particles. Increases from solid to vapor.

Evaporation and Condensation o A molecular process in which the most energetic molecules in a liquid have enough energy to leave the liquid. o Particles will collide with other particles and some of it will spontaneously condense back into the liquid - CONDENSATION. Molecule will continue to evaporate and more condensation will occur. When rate of particles condensing equal of rate of evaporation EQUILIBRIUM or SATURATED. Particles remain to change phase but the no. of particles in each phase remains the same. Air is saturated with water vapour means it cannot take any more particles without returning the same number.

o o

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ATMOSPHERIC HUMIDITY

Describes the amount of water vapor held in the atmosphere. o The air has as much water vapor as it can have. There is a limit to how much water air can hold and varies with temperature. o Warm air holds more water vapor than cold air. Atmospheric humidity can be measured in terms of relative humidity (RH). o Defined as the amount of water in the air relative to the saturation amount the air can hold at a given temperature multiplied by 100.

RH (%) = (actual water vapor/saturation water vapor) x 100

Air with a relative humidity of 50 % contains a half of the water vapor it could hold at a particular temperature.

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If temperature increases, relative humidity will decrease.

Relative humidity can be measured in 2 ways:

A. Mixing ratio (w)/Saturation mixing ratio (ws)

Mixing ratio (w): o Is the amount of water vapor present in the kg of initially dry air. Mass (g) of water vapour in 1 kg mass of dry air. o The system has not reached equilibrium (unsaturated state) Evaporation Condensation

Saturation mixing ratio (ws): o Is the maximum amount of water vapor air can hold at a given temperature in grams per kg of dry air. Mass (g) of water vapour in 1 kg mass of dry air when it has reached equilibrium (saturated). o The system has reached equilibrium (saturated state). Evaporation = Condensation

Mixing ratio (g/kg) = mass of water vapor/mass of dry air

The relationship between temperature and water content in the air is exponential.
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Relative Humidity

Temperature

The greater the temperature, the greater the saturation mixing ratio (more water vapor). Saturation mixing ratio (at 1000 mb). Temperature (oC) 50 40 30 20 10 0 Vapor (g/kg of dry air) 88.12 49.81 27.69 14.85 7.76 3.84

o o

Unsaturated: Evaporation exceeds condensation. Supersaturated: Condensation exceeds evaporation.

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Relative Humidity can be calculated as:

RH (%) = (mixing ratio/saturation mixing ratio) x 100 = (w/ws) x 100

Examples:

(i) i.

(ii)

(iii)

At 10 oC, a parcel of dry air weighing one kilogram can hold a maximum of 7.76 grams of water vapor. The parcel of air would be at saturation and its relative humidity would be 100 %.

ii.

A 10 oC rise in temperature (without adding or removing any water) would increase the saturation mixing ratio of this parcel of air to 14.85 grams. But the actual amount of water in the parcel would remain 7.76 grams actual mixing ratio. Therefore the RH of the parcel of air at the temperature of 20 oC is 7.76/14.85 x 100 = 52 %.

iii.

Raising the temperature by another 10 oC would again lower its relative humidity. The actual mixing ratio would still be 7.76 grams, while the saturation mixing ratio would increase to 27.69 grams.
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Therefore the RH of the parcel of air at the temperature of 30 oC is 7.76/27.69 x 100 = 28 %.

The saturation mixing ratio decreases from equator to pole. o Greater heat at equator evaporates more water. Higher temperature has more water vapour but lower RH. o Cooler polar air is saturated with less water vapor. Lower temperature has less water vapour but higher RH.

B. Vapor pressure (e)/Saturation vapor pressure (es)

Same concept as mixing ratio. Vapor pressure (e): o Pressure caused by the water molecules in atmosphere. o o Each type of molecule will have its own partial vapor pressure. The fraction of pressure exerted by one gas in a mixture of gases depends on the fraction of molecules of the one gas Example: if the atm pressure is 1000 mb and there is 1% of waters molecules (78% N2 & 21% O2), then the water vapor pressure is 10 mb. Increases with temperature.

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A higher temperature increases motion (more evaporation) and equilibrium will occur at a higher pressure.

Saturation vapor pressure (es): o A max vapor pressure of water at a given temperature (has reached equilibrium at atm pressure). o Pressure when Evaporation = Condensation o o The warmer the temperature, the higher the saturation vapor pressure. Exponentially increased with temperature.

Saturation vapor pressure (mb)

Supersaturated

Unsaturated

Temperature (oC) o Unsaturated: Evaporation exceeds condensation. Proceeds to saturation by increasing vapour pressure. Supersaturated: Condensation exceeds evaporation. Proceeds to saturation by decreasing vapour pressure.

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RH can be calculated as:

RH (%) =(actual vapor press./saturation vapor press.) x 100 = (e/es) x 100

4.3 DEWPOINT TEMPERATURE Dew point is the temperature to which air must be cooled at constant pressure for water vapor saturation to occur. o The temperature at which ws is the same as w. How can air become saturated? o Add water vapour at a constant temperature. Reaches high saturation mixing ratio. o Leave the water vapour constant cool the air. Reaches low saturation mixing ratio (dew point)

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Used to predict how likely fog or cloud, or dew, is to form. o When the air temperature is below the dew point. Relative humidity can be calculated using the dew-point and air temperatures. o RH = 100 x w (dew pt.) / ws (air).

Difference between air temp and the dew point temp. is a useful measure of the amount of moisture in the air. o The smaller the difference, the higher the relative humidity. Examples: o Air temp = 30 oC (ws = 27 g/kg), DP = 25 oC (w = 20 g/kg) RH = (15/20) x 100 = 75%. o Air temp = 30 oC (ws = 27 g/kg), DP = 10 oC (w = 8 g/kg) RH = (8/27) x 100 = 29%.

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40 28 26 24 22 20 Mixing ratio (g/kg) 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 5 3.4

50

60

70

80

90

100 oF

Saturation by moistening

Supersaturated

T = 30 oC w = 14g/kg Saturation by cooling

Saturated

Unsaturated

DP temp. = 25 oC 10 15 20 25 30 35 oC

MEASURING HUMIDITY Can be measured using 2 main instruments. A. Hygrometer

Hair hygrometer Use human or horsehairs. The hair absorbs moisture as the humidity rises. The change in length of the hair indicates the RH.
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Amplifying levers

Record paper on cylinder

Compensating cams Exposed human hair

Ink trace

Electrical sensor.

Using electrical resistance and capacitance

IR Remote Sensing

B.

The sling psychrometer

Consists of 2 thermometers: dry and wet-bulb thermometer. The dry bulb measures air temperature. The wet bulb measures evaporation rate. The larger the difference between the two measurements indicates the RH humidity (refers to psychrometric table).

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