1.

Weather & Climate

What is climate?
Climatology for Bozeman MT
Lat=45.5N Lon=111.1W Elevation=4467 feet at 5 5 o e at o 6 eet
Number of years available from 1961 to 1990: 30
Maximum temperature 1961 to 1990: 103 F
Minimum temperature 1961 to 1990: -46 F
Mean Annual Precipitation: 14.7 inches
Mean Annual Snowfall: 44 4 inches Mean Annual Snowfall: 44.4 inches
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http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/cgi-
bin/USclimate/city.pl?state=MT&lane=fast&itypea=1&loc.x=237&loc.y=199&.cgifields=itypea
3. Reading Weather Maps
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http://www.montana.edu/mcwethy/ERTH303/
3. Reading Weather Maps
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http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov
3. Reading Weather Maps station data
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http://www.montana.edu/mcwethy/ERTH303/
3. Reading Weather Maps station data
Sky Conditions: Weather:
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3. Reading Weather Maps station data
Wind:
Pressure Trend:
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3. Reading Weather Maps
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http://www.opc.ncep.noaa.gov/UA/USA.gif
Weather and Climate News
Does it feel unusually cold?
National Water and Climate Center National Water and Climate Center
temperature
precipitation
snow
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Composition and Structure of the
Atmosphere (ERTH 303, 3 September, 2009)
1. Composition
a. The atmosphere
b. Permanent gases
c. Variable gases
2. Vertical
Structure
a. Temperature
b. Electrical properties
c. Function
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1. Composition of the Atmosphere
100 km
12 km thunder heads
Where does Earths atmosphere end?
12 km thunder heads
Where does Earth s atmosphere end?
100 km 99.99997%
10
2% of Earths thickness
Photo from NASA: http://eobadmin.gsfc.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17542
1. Composition components cycle
Physical Processes:
i
n
p
r
a
t
e
Physical Processes:
chemical reactions
volcanic eruptions p
u
t

r
a
t
e
o
u
t
p
u
t

r
Biological Processes:
photosynthesis p y
respiration
human activity
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Photo from NASA: http://eobadmin.gsfc.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17542
1. Composition (and some structure)
Permanent Gases (homosphere: 0-80 km alt.)
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Aguado and Burt, Table 1-2.
1. Composition (and some structure)
Variable Gases
Methane CH
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0.00017 76.01
Low abundance, but very important
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Aguado and Burt, Table 1-3, with Methane added.
1. Composition
Water Vapor
Gas molecules (not liquid), source for cloud formation
Radiative forcing = ++
Created by evaporation
Removed by precipitation
Residence time = 10 days
water vapor clouds
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http://wwwghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/goeseastconuswv.html - 1 September, 2008
1. Composition
Carbon Dioxide
Radiative forcing = +
Input: respiration,
i d l i organic decay, volcanic
eruptions, anthropogenic
activity
Uptake: photosynthesis
Residence time =
150 yr
From the Mauna Loa Observatory: http://www.mlo.noaa.gov/home.html
1. Composition
Methane
Radiative Forcing = +
Input: wetlands, termites,
th i ti it anthropogenic activity
Uptake: soils,
Atmosphere Atmosphere
Residence time =
10 yr 10 yr
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/iadv/
1. Composition
Ozone
Radiative Forcing = + g
(nearby), (up high)
Input: chemical Input: chemical
reactions involving
ultraviolet radiation ultraviolet radiation
Destroyed via
chlorine containing chlorine-containing
compounds -
chlorofluorocarbons chlorofluorocarbons
http://www.epa.gov/air/oaqps/gooduphigh/
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1. Composition
Ozone-depleting chemicals:
100 yr lifetime (effective equivalent chlorine EECl) 100 yr lifetime (effective equivalent chlorine - EECl)
NOAA Earth Systems Research Lab: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/hats/graphs/graphs.html
year
1. Composition
Ozone-depleting chemicals:
100 yr lifetime (effective equivalent chlorine EECl) 100 yr lifetime (effective equivalent chlorine - EECl)
http://toms.gsfc.nasa.gov/multi/ozone_time_series.jpg
What is a DU? Dobson Units
1. Composition
Ozone-hole
http://toms.gsfc.nasa.gov/multi/ozone_time_series.jpg
What is a DU? Dobson Units
2. Vertical Structure via function
Ozonosphere:
maximum ozone concentrations (20-30 km)
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http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html August 30
th
, 2009
Weather and Climate News
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NYT Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/science/04cyclone.html?ref=science#
Nature Link: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v455/n7209/pdf/nature07234.pdf
1. Composition
Aerosols (aka particulates)
Small (0.1 m radii),
MT
( ),
function as condensation
nuclei
ID
Radiative forcing =
Input: sulfate conversion,
ID
WY
dust, volcanoes, sea
spray, combustion
Removed by precip.
Residence time = days
k h
Fires in Idaho and Montana producing visible aerosols,
August 7 2000 Source: NASA Visible Earth project
to weeks to months (if in
stratosphere)
August 7, 2000. Source: NASA Visible Earth project
http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=676
Composition and Structure of the
Atmosphere
1. Composition
a. Permanent gases
b. Variable gases
2. Vertical
Structure
a. Density
b. Temperature
c. Electrical properties
d. Function
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2. Vertical Structure via density
Density = mass per unit volume
m
3
)

n
s
i
t
y

(
k
g

/

m
Aguado and Burt Fig. 1-8. Because air is
compressible and subjected to greater
compression at lower elevations, the
density of the air at lower levels is greater
d
e
n
Mean free path =
density of the air at lower levels is greater
than that aloft.
p
average distance traveled before colliding with another
molecule. e.g. 0.0001 mm at 0 km asl vs. 1 km at 250 km asl
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2. Vertical Structure via temp.
Wh t t ? Why temperature?
temperature impacts how easily air moves vertically
(details revealed in Chapter 6)
Standard Atmosphere =
models defining atmospheric variables as a function of models defining atmospheric variables as a function of
altitude, for a given set of mean conditions at sea
level
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For example, the U.S. definition of standard atmosphere is described or defined in the following web sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Standard_Atmosphere
http://modelweb.gsfc.nasa.gov/atmos/us_standard.html
2. Vertical Structure via temp.
Thermosphere (thermos = heat)
T increases with alt., to > 15,000C
littl h t b/ l d it little heat, b/c low density
Mesosphere (mesos = middle)
T decreases with alt. T decreases with alt.
99.9% of remaining atm.
Stratosphere (strato = layer)
T increases with alt., little vert. motion
19.9% of atm.
ozone layer between 20-30 km (10 ppm) y ( pp )
Troposphere (tropos = turn)
T decreases with alt.
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80% of atm. by mass
depth varies (8-16 km, mean 11 km)
2. Vertical Structure via temp.
Mesospause
Stratopause
Tropopause
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2. Vertical Structure via electrical properties
Ionosphere:
defined by electrical properties
fl t AM di reflects AM radio waves
responsible for aurora
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionosphere
QUIZ #1
Name
Date
Class
(1) Why is the ozone layer important?
It blocks harmful shortwave radiation yet allows long-wave radiation to reach the It blocks harmful shortwave radiation yet allows long wave radiation to reach the
earths surface which supports biological processes (photosynthesis)
(2) What is the difference between water vapor and visible clouds?
W i d i ibl l d d f li id l l Water vapor is a gas and visible clouds are made up of liquid molecules
(condensed water vapor.
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QUIZ #1: Answers
(3a) 1. (Right plot) what is the atmospheric pressure associated with the High in MT?
1023
2. Where is there a low pressure trough? NE MT or S. Idaho
(3b) (Left plot) what is the wind direction and approx. speed? 5 knots
1. (left plot) what is the atmospheric pressure? 1018.5
2. (left plot) what is the atmospheric pressure trend? Decreasing then stable
3 (left plot) what is the sky cover? clear 3. (left plot) what is the sky cover? clear
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Weather and Climate News
Global temperature anomalies: 1881-2008
2008 l t i 2000 b t i th t i 1881 (2005 2008 was coolest yr. since 2000 but ninth warmest since 1881 (2005
1
st
, 2007, 2
nd
)
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http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov