Term
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Definition
Often considered ‘average weather’
Important variables often temp and precip
SLO: average annual temperature = 60.4o F
SLO: average annual rainfall = 24.36”
‘Expected weather of a place’ |
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Term
| What are variables of Climate? |
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Definition
Pressure
Hours of sunlight, solar radiation
Humidity
Evapotranspirative demand (PET)
Cloud cover
Wind (duration, direction, strength)
Heating/cooling degree days |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| 100s to 1000s of km2 (continental) |
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Term
| what is the largest climate scale? |
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Definition
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Term
| Temperatures decrease with height in what section of the atmosphere? |
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Definition
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Term
| Temperatures increase with height in this section of the atm? |
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Definition
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Term
| What 3 gasses comprise 98% of the atm near Earth's Surface? |
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Definition
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Term
| Name the General controls on local climate |
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Definition
Latitude (equator to poles)
land/ocean distribution (inland/coastal)
atmospheric/oceanic circulation (jet stream/currents)
terrain features (e.g. mtn. ranges)
local features (lakes/cities) |
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Term
| Name the climate system components |
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Definition
| atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, biosphere |
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Term
| What are important aspects of the hydrosphere [oceans] |
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Definition
97% of global water
70% of surface area
Meridional transport of energy
Impacts coastal climate (Continentality)
Key role in carbon cycle
Moisture source for precipitation
SSTs |
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Term
| What is important about the land climate system componant? |
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Definition
~ 30% of global surface
Arrangement of land vs. ocean
Topography
Albedo varies (~5-45%) depending on sfc type, cover |
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Term
| What is important about the cryosphere? |
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Definition
~ 2% of water on Earth, 8.2% of global surface (11% of land, 7% of ocean)
Albedo (~80-95%)
Separates ocean from air |
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Term
The following facts describe what component of the atm?
Tri-atomic oxygen
Concentrated in layer ~20-40 km above sfc
Important absorber of UV radiation (protects surface life)
Thinning has been observed over Antarctica in Spring, due to CFCs |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
Suspended particles derived from sea and land
Not including cloud droplets |
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Term
| Give examples of aerosols |
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Definition
Salt
most over ocean
Dust
most over dry lands
Volcanic ash
Varies with eruptions (e.g. Pinatubo)
Soot
most over dry tropics |
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Term
| What distinguishes variable gasses from aerosols? |
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Definition
| Aerosols are liquid or solid, not gaseous. |
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Term
| This region contains the layer that shields the earth from harmful UV radiation. |
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Definition
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Term
| This layer receives most of it's heat from Earth's surface, and the warmed air rises and mixes freely. |
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Definition
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Term
| This area of the atm is layered, and very stable, with a high ozone content and a temperature inversion. |
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Definition
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Term
| this layer has low levels of oxygen, a cool temperature, and low density. |
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Definition
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Term
| This layer is above the mesopause. Temperatures rise with height, due to absorption of short wave UV. very thin air |
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Definition
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