Simants WK7 Meteorology
1. Assume that you have 100 years of continuous temperature records from your local weather service office. Discuss some of the difficulties you might have trying to determine whether average temperatures have increased during this period.
2. What are meant by the terms positive and negative feedback mechanisms? Give an example of a process that would be considered a positive feedback mechanism during a period of warming on the earth. Can you think of a negative feedback mechanism?
3. Discuss the significance of a predicted increase in global temperatures of 3 C, as opposed to a predicted increase of 1 C.
4. The hottest places on earth are not found near the equator in tropical wet climates but rather in arid climate regions. Why is this true?
5. What meteorological information is the primary basis for climate classification using the Köppen system? Give Examples.
1. The difficulties in determining average weather temperatures from your local service station are the techniques in measuring temperature have changed. Also, the weather station may have changed locations which could also signify a population growth within the community. According to the text book, the temperature will increase when activity increases.
Ahrens, C. (2015). Essentials of meteorology. Andover: Cengage Learning
2. Positive feedback is a process whereby an initial change in atmospheric process will to tend to reinforce the process; negative feedback will weaken the process. An example of a positive feedback is the water vapor-greenhouse feedback which raises the air temperature and allows more water vapor to evaporate into the atmosphere. A negative effect of this would be the runaway greenhouse effect where the increase of radiant energy from the surface would greatly slow the rise in temperature.
Ahrens, C. (2015). Essentials of meteorology. Andover: Cengage Learning.
3. A temperature increase by 3 degrees Celsius would have dramatic effects as more areas of the world would
2. What are meant by the terms positive and negative feedback mechanisms? Give an example of a process that would be considered a positive feedback mechanism during a period of warming on the earth. Can you think of a negative feedback mechanism?
3. Discuss the significance of a predicted increase in global temperatures of 3 C, as opposed to a predicted increase of 1 C.
4. The hottest places on earth are not found near the equator in tropical wet climates but rather in arid climate regions. Why is this true?
5. What meteorological information is the primary basis for climate classification using the Köppen system? Give Examples.
1. The difficulties in determining average weather temperatures from your local service station are the techniques in measuring temperature have changed. Also, the weather station may have changed locations which could also signify a population growth within the community. According to the text book, the temperature will increase when activity increases.
Ahrens, C. (2015). Essentials of meteorology. Andover: Cengage Learning
2. Positive feedback is a process whereby an initial change in atmospheric process will to tend to reinforce the process; negative feedback will weaken the process. An example of a positive feedback is the water vapor-greenhouse feedback which raises the air temperature and allows more water vapor to evaporate into the atmosphere. A negative effect of this would be the runaway greenhouse effect where the increase of radiant energy from the surface would greatly slow the rise in temperature.
Ahrens, C. (2015). Essentials of meteorology. Andover: Cengage Learning.
3. A temperature increase by 3 degrees Celsius would have dramatic effects as more areas of the world would