Tall smoke stacks built 500 ft or taller can improve air quality for a large industrial facility, by “releasing air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides high into the atmosphere to help limit the impact” to the near by areas (Air, 2011, p. 2). The use of tall smoke stack is also believed to contribute to a wider spread of air pollutants.
2. How can topography contribute to pollution in a city or region?
Topography and weather are big contributors to a city pollutions. Most cities are built in a valley and not on top of a mountain, which makes it hard for the air to circulate. This traps the pollution into an area resulting in a poor air quality. (Factors, n.d.)
3. From where do hurricanes derive their energy? What factors tend to weaken hurricanes? Would you expect a hurricane to weaken more quickly if it moved over land or over cooler water?
“Hurricanes derive their energy from the warm, tropical oceans and by evaporating water from the ocean's surface. Heat energy is converted to wind energy when the water vapor condenses and latent heat is released inside deep convective clouds” (Ahrens, 2014, p. 341). Hurricanes can weaken more quickly if it moves over cooler water, because they get their energy from warm tropical oceans.
4. Where is the Bermuda high located during the summer and fall? How might the path of a hurricane, moving toward the west from Africa, be affected by the Bermuda High as the hurricane approaches the United States?
During the summer and fall the Bermuda high forms over the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricanes moving toward the west from Africa may increase its intensity as it approaches the United States. The Bermuda High “not only heats up summer-time temperatures in the East, but the Bermuda High can affect the intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes” (Bermuda, 2013).
5. How do you think pollutants are removed from the atmosphere? Does this occur quickly or slowly?
Pollutants in the atmosphere can be removed by trees and plants. The trees and plants absorb CO2 and other pollutants, then produce oxygen for the atmosphere. The removing of pollutants in the air is a slow progress and some pollutants never go away.
Ahrens, C. D. (2014). Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere, 7th Edition. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781305439733/id/ch11-L3-5
Air quality. (2011). GAO. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11473.pdf
Bermuda high is cause of most east coast summer heat. (2013) Weather Bug. Retrieved from http://weather.weatherbug.com/weather-news/weather-reports.html?story=8263
Factors affecting air quality. (n.d.) BC Air Quality. Retrieved from http://www.bcairquality.ca/101/air-quality-factors.html
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