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2. ATM OCN 100 - Summer 2001 LECTURE 1B
OBSERVATIONS of EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE (con’t.)
A. Introduction Practical Questions
B. The Planet Earth & Earth Systems

3. B. THE PLANET EARTH & EARTH SYSTEMS
Uniqueness of Planet Earth
Water Planet
The planet with life
Components of Planet Earth System
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Cryosphere
Biosphere

4. From Geog. 101 UW-Stevens Point
Interactions within System
Weathering
Hydrological cycle
From Geog. 101 UW-Stevens Point

5. C. SURVEY of PLANET EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE
Importance of Earth's atmosphere
Moderates temperature of planet;
Shields life from harsh space environment;
Provides life with water, oxygen, etc.
Overall Dimensions of Earth's atmosphere
About 100 km (62 mi) thick;
Compare with 6370 km (3950 mi) earth radius; but ....

7. SUNRISE FROM SPACE From STS-47 (JSC-NASA)

8. C. SURVEY OF PLANET EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE (con’t)
Importance of Earth's atmosphere
Overall Dimensions of Earth's atmosphere
Comparison with other components of Earth System

9. ESTIMATED MASSES of EARTH SYSTEM COMPONENTS [Source: J.Y. Wang, 1975]

10. D. WEATHER-CLIMATE ELEMENTS
What we need to Know
Weight (mass), Energy, Constituents, Motion.
Observed Weather-Climate Elements
AIR PRESSURE
AIR TEMPERATURE
ATMOSPHERIC HUMIDITY
PRECIPITATION
CLOUD TYPE, AMOUNT
WINDS (SPEED & DIRECTION)

11. MADISON’S CURRENT WEATHER
Madison Weather at AM CDT TUE JUN
Updated twice an hour at :05 and :25
Sky/Weather: SUNNY
Temperature: 70 F (21 C)
Dew Point: 57 F (13 C)
Relative Humidity: 63%
Wind: SE9 MPH Barometer: 30.04S ( mb)

12. E. PROBING THE ATMOSPHERE
Surface vs. Aloft
Locations
Problems
Surface Weather Station
Human observer,
Thermometers, barometers, rain gauges, wind instruments, etc.

13. Traditional Surface Weather Station

14. Automated Weather Station (ASOS)

15. NWS & FAA Automatic Weather Stations

16. Automated Weather Buoy

17. First Order Stations & Cooperative Observer Network (National Climate Data Center, 2001)

18. E. PROBING THE ATMOSPHERE (con’t.)
Other Observation Tools/Platforms
Need for
Rugged instruments
Remote sensing

19. Weather Kites

20. Aircraft Observations

21. Radiosonde

22. Radiosonde (con’t.)

23. Radiosonde (con’t.)

24. RADIOSONDE LOCATIONS

25. Stratospheric Balloons

26. Meteorological Rockets (Rocketsondes)

27. Weather Radar See Pg. 344-351 Moran & Morgan (1997)

28. Principles of Weather Radar (in reflectivity mode)

29. Weather Radar (con’t.)

30. Weather Radar (con’t.)

31. Principles of Weather Radar (in velocity or Doppler mode) See Fig. 14
Principles of Weather Radar (in velocity or Doppler mode) See Fig Moran & Morgan (1997)

32. NWS DOPPLER RADAR SITES

33. Current Radar Reflectivity

34. Weather Satellites and the Space Science & Engineering Center (SSEC)

35. See Fig. 16.2 – Moran & Morgan (1997)

36. Early GOES Satellite

37. Geosynchronous Satellite Imaging Field of View

38. ATS-III in 1968

39. Recent GOES Satellite

40. GOES-11 in 2000

41. Nighttime lights from DMSP Satellites

42. Visible vs. IR Images

43. Current Visible Satellite Image
Clouds

44. Current Infrared Satellite Image

45. Current Water Vapor Satellite Image

46. Man Computer Data Acquisition System (McIDAS) at SSEC/UW-Madison

47. See Fig. 16.1 – Moran & Morgan (1997)

49. TIROS in 1960s

50. Polar Orbiting (POES) Satellite GFSC-NASA

51. MODIS in 2000 (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)

52. MODIS

53. Wind Profiler (FSL) See Pg. 352 Moran & Morgan (1997)

54. Wind Profiler Network (FSL)

55. F. VISUALIZING THE WEATHER: THE SURFACE WEATHER MAP
Meaning of synoptic weather analysis
synoptic: “syn” = same + “optic” = to see
Goal of synoptic weather analysis
Requirements for synoptic weather analysis
Same time of observation
Uniform instruments & observation techniques

56. MAP of TIME ZONES U.S. Naval Observatory, 1996

57. F. THE SURFACE WEATHER MAP (con’t.)
Historical perspective
First weather map in 1819 of 1783 Storm;
Early U.S. Weather maps in 1870’s.

58. Surface weather map Sep. 1872

59. Surface weather map June 2002

60. F. THE SURFACE WEATHER MAP (con’t.)
Interpretation of modern surface weather maps where...

61. Sample Modern Weather Map Figure I.3, Moran & Morgan (1997)

62. ON THE SURFACE WEATHER MAP
Pressure systems
Isobars (“iso” + “bar”)
Highs & Lows
Winds
Circulation around Highs & Lows
The “Hand-twist Model”

63. Flow around High Pressure
Fig Moran & Morgan (1997)

64. Air Converging Aloft Fig. 9.20 Moran & Morgan (1997)

65. Flow around Low Pressure
Fig Moran & Morgan (1997)

66. Air Diverging Aloft Fig. 9.21 Moran & Morgan (1997)

67. ON THE SURFACE WEATHER MAP
Pressure systems
Winds
Clouds
Mainly around lows
Temperature Patterns
Isotherms (“iso” + “therms”)
Fronts
Cold fronts, warm fronts & stationary fronts

68. Warm Front

69. Cold Front

70. Stationary Fronts

71. Current Surface Weather Map with Isobars (“iso” = equal & “bar” = weight), Fronts and Radar

72. Current Visible Satellite Image
Clouds
Current Visible Satellite Image

73. Current Temperatures (°F) & Isotherms (“iso” = equal +”therm” = temperature)

74. Current Surface Weather Map with Isobars (“iso” = equal & “bar” = weight), Fronts and Radar

75. Rule of Thumb! Weather Systems move:
From West to East in midlatitudes
From East to West in tropics

76. Yesterday’s Surface Weather Map with Isobars (“iso” = equal & “bar” = weight), Fronts and Radar

77. Current Surface Weather Map with Isobars (“iso” = equal & “bar” = weight), Fronts and Radar

78. Tomorrow AM Forecast Map