1. OBSERVATIONS of EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
ATM OCN Fall 2000 LECTURE 1B
OBSERVATIONS of EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
A. INTRODUCTION: Practical Questions
What constitutes the atmosphere?
What can we learn about the atmosphere?
Why do we want to know about it?

3. B. THE PLANET EARTH Uniqueness of Planet Earth
Water Planet
The planet with life
Components of Planet Earth System
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Cryosphere
Biosphere
Interactions within System
Weathering
Hydrological cycle

4. 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 ....

6. VERTICAL VARIATION in ATMOSPHERIC DENSITIES [Source U. S. Std
VERTICAL VARIATION in ATMOSPHERIC DENSITIES [Source U.S. Std. Atmosphere, 1976]

7. 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

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

9. 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)

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

11. Traditional Surface Weather Station

12. Automated Weather Station (ASOS)

13. NWS & FAA Automatic Weather Stations

14. Automated Weather Buoy

15. E. PROBING THE ATMOSPHERE (con’t.)
Other Observation Tools/Platforms
Radiosondes
Weather Radar
Weather Satellites
Meteorological Rockets
Wind Profilers

16. Radiosonde

17. Radiosonde (con’t)

18. RADIOSONDE LOCATIONS

19. Weather Radar

20. Weather Radar (con’t.)

21. Weather Radar (con’t.)

22. NWS DOPPLER RADAR SITES

24. GOES Satellite

25. Geosynchronous Satellite Field of View

26. ATS-III in 1968

27. GOES-11 in 2000

28. Visible vs. IR Images

29. Man Computer Data Acquisition System (McIDAS)

32. TIROS in 1960s

33. 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

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

35. 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.

36. Surface weather map Sep. 1872

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

38. ON THE SURFACE WEATHER MAP
Pressure systems
Isobars (“iso” + “bar”)
Highs & Lows
Winds
Circulation around Highs & Lows
The “Hand-twist Model”
Clouds
Fronts
Cold fronts, warm fronts & stationary fronts

39. Warm Front

40. Cold Front

41. Stationary Fronts