1. Stable Equilibrium
Unstable

2. Neutral Equilibrium

3. ?_________ ? Equilibrium

4. ? ______ ? Equilibrium

5. Unsaturated Air
Adiabatic cooling
Adiabatic warming

6. Saturated Air (on the way up) Adiabatic cooling Adiabatic warming
18 oC
18 oC
Adiabatic warming
24 oC
28 oC
30 oC
38 oC

7. Stable Atmosphere Dry air
Lifted, unsaturated air at each level is colder and heavier than the air around it. If given the chance the parcel would return to its original position

8. Stable Atmosphere
Moist
air

9. Unstable Atmosphere
Dry
air

10. Unstable Atmosphere
Moist Air
air

11. Stable Atmosphere
Dry
air

12. Unstable Atmosphere
Moist
air

15. Making the air more stable
Do Both
Warm the air above
Cool the air below

16. Making the air more unstable
Do Both
cool the air above
warm the air below

17. Subsidence Inversion
(creating a stable environment through sinking air)
+4.6 km = + 46 °C
+4.2 km = + 42 °C

18. More or Less Stable?

19. Convective instability
(creating an unstable environment through rising air)