1. What if the government shutdown forced the closing of the water cycle? A thought experiment Douglas Miller – UNC Asheville http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/images/kgo/cms_exf_2007/news/local/san_francisco/9270008_600x338.jpg

2. Outline What is a thought experiment? Impact of water vapor source shutdown Global circulation Synoptic scale weather Hurricanes Tornadoes

3. Outline What is a thought experiment? Impact of water vapor source shutdown Global circulation Synoptic scale weather Hurricanes Tornadoes

4. What is a thought experiment?

5. Our thought experiment Government shutdown  shutdown of water vapor-making processes

6. Stepped Art Fig. 2-3, p. 30

7. Our thought experiment Government shutdown  shutdown of water vapor-making processes Not allowed… liquid  vapor ice  vapor evaporation (or transpiration) sublimation X

8. Our thought experiment Government shutdown  shutdown of water vapor-making processes X X

9. Our thought experiment Within one week, water vapor would reach a minimum value no more cloud production  no more precipitation X X

10. Outline What is a thought experiment? Impact of water vapor source shutdown Global circulation Synoptic scale weather Hurricanes Tornadoes

11. Impact of water vapor source shutdown on global circulation

13. X reduced increased

14. Impact of water vapor source shutdown on global circulation X X reduced increased

15. Impact of water vapor source shutdown on global circulation

16. Would the global circulation still happen? Yes, likely weaker

17. Outline What is a thought experiment? Impact of water vapor source shutdown Global circulation Synoptic scale weather Hurricanes Tornadoes

18. Impact of water vapor source shutdown on synoptic scale weather

22. Would the synoptic scale weather still happen? Yes, likely weaker

23. Outline What is a thought experiment? Impact of water vapor source shutdown Global circulation Synoptic scale weather Hurricanes Tornadoes

24. Impact of water vapor source shutdown on hurricanes

25. http://people.cas.sc.edu/carbone/modules/mods4car/tropcycl/pages/easterlywave.html

26. Impact of water vapor source shutdown on hurricanes

29. Ivan, Sept. 2004 Would hurricanes still happen? No!!!

30. Outline What is a thought experiment? Impact of water vapor source shutdown Global circulation Synoptic scale weather Hurricanes Tornadoes

31. Impact of water vapor source shutdown on tornadoes http://okcstormwatcher.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/tornado-emergency-in-tuscaloosa-alabama/

32. Impact of water vapor source shutdown on tornadoes

35. Would tornadoes still happen? No!!!

36. The end of our thought experiment