Ping Zhu, AHC5-234, MET 3003

Meteorology Meteorology: from Greek, meteoron ( high in the sky ) + logos ( knowledge ) Founded by Aristotle, 340 BC Usually considered the scientific study of Atmospheric phenomena, especially daily weather

Fields Within Meteorology Physical meteorology: Studies of radiation, structure & composition, clouds & precipitation, atmospheric electricity, …, but generally not weather.

Synoptic Meteorology: Day-to-day weather and forecasting. Divided into Tropical Meteorology and Extratropical (mid-latitude) Meteorology Tropical Cyclone (Hurricane) Extratropical Cyclone

Dynamic Meteorology: describe atmospheric motions and their solutions. Dynamic meteorology employs analytical approaches based upon fluid dynamics to explain and describe the motions of atmosphere that produce the weather, and eventually the climate. e.g., atmospheric wave theory

Climate: “average” weather, but the average doesn’t stay steady. I.e. Ice ages, El Niño, etc. A typical weather map for a day in late December Mean percentage of possible sunshine in November

Hurricane Charley August 13, 2004 A Blizzard in Boston 2005 Winter Rains Trigger Mudslides in California 2005 Weather impact on daily lives

Number of events that occurred each year and the damage amounts in BD

What kinds of people become meteorologists? Weather enthusiasts Mathematicians and computer nerds Journeymen More diverse work- force nowadays

Who hires meteorologists? National Weather Service (NWS/NOAA) Universities Research labs (DOE, NASA) Military Broadcasting Industry & Consulting

On west side of FIU Campus: Miami Forecast Office National Hurricane Center NOAA-National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, parent agency of NWS

Scientific Method The natural world behaves in a consistent and predictable way that can be understood through systematic study. –Observations –Lab experiments –Mathematics –Numerical studies

Automated Surface Observing System ASOS Time Spd Dir Tmp Rh Vap Press Precip Time:LST; Spd: m/s; Dir: deg; Tmp: C; Rh: % Vap: Kpa; Press: Kpa; Precip: mm , SGP

Exploring the Atmosphere Using Balloons Press(hPa) Height(m) Spd(m/s) Dir(deg) Tmp (c) Rh(%) Dew Point (c) Radiosondes

Worldwide radiosonde launch sites

Satellite Observation Satellite view of a severe winter storm sweeping across Europe on Dec. 16, 01

Monitoring Earth from Space Rainfall in Malaysia Hurricane Dennis

Radar Imaging

Doppler radar

Lab experiment Wall of Wind Wind tunnel

Theoretical Study Numerical Simulation NCAR supercomputer

Earth System Four “Spheres” in the Earth System: Geosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere

Geosphere or Lithosphere—Rock –6371 km radius –Core, Mantle, Crust Atmosphere -- gaseous envelope, producing weather, ~100 km in depth Jets Fly with 2/3 of the Atmosphere below Them

Hydrosphere -- Water covers 71% of surface. average depth 3.8 km Shorelines - Interface between Land and Water

The Hydrological Cycle The amount of water moved through the hydrologic system every year is equivalent to about 1-m depth of water spread over the earth's surface. About one-third of the precipitation that falls on land is the water that was evaporated from ocean and transported to the land by air motion. The amount of water in the atmosphere is equivalent to 0.025m of water spread over the earth's surface. Water vapor: half of the atmosphere's natural greenhouse effect. Clouds: 30% of atmosphere's natural thermal radiation, and reflect half of the solar radiation. Evaporation: half of the cooling of the surface. Water: altering surface's albedo through the form of snow, ice, and fostering vegetation cover on land.

Biosphere -- includes all life on Earth All Parts of the Earth-System Are Linked

Systems Open System:Open System: Energy and Matter can be exchanged between systems Closed System:Closed System: Exchange of Matter greatly restricted, but may allow exchange of energy Isolated System:Isolated System: No Energy or Matter can be transferred in or out of the system A group of interacting parts (components) that form a complex whole.

Feedback Processes in one system influences processes in another interconnected system by exchange of matter and energy. The exchange is called feedback. Positive Feedback:Positive Feedback: Change in one system causes similar change in the other system. Can cause runaway instability Negative FeedbackNegative Feedback means positive change in one system causes negative change in the other

Positive feedback Example: water vapor feedback

Example: cloud cover feedback Low cloudHigh cloud Strong effect on solar radiation budgetStrong effect on terrestrial radiation budget

Summary Be sure you understand how the course will be organized and run Know the definition of Meteorology and what its principal subfields are. Understand the scientific method. Know definitions of System, Open and Closed system, and Positive and Negative Feedbacks Know the definitions of the various “spheres” in the Earth System