Descriptive Meteorology (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Descriptive Meteorology 4
Copyright Page 5
Preface 6
Table of Contents 8
Introduction 12
I. GENERAL OUTLINE 12
II. DEFINITIONS OF THE METEOROLOGICAL ELEMENTS 12
CHAPTER I. The Composition and the Vertical Extent of the Atmosphere 22
I. THE COMPOSITION OF THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE 22
II. THE COMPOSITION OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE 23
III. HYDROSTATIC EQUILIBRIUM 24
IV. THE EQUATION OF STATE AND THE HYPSOMETRIC FORMULA 25
V. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE HYPSOMETRIC FORMULA 28
CHAPTER II. Adiabatic Processes and the Vertical Stability of the Atmosphere 35
I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 35
II. THE ADIABATIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE IN DRY Air 36
III. THE DRY ADIABATIC RATE OF CHANGE OF TEMPERATURE WITH ELEVATION 39
V. THE DEPENDENCE OF THE VERTICAL STABILITY OF THE ATMOSPHERE ON THE TEMPERATURE LAPSE RATE 42
VI. THE ADIABATIC AND PSEUDOADIABATIC DIAGRAMS 48
CHAPTER III. The Heat Balance of the Atmosphere and the Explanation of the Observed Temperature Distribution 61
I. HEATING AND COOLING OF THE ATMOSPHERE 61
II. THE HEAT BALANCE OF THE ATMOSPHERE 68
III. THE DISTRIBUTION OF TEMPERATURE IN THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE 80
CHAPTER IV. Evaporation and Condensation in the Atmosphere 105
I. EVAPORATION IN THE ATMOSPHERE 105
II. CONDENSATION IN THE ATMOSPHERE 109
III. THE CONDENSATION FORMS 124
CHAPTER V. Wind Velocity in the Atmosphere 141
I. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT FORCE 141
II. THE HORIZONTAL DEFLECTING FORCE DUE TO THE EARTH'S ROTATION 144
III. THE FRICTIONAL FORCE 146
IV. THE GEOSTROPHIC WIND VELOCITY 148
VI. THE VARIATION OF GEOSTROPHIC WIND WITH ALTITUDE 156
VII. THE EFFECTS OF FRICTION 158
VIII. THE MAINTENANCE OF THE KINETIC ENERGY OF AIR MOTION 166
IX. THE VORTICITY OF AIR MOTION 171
CHAPTER VI. The General Circulation of the Atmosphere 175
I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 175
II. THE PHYSICAL BASIS OF THE GENERAL CIRCULATION 176
III. THE EFFECT OF THE EARTH'S ROTATION ON THE GENERAL CIRCULATION 179
IV. OBSERVATIONS OF THE ZONAL COMPONENT OF THE GENERAL CIRCULATION 183
V. THE MERIDIONAL COMPONENT OF THE GENERAL CIRCULATION 198
VI. IRREGULAR CHANGES OF THE GENERAL CIRCULATION ON THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE DURING THE COLDER HALF OF THE YEAR 208
CHAPTER VII. The Secondary Circulations of the Thermal Type 219
I. CLASSIFICATION OF THE SECONDARY CIRCULATIONS 219
II. THERMAL SECONDARY CIRCULATIONS WHICH ARE FORMED BY LOCAL HEATING OR COOLING AT THE GROUND—MONSOON CIRCULATIONS 220
III. THERMAL SECONDARY CIRCULATIONS WHICH ARE PRODUCED BY LOCAL THERMAL INFLUENCES AT UPPER LEVELS IN THE ATMOSPHERE—TROPICAL HURRICANES 231
CHAPTER VIII. The Secondary Circulations of the Dynamic Type 267
I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 267
II. DEFINITION AND CLASSIFICATION OF AIR MASSES 267
III. THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF AIR MASSES AND SOURCE REGIONS 273
IV. THREE-DIMENSIONAL AIR MOTION AND WEATHER PHENOMENA IN THE MIGRATORY CIRCULATIONS 279
V. THE BEHAVIOR OF MIGRATORY CIRCULATIONS 287
VI. DYNAMICAL SECONDARY CIRCULATIONS OF LIMITED VERTICAL EXTENT 306
CHAPTER IX. The Tertiary Circulations 310
I. CLASSIFICATION 310
II. TERTIARY CIRCULATIONS PRODUCED BY LOCAL COOLING 311
III. TERTIARY CIRCULATIONS PRODUCED BY LOCAL HEATING 314
IV. TERTIARY CIRCULATIONS PRODUCED BY SIMULTANEOUS ADJACENT LOCAL HEATING AND LOCAL COOLING 317
V. DYNAMIC TERTIARY CIRCULATIONS 326
CHAPTER X. Weather Forecasting and Weather Modification 338
I. WEATHER FORECASTING 338
II. FORECASTING PERFORMANCE 343
III. WEATHER MODIFICATION (WEATHER CONTROL) 365
SUBJECT INDEX 374