ASSIGNMENT 2 - Chapters 8-11 ........... Assigned 23 Jan 2003 ............Due date: Thurs 13 Feb 2003.

Marks assignment: Question 1 = 8 marks, question 2 = 8 marks, question 3 = 10 marks, question 4 = 10 marks, question 5 = 10 marks, question 6 = 8 marks. Total = 54.

1.  The picture below shows a thick, low, stratified cloud which is producing precipitation over a broad area.









   (a) What is the name of this cloud?
   (b) At the letter "b" in the diagram, a cold raindrop is falling towards the surface in above-freezing air. If the raindrop initially formed in the cold upper part of the cloud as a snowflake, by what process of rain formation was the the precipitation probably formed?
   (c) The droplet of water at the point labelled "c" exists in below-freezing conditions, yet remains a liquid. What special name do we give to the condition of this particle ? Why does the droplet not instantly freeze?
   (d) If the cold droplet freezes at the letter "d" in the diagram, before it reaches the ground, what will be the name of the precipitation produced?
   (e) If, rather than freezing at "d", the droplet does not freeze until it reaches the ground, what form of precipitation will now result? Briefly describe one recent event in which this type of precipitation caused catastrophic damage.

2.  The cloud shown below is deep, anvil-shaped at the top, and has rain falling from it.

   (a) What sort of cloud is it?
   (b) What sort of water/ice particles would you be most likely to detect in the regions denoted by the letters "a" and "b" in the figure?
   (c) What sort of particles are most likely to occur in the region "c"?
   (d) Suppose a precipitation particle makes several journeys up and down in the region designated as "c", as shown by the loop of arrows. Write a few sentences describing what the particles would eventually look like when they finally fall out and reach the ground? What would they be called?





Figure for question 2.

3.  The figure below represents summer, daytime (after noon) conditions along the coast of a large body of water in the Northern Hemisphere. Print the figure, and then answer the following questions.





   (a) On the diagram, label where the surface air is relatively warm and where it is relatively cool.
   (b) Place a letter "H" on the diagram where the surface air pressure would be relatively high, and an "L" where the surface air pressure would be relatively low.
   (c) Draw several arrows to show the direction of the surface wind.
   (d)What is the name of this breeze?
   (e) Draw several more arrows to complete the circulation.
   (f) Draw a cloud to show where you might expect one to form. Explain why you chose that location.

4.   The figure below shows a surface weather map in the Northern Hemisphere. Numbers on the contours refer to pressures in hPa. Answer the following questions.





   (a) What is the sea-level pressure at the point "P"? If the station at "P" at which these recordings were made was 250 metres above sea-level, what would have been the approximate actual pressure at the station at the time?
   (b) From what direction would the wind most likely be blowing at the point P? (Be sure to consider both frictional and Coriolis forces in your considerations.) Explain why you made the choice that you did.
   (c) Would the pressure-gradient force at point "P" be directed towards the "H", towards the "L", towards the point "D" or towards the point "Q"?
   (d) Would the wind at point S be most likely to be blowing from the southeast, southwest, northeast or northwest? Explain.
   (e) Would you expect the strongest winds at point "P", "D" or "Q"? Why?

5.  The figure below shows an upper level weather map in the Northern Hemisphere. Numbers on the graph represent pressures in hPa. Print the graph and answer the following questions.





   (a) Determine the approximate height at which this map applies.
   (b) Draw at least 10 arrows on the chart indicating direction of wind flow at different points.
   (c) Indicate the regions where you would expect the winds to be (i) strongest, (ii) weakest, and (iii) most easterly.
   (d) Determine the strength of the wind at the point where it is strongest. You will need to make use of the scalings and other information shown on the graph. [Hint: see the section entitled "A mathematical look at the geostrophic wind", page 226 of the text book (sixth edition)].

6.  Multiple choice questions.

  (i)  The horse latitudes are the result of:

              a)  the polar front jet stream
              b)  the ITCZ
              c)  the subtropical highs
              d)  the subpolar lows
              e)  the polar high

  (ii)  In terms of the three-cell model of the general circulation, areas of surface low pressure should be found near:

              a)  the equator and 60o latitude
              b)  the equator and the poles
              c)  the equator and 30o latitude
              d)  30o latitude and 60o latitude
              e)  30o latitude and the poles

  (iii)  A jet maximum or jet streak is:

              a)  a contrail that forms behind a jet aircraft
              b)  a region of strong winds in a jet stream
              c)  a sharp change in wind speed or wind direction
              d)  the flow of air around a mountain
              e)  a small jet stream less than 1000 km long

  (iv)  At the equator according to the three-cell general circulation model, we would not expect to find:

              a)  heavy showers
              b)  the ITCZ
              c)  cumuliform clouds
              d)  a ridge of high pressure

  (v)  The three-cell model of the general circulation says that in the Northern Hemisphere, you would expect to observe the surface westerlies:

              a)  southward of the ITCZ
              b)  southward of the subtropical highs
              c)  northward of the subtropical highs
              d)  northward of the subpolar lows
              e)  southward of the northeast trades

  (vi)  According to the three-cell general circulation model, one would expect the driest regions of the world to be near:

              a)  latitude 30o and 60o
              b)  latitude 30o and the polar regions
              c)  the equator and the polar regions
              d)  the equator and 30o latitude
              e)  the equator and 60o latitude

  (vii)  Which of the following does not occur during a major El Nino event?

              a)  extensive ocean warming occurs over the tropical Pacific Ocean
              b)  it may last for many months
              c)  large numbers of fish often die along the coast of Peru
              d)  it influences the westerly winds aloft, bringing too much rain to
                  some regions and too little to others
              e)  the subtropical high pressure area off the coast of South America increases in strength

  (viii)  An air parcel moving northward from the equator moves closer to the earth's axis of rotation.
            Because of the conservation of angular momentum, the parcel's speed should:

              a)  increase
              b)  decrease
              c)  show no change

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