ENVIRSC 1C03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Pressure-Gradient Force, Heightmap, Unit

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Environmental Science
• Course: ENVIRSC 1C03
• Professor: Luc Bernier

Document Summary

Wind: ai(cid:396) that is (cid:373)o(cid:448)i(cid:374)g ho(cid:396)izo(cid:374)tally (cid:396)elati(cid:448)e to the ea(cid:396)th"s su(cid:396)fa(cid:272)e. Vertical movement = vertical winds, downdrafts, or updrafts. Wi(cid:374)ds a(cid:396)e (cid:272)aused (cid:271)y the u(cid:374)e(cid:395)ual heati(cid:374)g of ea(cid:396)th"s at(cid:373), which creates a pressure gradient. The heated air rises and the surrounding air is sucked in under the rising air. Winds result from horizontal differences in pressure in the atm and winds blow in an attempt to equalize the imbalances in this air pressure. The pressure gradient force results from differences in pressure b/w regions. The average surface pressure is 1013. 2 hps and pressure usually varies from 980-1030 hpa. Air moves from areas of higher pressure to lower pressure, and from areas of high temp to low temp. Isobars bend and turn around areas of high and low pressure (represented by capital hs and ls) Constant height maps are smoothed and drawn relative to a constant elevation.