GPHY 102 Lecture 7: Winds and Global Circulation
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Test january 30th (lectures and readings, no lab material) mc, true false. Objectives: describe measurement and variation of atmospheric pressure, explain processes impacting wind direction and weather systems, describes patterns of atmospheric pressure and circulation, evaluate role of upper atmospheric circulation, describe circulation patterns of oceans. Atmospheric pressure and altitude: air pressure deceases rapidly with increasing altitude, decrease is not linear, because atmosphere thins. Highest pressures being at sea level, as you move up pressure declines. Winds and pressure gradients: wind is air in (predominantly) horizontal motion, characterized by a direction and speed, pressure gradient. Flows from high to low pressure: difference in pressure between two locales, greater pressure differences create faster wind speeds. Weather map from 2012 (systems map), across continental us, showing pressure (isobars) measured at observing stations. Each station has measured temp, wind speed etc. With these measurements we can determine high pressure areas, low pressure areas etc.
