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    Atmospheric Stability and Cloud Formation

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    priya86240
    The document discusses atmospheric stability and cloud formation. It defines stable, unstable and neutral atmospheric conditions based on mechanical equilibrium and adiabatic processes. A stable atmosphere occurs when a lifted air parcel is cooler than surrounding air, while an unstable atmosphere occurs when a lifted parcel is warmer. Layered clouds form in stable conditions, while cumuliform clouds form in unstable atmospheres. Daytime heating makes the atmosphere conditionally unstable and more prone to convection and cloud formation.

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    Atmospheric Stability and Cloud Formation

    Uploaded by

    priya86240
    42 views21 pages
    The document discusses atmospheric stability and cloud formation. It defines stable, unstable and neutral atmospheric conditions based on mechanical equilibrium and adiabatic processes. A stable atmosphere occurs when a lifted air parcel is cooler than surrounding air, while an unstable atmosphere occurs when a lifted parcel is warmer. Layered clouds form in stable conditions, while cumuliform clouds form in unstable atmospheres. Daytime heating makes the atmosphere conditionally unstable and more prone to convection and cloud formation.

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    thermodynamics

    Original Title

    thermodynamics

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    The document discusses atmospheric stability and cloud formation. It defines stable, unstable and neutral atmospheric conditions based on mechanical equilibrium and adiabatic processes. A stable atmosphere occurs when a lifted air parcel is cooler than surrounding air, while an unstable atmosphere occurs when a lifted parcel is warmer. Layered clouds form in stable conditions, while cumuliform clouds form in unstable atmospheres. Daytime heating makes the atmosphere conditionally unstable and more prone to convection and cloud formation.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    42 views21 pages

    Atmospheric Stability and Cloud Formation

    Uploaded by

    priya86240
    The document discusses atmospheric stability and cloud formation. It defines stable, unstable and neutral atmospheric conditions based on mechanical equilibrium and adiabatic processes. A stable atmosphere occurs when a lifted air parcel is cooler than surrounding air, while an unstable atmosphere occurs when a lifted parcel is warmer. Layered clouds form in stable conditions, while cumuliform clouds form in unstable atmospheres. Daytime heating makes the atmosphere conditionally unstable and more prone to convection and cloud formation.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    of 21

    Atmospheric Stability

    and Cloud Formation

    RECAP
    Mechanical equilibrium: stable,
    unstable, neutral.
    Adiabatic expansion/compression: no
    heat exchange.
    Adiabatic lapse rate
    Dry adiabatic lapse rate ~ 10 K/km
    Moist adiabatic lapse rate ~ 6 K/km
    Remember: Dry > Moist always
    Environmental lapse rate.
    Atmospheric stability:
    Absolutely stable atmosphere
    Absolutely unstable atmosphere
    Neutrally stable atmosphere
    Conditionally unstable atmosphere

    Midchapter summary
    The air temperature in a rising parcel of unsaturated air decreases
    at the dry adiabatic rate, while the air temperature in a rising parcel
    of saturated air decreases at the moist adiabatic rate.
    The dry adiabatic rate and moist adiabatic rate of cooling are
    different due to the fact that latent heat is released in a rising
    parcel of saturated air.
    In a stable atmosphere, a lifted parcel of air will be cooler (heavier)
    than the air surrounding it, and will tend to sink back to its original
    position.
    In an unstable atmosphere, a lifted parcel of air will be warmer
    (lighter) than the air surrounding it, and will continue to rise upward,
    away from its original position.
    The atmosphere becomes more stable (stabilizes) as the surface air
    cools and/or the air aloft warms.
    The atmosphere becomes more unstable (destabilizes) as the surface
    air warms and/or the air aloft cools.
    Layered clouds tend to form in a stable atmosphere, while
    cumuliform clouds form in an unstable atmosphere.

    Stable atmosphere

    Unstable atmosphere

    Sample test questions

    If the environmental lapse rate is 5 deg C per 1000 m


    and the temperature at the earth's surface is 25 deg
    C, then the air temperature at 2000 m above the
    ground is:
    a.
    25 deg C
    b.
    35 deg C
    c.
    20 deg C
    d.
    15 deg C
    e.
    10 deg C

    Sample test questions

    Take the dry adiabatic lapse rate to be 10 deg C per


    1000 m. A radiosonde has measured the temperature
    of the atmosphere to be 30 deg C on the ground and
    15 deg C at an altitude of 1000 m. What can you say
    about the stability of the atmosphere?
    The atmosphere is absolutely unstable
    The atmosphere is conditionally unstable
    The atmosphere is absolutely stable
    The atmosphere is neutrally stable
    This question cannot be answered without knowing
    the moist adiabatic lapse rate

    How does the Stability of the


    Atmosphere Change During the Day?
    Daytime:
    The sun heats the ground.
    The boundary layer is heated from below.
    The environmental lapse rate is steep.
    The atmosphere can become unstable.
    Morning and evening hours:
    Radiation cooling results in temperature inversion.
    The boundary layer is cooler than the air above.
    The environmental lapse rate becomes less steep.
    The atmosphere is stable.

    DAY

    Air Stability

    NIGHT

    The ground is warm

    IR cooling

    Environmental
    lapse rate

    Altitude

    Solar radiation

    Adiabatic lapse rate

    20
    30
    Temperature [C]

    The ground is cool

    Cloud Formation

    Convection and Clouds

    Cumulus Clouds

    Cumulus clouds

    Formation of Convective Clouds


    The surface air temperature is 35 C and the dew point is 25 C

    Stability and cloud thickness

    A conditionally unstable atmosphere allows for


    saturated air to keep propagating upwards

    STABLE

    UNSTABLE

    Orographic uplift

    Wave clouds

    Cap cloud

    Lenticular cloud

    Wave clouds

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