Essay On Atmospheric Processes

TOPIC 3: ATMOSPHERIC PROCESS

3.1 INTRODUCTION

Atmospheric processes involve many scales — from a dust mote that acts as a condensation nucleus for a raindrop, to the impacts from a variety of global phenomenon like El Niño. The Earth's atmosphere has a variety of properties, including heat, moisture, and various chemical species. To understand atmospheric effects on our lives, it is essential to analyze and predict the nature and interaction of these properties on every scale, from the minute to the continental. It requires a complex and diverse array of modeling, sensing, and simulation capabilities.

3.2 THE PROCESS

The moisture availability from precipitation is unequally distributed across the Earth. The geographic pattern of precipitation is explained by examining the spatial distribution of air masses, water availability through evaporation, and uplift mechanisms. Precipitation near the equator is high due in part to the influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Here, convection and low pressure dominate and provide lift for the air throughout much of the year. At about 30° North and South latitude, precipitation decreases due to the presence of the subtropical high pressure systems. Subsiding air from high pressure suppresses uplift which inhibits the formation of precipitation. Precipitation increases in the mid-latitudes, where vastly contrasting air masses collide along weather fronts to cause precipitation. As one approaches the poles, precipitation decreases on account of the cold temperature and its associated low saturation point. Orientation of winds, mountain systems, and

Latitude Yes - -

2. Global And Mesoscale Ocean Currents (Eg. ENSO) Yes Yes -

3. Atmospheric Currents (Eg. Bay Of Bengal) Yes Yes -

4. Proximity To Moisture Source (Eg. Ocean, Lake) Yes - Yes

5. Relative Continental Position YES YES -

6. Season - YES