GEOL 106 Lecture Notes - Lecture 46: Meteorology, Tibetan Plateau, Krypton
26 May 2018
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o processes and changes that produce and maintain climate systems
- ocean currents can affect T and precipitation of areas far removed from coast
o warm currents travelling northward along eastern Atlantic bring mild temperatures to
northern Europe
- mountain ranges and plateaus can affect precipitation patterns and seasons (thus also T)
o Asia’s Tieta Plateau is partly resposile for Asia osoo
o Rocky Mountains are important in southwestern US monsoon
EARTH CLIMATE SYSTEM AND NATURAL PROCESSES
- flooding is in part dependent on rainfall amount and intensity
- landslides may be more common in areas with rainy climates
- wildfires more likely in dry climates
- climate classification → map of world climates, info. about relationship between climate and
vegetation
o e.g. not all dry areas are prone to wildfires
▪ some dry areas are at more risk than others
12.3 The Atmosphere and the Cryosphere
ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION
- atmosphere = mainly N2 and O2
o permanent gases: constant proportion of mass of atmosphere (e.g. N2, O2, argon)
o variable gases: proportions vary in time (e.g. CO2)
o aerosols: microscopic particles whose proportions also vary in time and space
- composition of the atmosphere
o
o permanent gases N2, O2, argon = 99% by volume of all atmospheric gases
▪ N2 = 78%, greatest volume but relatively unimportant in atmospheric dynamics
unless N2 forms compounds with other gases like O2
▪ O2 = 21%, critical to existence of most life forms on Earth, relatively unimportant
to atmosphere dynamics
• other oxygen compounds like ozone play important role in atmospheric
climate system
▪ argon = most of remaining 1%
▪ with exception of hydrogen, argon, neon, helium, krypton, xenon are not
chemically reactive and have little or no effect on climate
o variable gases = small percentage, some play important roles in atmospheric dynamics
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