GG281 Lecture Notes - Sea Salt, Cloud Condensation Nuclei, Longwave
Document Summary
Evolution of precipitation in atmosphere: transfer of water molecules to atmosphere. Wet adiabatic lapse rate or saturated lapse rate salr (variable) *if dalr and salr are left of the elr then conditions are stable. Parcels of air cooling at the dalr cools faster, always than that at salr. Rossby"s wave dynamics: heating and cooling of earth"s surface. *if dalr and salr are to the right of elr always unstable: condensation. Aerosols sources: natural (dms, sea salt, volcanoes), anthropogenic (industrial contamination) Impacts: condensation nuclei, scatter shortwave radiation, absorbs shortwave and long- wave radiation. Air must be nearly saturated, must be something for surdace to condense to like aerosols. Optical depth: refers to degree to which aerosols prevent transmission of light by absorption or scattering. Beer law: absorption proportional to concentration of absorbing species in material. Homogeneous nucleation: supersaturation high enough and no aerosols present condensation may happen. Condensation nuclei: have a negative charge, water molecules attracted to these.
