3. You have the misfortune of being shipwrecked on a small island in the central

Question

3. You have the misfortune of being shipwrecked on a small island in the central Pacific Ocean 9-40°N). On a certain day you observe the clouds at three distinct levels in the atmosphere. The low-level clouds move from north to south. The middle-level clouds move from west to east. The upper-level clouds also move from north to south. Assume all the clouds are propelled by geostrophic winds. How will the lapse rate over the island change as the day progresses? Justify your answer using thermal wind concepts. (Hint: it may be helpful to draw a picture) (10 points)

Explanation / Answer

first we have to understand the concept of the lapse rate and the thermal wind. so lets start with one by one and then we will coclude the concept to state the answer for this.

so lapse rate can be defined as it is the rate at which the earth atmospheric temperature decreases with the increases of the altitude or it can be stated like this that earth temperature increases with the decreases in the altitude. so we need to determine the rate of change of the temperature on the island. but by the concept of the thermal wind stated that it is the change of the wind speed with the altitude.

now if we conceptualize the above two concept then we can find this that the temperature of the island is change contineously. now the winds are moving but as the height is increasing then the speed become low. so the cloud at the top layers which is moving from north to south will move very slowly. the middle layers clouds will move with moderate speed and the lower layer clouds will move with high speed. which result in the formation of thermal gredient which means the temperature at the top level will remain same and uniform and the temperature at low layers will change accordingly.

now if we take the case of whole day then the temperature will first rise to maximum level and then reduced to initial level.

this means that the lapse rate just over the island means will increase to its maximum value and then decrease. both increament and decreament will be linealy takes place.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse 3
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.