REVISTA DE BIOLOGIA E CIÊNCIAS DA TERRA ISSN 1519-5228 - Artigo_Bioterra_V24_...
Meteorology
1.
2. What is meteorology?
• Meteorology is the science that studies
atmospheric phenomena, especially those
that relate to weather. Meteorologists who
forecast the weather rely on thousands of
weather stations located around the world,
both on land and at sea.
3. HISTORYIn Bible times - "˜You are able to interpret the appearance of the sky but the sign of the times you
cannot interpret.” Book of Matthew
1441 -King Sejong’s son, Prince Munjong, invented the first standardized rain gauge
1450 - Leone Battista Alberti developed a swinging-plate anemometer, and is known as the
first anemometer.
1607 - Galileo Galilei constructs a thermoscope
1643 -Evangelista Torricelli invented the barometer,Torricelli noticed that air pressure changes in
accordance with changes in the weather. In fact a drop in pressure would often signal that a
storm was coming.
1644 - hygrometer was invented
1662 - Sir Christopher Wren invented the mechanical, self-emptying, tipping bucket rain gauge.
1714 – Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit invented the mercury thermometer
1742 - Anders Celsius, a Swedish astronomer, proposed the 'centigrade' temperature scale, the
predecessor of the current Celsius scale
4. 1765 - daily measurements of air pressure, moisture content, wind
speed and direction began to be made. This was first done by
French scientist Laurent Lavoisier who stated,"With all of this
information it is almost always possible to predict the weather one
or two days ahead with reasonable accuracy.”
1783 - the first hair hygrometer is demonstrated by Horace-Bénédict
de Saussure.
1806 - Francis Beaufort introduced his system for classifying wind
speeds
1854 - French warship and 38 merchant vessels sank in a fierce storm
off the Crimean port of Balaklava
April 1960 - launch of the first successful weather satellite, TIROS-1,
marked the beginning of the age where weather information
became available globally.
6. CloudsClouds
The cloudy part of the atmosphere lies below anThe cloudy part of the atmosphere lies below an
invisible ‘lid’ called the tropopause. Cloudsinvisible ‘lid’ called the tropopause. Clouds
cannot penetrate this top that is put on thecannot penetrate this top that is put on the
weather and about the only time when weweather and about the only time when we
actually can see its effect is when thundercloudsactually can see its effect is when thunderclouds
spread their anvils under it. The layer below thespread their anvils under it. The layer below the
tropopause is called the troposphere and alltropopause is called the troposphere and all
weather processes of interest to us occur in theweather processes of interest to us occur in the
troposphere.troposphere.
7.
8.
9. Rain
Rain is the precipitation of liquid drops
of water. There are also other forms of
precipitation such as snow, sleet and
hail. Raindrops generally have a
diameter greater than 0.5 mm (0.02
in). They range in size up to about 3
mm (about 0.13 in) in diameter, and
their rate of fall increases, up to 7.6 m
(25 ft) per sec with their size.
There are generally three types of
rainfall: orographic rain (also known
as relief rain), convectional
rain and frontal/cyclonic rain.
15. 4. Air cools as it is
forced to rise
5. Condensation
6. Clouds form
7. Rain
16. 3.3. Frontal RainFrontal Rain
1. Mass of warm1. Mass of warm
air meets aair meets a
mass of coldermass of colder
airair
2. Lighter warm
air rises over
heavier cold air
17. 3. Warm air cools3. Warm air cools
4. Condensation
5. Clouds form
6. Rain
18. WindWind
- is air in motion.- is air in motion.
- It is usually the natural horizontal motionIt is usually the natural horizontal motion
of the atmosphere.of the atmosphere.
- Winds are produced by differences inWinds are produced by differences in
atmospheric pressure,.atmospheric pressure,.
19. Breeze Breeze
important factors in a location's prevailingimportant factors in a location's prevailing
winds.winds.
Sea breeze – movement of wind from sea toSea breeze – movement of wind from sea to
land that occurs during daytimeland that occurs during daytime
Land breeze – movement of air from land toLand breeze – movement of air from land to
sea that occurs during night timesea that occurs during night time
20.
21. HumidityHumidity
Humidity is the measurement of the waterHumidity is the measurement of the water
vapour content in the atmosphere. As watervapour content in the atmosphere. As water
evaporates from lakes, seas and oceans andevaporates from lakes, seas and oceans and
vegetation loses water through transpiration, thevegetation loses water through transpiration, the
humidity of the air increases.humidity of the air increases.
The relative humidity of the air (ratio of theThe relative humidity of the air (ratio of the
amount of water vapour in the air to theamount of water vapour in the air to the
maximum amount of water vapour the air canmaximum amount of water vapour the air can
contain expressed as a percantage) iscontain expressed as a percantage) is
measured using ameasured using a hygrometerhygrometer..
22. Effects of humidityEffects of humidity
Animals and plantsAnimals and plants
Humidity is one of the fundamental abiotic factors that defines anyHumidity is one of the fundamental abiotic factors that defines any
habitat, and is a determinant of which animals and plants can thrivehabitat, and is a determinant of which animals and plants can thrive
in a given environment.in a given environment.
Human comfortHuman comfort
Humans are sensitive to humid air because the human body usesHumans are sensitive to humid air because the human body uses
evaporative cooling as the primary mechanism to regulateevaporative cooling as the primary mechanism to regulate
temperature.temperature.
ElectronicsElectronics
Many electronic devices have humidity specifications, for example,Many electronic devices have humidity specifications, for example,
5% to 95%. At the top end of the range, moisture may increase the5% to 95%. At the top end of the range, moisture may increase the
conductivity of permeable insulators leading to malfunction.conductivity of permeable insulators leading to malfunction.
Building constructionBuilding construction
Traditional building designs typically had weak insulation, and itTraditional building designs typically had weak insulation, and it
allowed air moisture to flow freely between the interior and exteriorallowed air moisture to flow freely between the interior and exterior
23.
24. Instruments
The anemometer measures the
wind speed. It has three or four
horizontal arms pivoted on a
vertical shaft. Metal cups are
fixed to the end of the arms so
that when there is wind, the arms
rotate. The movements are
transmitted to the meter which
records the wind speed in meters
per second or km per hour or in
knots (1.85km/h).
26. HygrometerHygrometer
A A hygrometerhygrometer is made up of a is made up of a
dry bulb thermometer and a wetdry bulb thermometer and a wet
bulb thermometer. The dry bulbbulb thermometer. The dry bulb
thermometer is an ordinary liquid-thermometer is an ordinary liquid-
in-glass thermometer whichin-glass thermometer which
measures the actual temperaturemeasures the actual temperature
of the air. The wet bulbof the air. The wet bulb
thermometer is the same as thethermometer is the same as the
dry bulb thermometer, except thatdry bulb thermometer, except that
it is wrapped with a piece of muslinit is wrapped with a piece of muslin
cloth which is kept moist by acloth which is kept moist by a
piece of wick dipped in water.piece of wick dipped in water.
27. Rain GaugeRain Gauge
A rain gauge consists of an outer 13cmA rain gauge consists of an outer 13cm
diameter cylinder and an inner cylinderdiameter cylinder and an inner cylinder
with a jar. Rain is collected in the jar bywith a jar. Rain is collected in the jar by
means of a funnel which has a taperedmeans of a funnel which has a tapered
end so that rain cannot easily evaporate.end so that rain cannot easily evaporate.
The rain gauge is sited in open space toThe rain gauge is sited in open space to
receive rain from all angles. It must bereceive rain from all angles. It must be
located away from buildings and treeslocated away from buildings and trees
that may shelter the raindrops. It is sunkthat may shelter the raindrops. It is sunk
into the ground for stability and its rim isinto the ground for stability and its rim is
30cm from the ground to prevent water30cm from the ground to prevent water
from splashing into it from the ground.from splashing into it from the ground.
Rainfall collected in the rain gauge isRainfall collected in the rain gauge is
then measured using a measuringthen measured using a measuring
cylinder.cylinder.
28. Sunshine Recorder
The sunshine recorder records the duration
of sunshine at a place for a day. A glass ball
with a 10 cm diameter is mounted on a metal
frame. This glass ball focuses the sunshine a
sensitised card that is placed below it on the
metal frame. The sunrays make burn marks on
the card. Continuous burn marks show
continuous sunshine. Broken marks show
otherwise. At the end of the day, the card is
removed and the burn marks are totalled to get
the total duration of sunshine for the day in
hours and minutes. Lines drawn through
places having the same amount of sunshine
are called isohels.
30. Wind VaneWind Vane
• The The wind vanewind vane consists of consists of
a pointer that moves freelya pointer that moves freely
on a vertical shaft. The fouron a vertical shaft. The four
cardinal points are tied tocardinal points are tied to
the shaft beneath thethe shaft beneath the
pointer. When the windpointer. When the wind
blows, the pointer movesblows, the pointer moves
and its head shows theand its head shows the
direction from which thedirection from which the
wind is blowing. The arrowwind is blowing. The arrow
of the wind vane alwaysof the wind vane always
points in the direction frompoints in the direction from
the wind blows and thethe wind blows and the
wind is named after thiswind is named after this
direction.direction.
37. AviationAviation
meteorologymeteorology
• Aviation meteorology deals with theAviation meteorology deals with the
impact of weather on air trafficimpact of weather on air traffic
management. It is important for air crewsmanagement. It is important for air crews
to understand the implications of weatherto understand the implications of weather
on their flight plan as well as their aircrafton their flight plan as well as their aircraft
38. Agricultural meteorologyAgricultural meteorology
involves the integration of
climatological and
meteorological data and
techniques into
agricultural problems,
such as crop production,
soil moisture, moisture
stress, and migration of
pests. A good
background in basic math
and sciences is required.
39. HydrometeorologyHydrometeorology
is a branchis a branch
of meteorology and hydrology that studiesof meteorology and hydrology that studies
the transfer of water and energy betweenthe transfer of water and energy between
the land surface and thethe land surface and the
lower atmosphere.lower atmosphere.
40. Nuclear meteorologyNuclear meteorology
Nuclear meteorology investigates theNuclear meteorology investigates the
distributiondistribution
of radioactive aerosols and gases in theof radioactive aerosols and gases in the
atmosphereatmosphere
