Atmospheric Dynamics Flashcards
6 cards from real AMS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Atmospheric Dynamics flashcards as text
What is the primary balance in the tropics that replaces geostrophic balance?
Answer: Cyclostrophic balance
In strong tropical vortices where Coriolis force is negligible, cyclostrophic balance between the centrifugal and pressure gradient forces dominates.
The hydrostatic equation relates pressure change to which atmospheric quantity?
Answer: Air density and gravity
The hydrostatic equation states that the pressure decrease with height equals air density times gravitational acceleration.
Which scale of motion is characterized by horizontal scales of 2–2000 km?
Answer: Mesoscale
Mesoscale meteorology covers phenomena with horizontal extents from roughly 2 to 2000 km, including thunderstorms and sea breezes.
What does PVU (potential vorticity unit) measure?
Answer: Isentropic potential vorticity
A PVU (10⁻⁶ K·m²·kg⁻¹·s⁻¹) is the standard unit for potential vorticity on isentropic surfaces.
In a barotropic atmosphere, how do pressure surfaces relate to density surfaces?
Answer: They are parallel (no solenoids)
A barotropic atmosphere has parallel pressure and density surfaces, meaning no baroclinic instability can develop.
What is the f-plane approximation in dynamic meteorology?
Answer: Treating the Coriolis parameter as constant with latitude
The f-plane approximation holds the Coriolis parameter constant at its local value, simplifying equations for small-scale analysis.