Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
CHAPTER 4
AIR PRESSURE & WINDS
December 2001
1
Pressure
Balanced by
air pressure.
Gravity
But, the air
doesnt fall
down!!!
3
Pressure
Mercury
Mercury Barometer:
Weight of the mercury
is balanced by the force h Pressure
of the air (pressure) on
the mercury in the dish.
4
Pressure
Average sea-level pressure:
1013.2 mb 101.3 kPa
29.92 inches Hg 14.7 pounds per in2
760 mm of Hg 34 feet of water
Records (sea-level):
1078.3 mb in Siberia
877.2 mb in a Pacific Typhoon
Pressure
Altimeter Setting
996 mb
1000 mb
996 mb 500 ft
1004 mb
1008 mb
1000 mi
6
Pressure
In the atmosphere, the greatest
pressure variations are in the vertical.
Pressure decreases
with altitude.
Gravity Pressure increases nearly 6
mb taking the elevator from
the 14th floor to the 1st floor.
T = 40F T = 65F
P = 1013 mb P = 1013 mb
11
Pressure
Reduction to sea-level
Each station has its own set of
equations to reduce station pressure
to sea-level pressure.
The fictitious column is assumed to
have a known temperature profile.
12
Pressure
Sea Level
Corrected Sea-level pressure = 1010 mb
13
Pressure
The added corrected pressure depends
on the temperature of the fictitious column
of air. Recall p = RT
14
Pressure
15
Forces of Nature -- Air in Motion
16
Horizontal Pressure Differences
Cool Warm
Ps Ps Ps Ps
17
Horizontal Pressure Differences
Cool Warm
Ps Ps
18
Horizontal Pressure Differences
So we see a high pressure, at the altitude of the plane, in the
warm column and a low pressure in the cool air.
Low High
Cool Warm
Ps Ps
The horizontal difference in temperature creates
a horizontal difference in pressure.
19
Horizontal Pressure Differences
20
Horizontal Pressure Differences
Acceleration -- The change in velocity
(speed or direction) over a period of time.
Force Diagram
Friction Engine
Review
With a balance of forces:
Rest
Motion in a straight line at constant speed
With Unbalanced forces:
The speed, direction, or both will change
23
Forces Acting on the Atmosphere
The wind is a result of forces acting on the
atmosphere.
Pressure Gradient Force (PGF)
Gravity (G)
Friction (Fr)
Coriolis (Co)
Centrifugal (Ce)
B
A
High Low
Pressure Pressure
When the valve is opened, the water will flow from tank
A to tank B ==> High to low pressure.
25
Pressure Gradient Force
26
Pressure Gradient Force
Pressure Gradient Force
Ignore density (rho)
1012 1016
P ~ 4 mb/120 miles
P ~ 8 mb/120 miles
1016
27
Pressure Gradient Force
28
Pressure Gradient Force
G
Gravity just balances PZ (almost).
30
Measurements -- Wind
Wind: The motion of air. Wind is a vector; it
has both magnitude and direction.
direction: wind or weather vane, wind sock
speed: anemometer - - most common types
are a rotating cup or a propeller
Wind direction is the direction from which the
wind is coming.
Book Record: 231 mph at the surface at Mt.
Washington, NH.
31
Measurements -- Wind
Westerly Northerly
Wind Wind
Southerly Easterly
Wind Wind