The Weather Processes Influencing The Climate Changes - Research Paper Example

The Weather Processes Influencing The Climate Changes Introduction The concept of weather has normally elicited a variety of different definitions. However, the globally acceptable scientific definition of weather is broken down into several constituents. To this end, weather entails the atmospheric state at a particular place and time. Furthermore, weather is descriptively broken down in terms of several variable conditions such as precipitation, humidity, barometric pressure, wind velocity and temperature (Day, & Sternes, 1970). Evidently, the Earth’s weather is evident within the lower atmosphere or troposphere. Moreover, it is pertinent to note that the climate of a region is defined by the average weather conditions within a region over time. Furthermore, the rotation of the Earth and the Sun’s energy are credited with controlling the weather. To this end, the Sun plays are pertinent role in weather through providing warmth to the Earth and controlling the hydrologic or water cycle. In this regard, the weather processes are often due to atmospheric responses that manifest after the Sun’s uneven heating processes on the Earth (Day, & Sternes, 1970). Consequently, temperature differences arise following the effect of uneven heating on the Earth’s surface. This leads to the development of air currents otherwise known as wind which displaces heat from high temperature areas to low temperature areas. To this end, the Earth is transformed into a massive ‘heat engine’ which is propagated by the sun ( Dunlop, 2001). Evidently, the clouds, wind, low and high pressure areas, and precipitation are manifestations of the uneven heating process either directly or indirectly. In this regard, the subsequent sections will delve into the intricate weather processes such of how the sun warms the Earth, the water cycle, evaporation, condensation, types of precipitation, and seasons. How the Sun warms the Earth The source of heat for planet Earth emanates from the sun. Evidently, scientists are in consensus that the tremendous light and heat energy produced by the sun is through nuclear fusion. In this regard, the energy produced by the sun is emanated in all directions which eventually travel through the space to heat the Earth. In this regard, the sun plays a pertinent role in determining the weather processes. Evidently, the sun’s role in determining the weather processes has all to do with its uneven heating processes on the Earth. The sun’s role in warming the Earth contributes to temperature differences which occur due to the uneven heating process (Margenau & Bergamini, 1964). To this end, wind or air currents are produced which distributes heat from high temperature areas to low temperature areas. Consequently, the uneven heating process and the consequent redistribution of heat process contribute to different weather processes. There are three important processes by which the sun’s heat energy is transferred on the Earth’s surface to eventually provide the heat needed by the Earth. These are radiation, conduction and convection. Solar Radiation Solar radiation denotes the cumulative frequency spectrum of electromagnetic solar energy that is emitted by the sun. The electromagnetic waves are responsible for transferring the heat energy from the sun to the Earth. Evidently, the electromagnetic spectrum is composed of visible light, ultraviolet radiation, x-rays, radio waves and infrared radiation. The heat and visible light emitted by the sun is what propagates life and is what constitutes most of the electromagnetic radiation. To this end, approximately 30% of the incoming solar radiation is reflected by the Earth while 70% accounts for the amount of absorbed solar radiation Watt, et al. 1992). The absorbed heat contributes towards warming the atmosphere, land and oceans. A huge amount of the visible solar radiation is credited with heating the Earth’s surface as opposed to the atmosphere. On the other hand, infrared radiation is lost into the Earth’s upper atmosphere as opposed to the surface. Greenhouse gases within the atmosphere absorb most of the infrared photons. Solar Convection Convection entails the heat transfer through fluid movement such as air or water. Evidently, convection happens naturally within the atmosphere when it is warm and sunny. To this end, there is an unequal absorption of solar heat energy among certain regions of the Earth’s surface. To this end, there is an uneven heating between the air near the Earth’s surface and the surface itself. In this regard, there is an expansion of the warmest air which have less density than the surrounding cooler air. The warmest air particles thus rise up due to increased buoyancy. The ascending thermals or warm air “bubbles” eventually lead to heat transfer in the atmosphere. On the other hand, the cool dense air migrates downwards to the surface where it replaces the risen warm air. On reaching the surface, the cooler air is eventually warmed and later rises up as thermal. To this end, the continuous cycle is referred to as a thermal cell or convective circulation. It is important to note that convectional solar heat transfers occurs vertically within the atmosphere. Consequently, wind transfers the heat horizontally to other regions. To this end, the term advection is used to describe the wind’s horizontal wind transfer. Solar Conduction Solar conduction is made possible by the molecular activity of particles. To this end, transfer of heat energy is made possible when molecules collide with one another whereby heat flows from higher temperature areas to lower temperature areas. Evidently, solar heat conduction is only effective in the atmosphere when it occurs several millimeters near the Earth’s surface. Modes of Solar Heat Distribution There are two major modes of heat redistribution. These are horizontal heat transport and vertical heat transport. In regard to horizontal heat transport, the Earth gains more sunlight within the tropics compared to the South and North Poles. This is largely because the Earth is spherical. To this end, horizontal temperature differences result which contributes to air pressure differences. This manifestation causes transport of heat by wind from the tropics to high latitude areas. In relation to vertical heat transport, convective instability arises due to solar heating of the Earth’s surface. This eventually leads to vertical air currents. Consequently, the vertical air currents in warm air masses are attributed to causing showers and thunderstorms, puffy looking clouds. The Water Cycle The Earth’s water is always changing state between ice, liquid and vapor in a repetitive cycle. To this end, the continuous water movement as it changes state is what is termed as the hydrologic or water cycle. In this regard, the pertinent processes involved in the water cycle include evaporation, condensation, transpiration and precipitation. Evaporation The process of evaporation is evident when water changes its physical state from liquid to gaseous state. Evidently, for each gram of water approximately 600 calories of energy is expended when water changes state. In addition, solar radiation among other weather parameters such as wind, vapor pressure, air temperature and atmospheric pressure influence the rate of natural evaporation within a particular geographic region. In this regard, evaporation can be evident in water bodies such as rivers, lakes and seas; water on settled on rocks, soil and vegetation. Furthermore, evaporation can be as a result of human activities. To this end, there is evaporation evident from water that has settled on the surfaces of heated buildings. In this regard, the moisture from evaporation rises from the water bodies and land surfaces upwards into the atmosphere. Condensation Condensation refers to the process in which water changes its state from vapor to liquid state. The process of condensation is made possible when air cools drastically or through increasing the levels of vapor in the air up to the saturation point. To this end, condensation of water vapor occurs on small airborne particles such as atmospheric ions and sea salts in order to form clouds, fog or dew. Evidently, when water vapor is condensed into the liquid state, the amount of heat that was used in its change to vapor, 600 calories of energy for every gram of water, is dissipated back into the environment. Precipitation Precipitation connotes the process by which all forms of water particles fall from the atmosphere towards the Earth’s surface. In this regard, the precipitation falls either on land surface or a water body. Evidently, the ice-crystal and coalescence processes denote the two sub-processes which result to the release of precipitation by clouds (Thompson, 2002). The ice crystal process occurs when there is formation of ice in cloud forms that are high up in atmosphere within the freezing temperatures. Consequently, as the nearby water droplets reach the crystals, some of the water droplets are subjected to evaporation and eventually condense on them. To this end, there is a growth of critical size evident in the crystals which hence drop as ice pellets or snow. The major types of precipitation include rain, snow, sleet and freezing rain, as well as hail. Rain refers to liquid precipitation evident in the form of water droplets and is 0.5mm greater in diameter. Snow is formed at temperatures below freezing point and constitutes ice crystal aggregates evident as flakes. On the other hand, hail constitutes large ice chunks that are present following large thunderstorms. Evidently, hails is formed after super cooled water and ice crystals freeze onto the embryo of a hail stone. To this end, they are normally not less than 5 millimeters in diameter. Sleet or ice pellets are frozen raindrops which are formed whenever snow is deposited within a warm layer of the Earth’s surface. The snow eventually melts to form rain which consequently is deposited within a deep, freezing air layer that refreezes the raindrops to form pellets. On the other hand, freezing rain is manifested whenever snow is deposited within a warm layer on the Earth’s surface and melts. However, the freezing layer is extremely shallow and when the rainwater is deposited on the surfaces which are below freezing they solidify. The outcome is an even layer of ice on power lines, cars, streets and trees. Clouds Clouds are basically aggregates of small but visible ice crystals and water droplets which are suspended within the atmosphere. To this end, the clouds are evident in the sky in a variety of sizes and shapes. The different cloud types are classified based on their physical appearance from the ground as well as their height above the ground. The main cloud types are nimbus, cumulus, cirrus and stratus (Navarra, 979). The other mode of classifying the clouds pertains to the height of cloud base. To this end, the first classifications are high level clouds which are formed at approximately 20,000 feet above sea level. These clouds consist of ice crystals which are white and thin in appearance. The mid level clouds are formed at altitudes between 6,500 to 20,000 feet. They are normally constituted by water droplets due to their lower altitudes. However, when the temperature is cold enough they can equally be composed of ice crystals. On the other hand, the low level clouds are located below 6,500 feet and generally constituted by water droplets. Seasons The seasonal variations in climate are evidently caused due to the minimal changes in the planets distance from the sun. To this end, the four major seasons are winter, autumn, summer and spring. The winter season is characterized by very cold and shorter days (Thompson, 2002). The common precipitation is snow and sleet which is evident as ice and frost on the floor. The spring season is marked with early rising of the sun which later set in the afternoon. Moreover, the spring period is marked with varying weather throughout. On the other hand, summer season is evident through warmer and longer daylight periods. The autumn is normally evident through shorter days which are sunny and warm in the daytime. Conclusion Weather plays a pertinent role in shaping the daily human activities. Moreover, the climate of a region is shaped by the average weather conditions over a period of time. To this end, the heating of the sun plays a pertinent role in shaping weather through its uneven heating of the Earth. This essentially results to various weather parameters such as precipitation, humidity, barometric pressure, wind velocity and temperature. References Day, J. A., & Sternes, G. L. (1970).Climate and weather. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Pub. Co.. Dunlop, S. (2001). A dictionary of weather. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Margenau, H., & Bergamini, D. (1964).The scientist,. New York: Time, inc.. Navarra, J. G. (1979). Atmosphere, weather, and climate: an introduction to meteorology. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders. Thompson, R. D. (2002). Atmospheric processes and systems (Taylor & Francis e-Library ed.). London: Routledge. Watt, F., Wilson, F., Stockley, C., Greenleaf, P., & Chen, K. K. (1992).Weather & climate. London: Usborne ;. Read More