04-10-2017

Structure of Atmosphere Structure of Atmosphere

Troposphere Thermosphere

Temperature decreases with Temperature increases

increasing height with increasing height
Climatology GHG gas absorb long wave Gases are in ionic state –
terrestrial radiation – extremely hot
transparent to insolation
(short wave radiation) Ionosphere -Imp for radio
Heated from terrestrial
communication
radiation from earth surface

Origin of the atmosphere on the earth Structure of Atmosphere Basic air movement
Structure of atmosphere Stratosphere Movement of air Adiabatic lapse rate
Heat Budget Temperature increases
Albedo with increasing height
Movement of air Ozone layer absorbs UV
rays from Insolation
Stability and instability
Adiabatic lapse rate
Temperature Inversion

Precipitation processes: evaporation- Structure of Atmosphere Temperature Inversion

Humidity - condensation-clouds Mesosphere Temperature Inversion
Ex. Of Temp Inversion -
tropopause
Types of clouds
Temperature decreases
Types of rainfall with increasing height
Pressure system of the world Absence of GHG gas
Planetary wind system Going away from Ozone
layer
Variable winds

Temperature Inversion
Ex. Cool winter night Ex. Valley inversion
Precipitation process
Evaporation Humidity
Relative Humidity
Addition of moisture or
reduction of moisture
holding capacity of the air
packet = rainfall
1) Addition through
evaporation
2) Reduction through
upliftment of the air
Precipitation process
Condensation- clouds
Types of clouds according
to their height and shape
Nimbus clouds give rainfall
Cumulonimbus cloud –
indication of instability
Cyclonic heavy rainfall
Types of rainfall
Convectional rainfall
Types of rainfall
Cyclonic rainfall
Pressure system of the world
04-10-2017
Planetary wind system
Orographic rainfall High pressure to low
pressure
Coriolis force – clockwise
in northern hemi and anti-
clockwise in southern hemi
Trade winds
Westerlies
Polar easterlies
Upper tropospheric winds
Frontal rainfall • Around tropopause,
LP
HP there is only one
gradient
• Wind accumulated
LP above equator and
rarified atmosphere
above poles
HP • HP at the equator and
LP at the poles
Geo-strophic winds
• strong coriolis force
Poles at tropopause
• Because friction is
less - high speed -
stronger the coriolis
force
• So the deflection is
90 degree
• Such winds called
Equator
geo-strophic winds
 04-10-2017

Geo-strophic winds Jet streams Temporary Jet Streams

Somali jet stream/
• Northern Polar-night Jet
Poles Findlater
LP
hemisphere • In westerlies, there
Polar night
are strong, narrow
Equator
Geostrophic deflect bands of high speed
Jet stream
HP
clockwise wind => Jet stream
west to east • Speed of Jet stream
In southern 300kmph Somali Jet
stream
LP Poles
Hemisphere: Anti-
clockwise movement summer
winter
Deflect west to east

Westerlies winds Jet streams location Jet streams

• The upper • There are situated • Jet stream
tropospheric at the margins of embedded in
winds / geo- meridional cells westerlies (Rossby
strophic winds • 4 permanent Jet waves) at high
blow from streams: 2 Polar Jet latitude, cause
west to east and 2 Sub-Tropical pressure variability
at the very Westerly Jet STWJ • That’s why they are
high speed Polar
called travelling
SPLP STHP Eq. LP
High
depression

Rossby waves Jet streams Jet Stream – travelling depressions

• Westerlies at poles – Permanent jet stream Temporary jet stream-TEJ
to maintain the
angular momentum- Tropical
Easterly
Tibet plt.
LP
they meander => Jet

Rossby waves
• Rossby waves do not SW Monsoon
winds
meander
consistently, but Mascerene
High
follow a cycle = Index
cycle
 04-10-2017

Weather of Mid and high latitude Air mass Cold front

Weather of higher latitude is more complex • Air mass acquired • If cold air mass move
than weather of equatorial or tropical regions properties from the faster than the other
Because tropical and equatorial region are heat source regions – land, Cold air mass
than it will lift the
surplus region– thermal reasons play the marine, polar, arctic, warmer one upward =>
dominant role. Antarctic = give them cold front
But higher latitude are heat deficit region – identity. Ex. mP, cT • the slope will be steep
dynamic reasons play dominant role • Extensive = there will be sudden
These include – localised + upper-tropospheric homogeneous surface up-liftment of the warm
circulations (Rossby waves, Jet streams, + longer stay (HP) air = cumulonimbus
temperate cyclones) clouds = cyclonic rain

Conditions for LP Air masses Warm front

Thermally induced Dynamically induced • Air masses do not stay • If warmer air mass
at their source regions is more active than
Because of high Upliftment of warm air forever, they move out. cold front => warm
temperature Ex. LP at sub-polar LP belt While moving they front
Ex. LP at equator Frontal rainfall came across other air • slope will be
Convectional rainfall at masses. gentler = there
equator won’t be sudden up-
liftment of warm air
= uniform
prolonged rain –
drizzle

Air mass Front Fronts

Warm
• Large extensive body of Warm
• The relative difference front
air-mass (1000sqkm) front between temperature
• Height upto Tropopause and moisture decide
• At particular height, one their interaction with Cold air
mass
air mass will have one another
uniform temperature and • The border/ meeting warm Cool air
air mass mass
moisture across its width region of the two air-
• Airmasses can be mass => Front Cold front
differentiate according to Cold front Cold front Warm front
their temperature and
moisture content
 04-10-2017

Frontal cyclone Conditions for LP Development of Frontal cyclone

• Also called as Thermally induced Dynamically induced • Cold air mass pushed
extra-tropical the warm air mass
cyclone, Because of high Upliftment of warm air • Forced upliftment of
travelling temperature Ex. LP at sub-polar LP belt warm air mass at the
depressions, Ex. LP at equator Frontal rainfall cold front =LP
cold-core Convectional rainfall at • Two cold air mass
cyclone, wave equator convergence – circular
cyclones
due to coriolis force

Meaning of cyclone Development of Frontal cyclone Mature stage

1) Intense LP system • Movement of Interaction of air masses LP – closed isobars
2) Air converges towards airmasses from their
the centre source region
3) In Northern • The warm and cold air
hemisphere mass face each other
convergence – anti- • A front is created
clockwise between them
4) Closed isobars • Called Stationary front

Isobar Formative stage of frontal cyclone Occluded front

Normal isobar Closed isobar Location of air masses Circular movement • One cold air mass
climb over other cold
air mass–warm front is
destroyed
• Called occluded front
• Rapid change in
temperature and
pressure
• Unstable weather
conditions
 04-10-2017

Dissipation of frontal cyclone Path of the temperate cyclone Tropical cyclone

• Frontolysis – no • Convergence of air
great • Always west to east around LP zone
temperature • Rising moist (wet) air =>
direction
difference absolute instability
between two • Because influence of
the Westerlies • Cloud formation =more
cold air masses –
and more moisture –
front dissipated • Gradual and
latent heat of
– LP reduced – predictable movement
evaporation => cumulo
cyclone
nimbus cloud => cyclone
dissipated

Stationary front Front Distribution of temperate cyclones Mature Tropical cyclone

Temperate
cyclones • Intensification of LP
• Converging air near
water surface
• Circulating air rises
above (coriolis force)
• Diverging air at the
top of cyclone

Occluded front Frontolysis Tropical cyclone Eye of the tropical cyclone

Hurricane –N. America • At the centre of the
cyclone – ‘eye’ of the
Typhoon - China tropical cyclone.
• Late summer • It is a pressure defect.
Because, at ‘eye’ a
• Increased sea narrow stream of wind
surface temperature descend = is HP at ‘eye’
= LP • At the eye, there is
clear sky.
• Beyond eye wall –
extreme low pressure
 04-10-2017

Properties of tropical cyclones comparison Thunderstorm

• Move swiftly Temperate cyclone Tropical cyclone • Local storm
• Always east to west • for short period of
Wind speed 40-50 kmph Wind speed >120 kmph time
• It is fuelled by Pressure gradient 980 mb Pressure gradient <880 mb
moisture – so when • Heavy rainfall with
cyclone is cut-off Powerful on land Weakens on land thunder and
from sea and move Affect mainland Affect only coastal areas lightning
towards land – it More time to dissipate Quickly dissipate after
starts weakening coming on land

Distribution of tropical cyclone Question Thunderstorm

Q. Tropical cyclones are largely
confined to South China Sea, Bay of • Strong upward
Bengal and Gulf of Mexico. Why? UPSC
movement of warm
(10) moist air
• Atmospheric
instability
Mains • Cumulonimbus
2014 clouds
• convectional
rainfall

comparison Reason for location of Tropical cyclone Stages of thunderstorm

Temperate cyclone Tropical cyclone 1) Tropical water
2) Warm ocean
30-40 degree latitude 8-20 degree latitude currents
Dynamically induced Thermally induced 3) Increase SST in
Due to frontal interaction Due to increasing SST late summer
Formed over large area Small area 4) Tropical
Move west to east Move east to west cyclone move
east to west
Gradual movement – Swift movement- difficult
predictable to predict path 5) Landmass on
western coast
 04-10-2017

Stages of thunderstorm Types of thunderstorm Cold front thunderstorm

1) Air motion mostly upward • Active air masses
2) When accumulated load of water and ice Thermal –forceful
becomes excessive –downdraft starts. upliftment of
warm moist air
Descending water droplet evaporate- cool
the air – increase more downdraft action • Localised and
thunderstorm orographic short-lived
3) Downdraft spreads throughout the cell

Cold front

lightning Thermal thunderstorm Question

Q. Which one of the following
• Within thunderstorm • Localised intense weather conditions is indicated by a
– updrafts, sudden fall in barometer reading? UPSC
heating of ground
downdrafts, ice and during summer
water particles a) Stormy
afternoon
• Thunder clouds b) Calm weather
produce excessive • Equatorial regions
c) Cold and dry weather
negative charge at • Die out if passes over Prelims
height where temp is water body because d) Hot and sunny weather 2001
btwn -5 to -15 deg c absence of supply of
• +ve charge at higher heat
and lower altitude Ans. A)

Lightning Orographic thunderstorm Tornedo

• Create high electric • Warm moist air when • It forms on land
field passes over mountain • Higher wind speed
• Reason unknown barrier than tropical
• When accumulated • Forceful upliftment – cyclone
charge becomes latent heat of • But smaller than
large- condensation tropical cyclone
• Lightning between
opposite charge • ‘Cloud burst’ • Intense LP system
within cloud, to • In Cherrapunji during • Exact mechanism
ground, to neutral monsoon unknown
atmosphere

Water spout in tornado Polar vortex
• When tornado
passes over a water
body –water is
sucked up towards
center of tornedo
• Called water spout
Distribution of tornedo in world Polar vortex
Distribution of tornedo in world Polar vortex
• Occur mostly in
temperate regions
(20 to 60 deg N,S)
• Where cold polar air
meets warm tropical
air
• USA, South-west of
great plain –
“tornado alley”
04-10-2017
Cold wave – polar vortex
• It is a large scale • Disruption in polar
cyclone that encircles vortex can push
geographical poles of part of its frigid air
the earth pockets to
• Span =1000 sqkm southward
• Produce ‘ cold
waves’
• It develops at upper
troposphere or • Jan 2014 in USA
stratosphere
Polar vortex in USA 2014
• It originated during
winters due to sharp
temperature
differential created
between poles and
equator
• Development of Polar
night Jet streams
• Circular movement
Polar stratospheric clouds
• Rossby waves can • Nacreous
disrupt the cloud/mother of pearl
circulation around • Polar stratospheric
the polar vortex clouds formed in winter
• North moving warm during polar vortex.
air masses and HP • temperature below -80
systems degree – 12 -22 km
height
• Contains water, Nitric
acid and sulphuric acid
 04-10-2017

Ozone depletion Ozone hole Normal year

Montreal Protocol, 1987 (1989)
• Nitric acid in polar Restriction over usage and release Protocol • South equatorial
stratospheric clouds of CFC gases and HFCs West
Pacific current pile up water
reacts with CFC -create pool
chlorine 197 countries ratified LP HP
at northern Australia
– increase SST –
• Chlorine concentration in Most successful international
winter called West Pacific
environmental treaty Pool
• in summer -Chlorine
reacts with oxygen In 2014 recovery of ozone layer • It brings rainfall in
molecule of ozone - found Northern Australia
destruct the ozone
molecule

Ozone depletion Pressure gradient cells Normal year

• Increased level of CFC Vertical: Hadley, Ferrell Horizontal: walker • The diverging air
in atmosphere above Australia
• Winter - Polar vortex
LP HP move towards
more concentration of Peruvian coast
chlorine Ferrel
cell • They descend at
• Summer – more Peruvian coast = HP
destruction of Ozone – desiccating effect
layer to Atacama desert
• Completes the
Walker cell

Ozone depletion Walkar cell at south Pacific Normal year

• Polar vortex in northern • There are • As south equatorial
hemi are weak and not oscillation in current take water
as cold as formed at pressure gradient from east to west, it
Antarctica and air circulation led water from
after intervals of 2- LP
• Ozone depletion at 3 years in south HP bottom to come up
Arctic = ‘Ozone dent’ Pacific Ocean Down- and take the space
welling

• ozone depletion more • Called Southern • Up-welling at the

at southern pole = Oscillation Peruvian coast = rich
‘Ozone hole’ • ENSO = EL Nino fishing ground
Southern
Oscillation
 04-10-2017

El-Nino year Implications of El-Nino La-Nina

• Direction of walker • El-Nino bring • Intensification of walker
cell reverses drought cell
LP • South equatorial condition in • Strong west pacific pool
HP
current weakens Indonesia as well • Heavy rainfall – flood
(reason unknown) – forest fire condition in Northern
• It is responsible Australia – good
• Weak piling up of monsoon in India
water at Northern for weak
monsoon in India • Drought in Atacama
Australia
• Very good fishing
• Weakening of west business at Peruvian
Pacific Pool coast – price crash

El-Nino year Implications of El-Nino on Indian Monsoon Thunderstorm

• Ocean water move LP • Association of El- Tornado
towards Peruvian Nino or Western
coast. Create LP Pacific Pool with
EL-Nino
system over there and LP Indian Monsoon La-Nina
HP LP rainfall at Atacama
Australia Peru desert
HP
Western pacific
• There can be other implications
• The rising and Mascarene High Pool atmospheric cells
diverging wind above associated with
Peru descends over Western Pacific
Australia = HP pool
condition – drought in • Still undiscovered
Northern Australia

El-Nino year Global Implications of El-Nino Climatic regions of the world

• The reversal in With global warming there will be
wind direction increasing number of El-Nino events
alters submarine It is a global phenomenon. Though
Down- cycle as well
welling
Upwelling
happening in limited area, it may have wider
• Down-welling at implication over the globe
Peruvian coast =>
loss in fishing
Down-
business
Upwelling welling
 04-10-2017

Climatic regions of the world Equatorial climate Question

Q. Which of the following is/are
1) Equatorial region 7) Mediterranean • Dense forest – characteristics of equatorial forests?
rainforest –lungs of the UPSC
2) Tropical monsoon climate earth 1. Presence of tall, closely set trees
3) Savannah 8) China type • High biodiversity with crowns forming continuous
4) Steppe 9) British type • Tall trees (Abony, canopy
10) Laurentian type Rosewood, mahogany, 2. Co-existence of a large number of
5) Hot desert rubber) – epiphytes Prelims
6) Continental deserts 11) Taiga • But not good for
species
2013
12) Tundra lumbering – hardwood 3. Presence of numerous variety of
– high diversity – epiphytes
loading-unloading very
difficult

Equatorial regions in the world Equatorial climate Question

a) 1 only
• Amazon rainforest is b) 2 an 3
being cleared for rubber UPSC
plantation, oil exploration c) 1 and 3
• Yasuni national park in d) 1,2 and 3
Ecuador– cleared for oil
extraction – biodiversity
is more than entire north
America - 2 un-contacted Ans.d) Prelims
tribes 2013
• Rainforest of Indonesia-
cleared for oil-palm
cultivation

Equatorial climate Equatorial climate Tropical desert

• 5-10 degree latitude • Equatorial climate Country Primitive • Sub-tropical HP belt
• Same season (weather) • not good for habitation tribe • Off-shore trade
throughout the year hot and moist climate Congo Pigmy winds – by the time
STHP STHP
• Direct sunlight – heat • High incidents of rain bearing wind
surplus – LP condition malaria and diseases Malaysia Semang, reach from east to
every day – rising of Orang Asli STHP STHP
west – they become
moist air – advection dry –so no rain on
Philippines Orang Akita western coast in
rain every evening
Northern hemisphere
• Hot-wet climate Borneo Dayaks and southern
hemisphere
 04-10-2017

Tropical desert Continental deserts Tropical Grasslands

• desiccating China South America Llanos, Campos – S.Ame Savannah -Africa
effect of cold
oceanic ALTUN
SHAN
current on ANDES
TIEN
western SHAN Range

coast of
continents

Tropical desert Deserts to locate Tropical grassland

• Arid-dry climate, scanty • Negev Desert • Dast-e-kavir • Moderate rainfall –
rainfall, water deficit • Kalahari Desert • Dast-e-lut clear dry-wet season
• Vegetation – Xerophytic • Tall grass ‘elephant
• Namib Desert • Nubian Desert
• Low population – grass’, scanty large
• Atacama Desert • Patagonian Desert
Maghreb region – high trees, grass-fire in
poverty • Takla Makan • Great Sandy Desert dry season – way of
• Tauregs of Sahara, • Rub –al-Khali • Simpson Desert controlling trees
Beduins of Arabia • Great Victorian Desert • Large carnivorous
Hottentots of Kalahari animals
desert

Continental desert Tropical grassland Tropical grassland

• Interior of large • It is also called • Acacia tress with
land broad trunks –
savannah, the baoab trees and
• Rainfall bearing “park land
winds cannot bottle trees
reach there topography” or • To store water
“big game
• Leeward side of • Grass – long roots,
the mountain country” remain dormant in
• Aridity (but no sand • Located between dry period
dunes) rain forest and • Australia – Mallee,
• High annual temp hot desert Mulga, Spinifex
range grasses
 04-10-2017

Tropical Grasslands Temperate grasslands Steppe, Asia

• Tribes = Masai • Cooler and wetter than • Pustaz in hungary
tribe (kenya) – Savannah • Wheat bowl of
Pastoralist
• Under westerlies the world
• Hausa and Aibo
tribes of Nigeria • Perfect grassland – no • ‘Black Earth’
trees
• Sugar from sugar
• Grass is very nutritious
beet

Question Truck-farming Pampas, South America

Q. Which one of the following
characteristics of climate of Tropical • Temperate grasslands • Livestock ranching
Savannah region? UPSC
entirely converted into • Alfalfa nutrious grass
a) Rainfall throughout the year agriculture.
• Argentina –wheat
b) Rainfall in winter only • Prairies: Truck-farming exports
– large acres of
c) An extremely short dry season • Buenos Aires and
Prelims farmlands – extensive
Montevideo -
d) A definite dry and wet season 2012 use of machinery-
• Meat and dairy
• High productivity per
exports
person
Ans. D)

Temperate grasslands Prairies, North America Downs, Australia

Continents Names • Wheat, cotton and • Australia: sheep
North Prairies Maize cultivation rearing, meat
America • USA:
• New Zealand:
South Pampas • Prairies: maize is fed to
America animals – fattening – • Canterbury plains
Central Asia Steppe slaughter house near • Sheep rearing
South Veldt great lake region DOWNS

Africa
Australia Downs
 04-10-2017

Veldt, Africa Tropical Monsoon Tropical Monsoon

• Veldt (Dutch word) = • The region which was • Intensive agriculture,
Limpopo
river field under northern trade subsistence farming
winds, come under
• Basins of Orange river southern trade winds
• High population
and river Limpopo – ITCZ density, small land
sheep rearing, agora • Northern trade winds holding
Orange blow north to south, while
river goat southern trade winds • High productivity per
• Wool production blow south to north acre – per person low
ITCZ • it seems reversal of winds • Crops: rice, sugarcane,
in the region jute, cotton, indigo,
spices

Tropical Monsoon Tropical Monsoon Tropical Monsoon

• India, Thailand, • Distinct wet and dry • Shifting cultivation/
slash and burn
Cambodia, season – rainfall in cultivation/ Jhum
Myanmar, Laos, confined to 4 months cultivation
Vietnam, Northern – vulnerable to • forests are cut, burnt and
tip off Australia cultivated.
drought and flood
• When soil fertility began
• Eastern Brazil • Similar to savannah to decline, the land is
but wetter than abandoned, and a new
• Gulf of Guinea coast patch of forest is burnt.
and around horn of savannah • By the time abandoned
Africa in Africa land regenerated for
several years until the
next round of cultivation.

Tropical Monsoon Tropical Monsoon Jhum cultivation

• On shore trade wind • Tropical deciduous against favour
seasonal reversal of forest – distinct
winds autumn season – Deforestation Jhum uses natural cycle
• During summer, sun shedding of trees  higher run-off of rain of forest regeneration (6-
move northward water in hilly areas -Water 10 years)
• Trees: Indian
• With sun, LP ITCZ also subcontinent – Sal, scarcity during non-rainy Cause temporary loss of
move Teak (Myanmar days forest patches
• Thus, entire wind Teak)  loss of biodiversity No use chemical
fertilizers or pesticides +
system shift • Hardwood diversified crops
northward
 04-10-2017

Jhum cultivation
the dry the cut trees are dried under the sun-
burn the trees – ashes of the burnt trees
(Potash) replenish the soil nutrients
The regenerating forest provides forest produce
to the people
Settled agriculture- monoculture plantation of
pineapple, rubber and oil palm – cause
permanent loss of forest
Once monoculture adopted with chemical
inputs, the same land cannot be converted into
natural forest

Different names of shifting cultivation

Country Term for shifting
cultivation
Malaysia Ladang
Myanmar Taungya
Thailand Tamrai
Philippines Caingin
Java Humah
Shri Lanka Chena
Africa Milpa