Lapse Rates

Introduction

Temperature differences in the troposphere are a basic cause of many of the weather changes
experienced at the surface of the earth. Several generalizations can be made concerning local
temperature variations.

Temperatures decrease with increasing elevations. If a balloon were sent up, as it rose, the
temperature would decrease fairly uniformly. The average or normal lapse rate says that the
average change will be 3.5oF per 1000 feet elevation change (6.50C per kilometer). This change
occurs partly due to the greenhouse effect and partly due to the lower density of the air. The
normal lapse rate is especially useful to compare temperatures.

Air may rise for four reasons. Convectional lifting is caused by air at the surface being heated,
thus, expanding, and rising. Frontal (cyclonic) lifting is caused where one air mass is forced to
rise over another one. Convergence forces air to meet and rise because it cannot move into the
lithosphere. Orographic lifting occurs where air is forced to go over a landform barrier such as a
mountain. All four of these cause the rising air to undergo pressure changes which also affect the
temperature. When air is forced to rise, its temperature will decrease; and if air subsides, its
temperature will increase.

When air is forced to move vertically, the average rate at which the temperature changes is 5.5
o
F per 1000' (10oC per kilometer). This is called the dry adiabatic lapse rate. Recall, however that
cold air cannot hold as much water vapor as warm air and that cooling the air will cause it to
approach and reach saturation. Also, remember that condensation is a warming process, releasing
the latent heat of vaporization stored by evaporation. When the air is cooled below its dew point
temperature, condensation occurs and adds heat to the air. For every 1000', 2.5 oF of heat will be
added (4oC/km). So, once condensation begins (or once the air cools below the dew point
temperature) as the air rises, the temperature will drop 5.5 oF per 1000' (10oC/km) and 2.5oF
(4oC/km) of heat will be added by condensation so the result will be that the temperature will (-
5.5oF + 2.5oF = 3.0oF) drop only 3.0oF per 1000' (6oC/km). This change in temperature of 3.0oF
per 1000' (6oC/km) while condensation is occurring is called the wet adiabatic lapse rate.

So as air rises until condensation begins, the air will cool at the dry adiabatic lapse rate of 5.5 oF
per 1000' (10oC/km); and after condensation begins, the air will cool at the wet adiabatic lapse
rate of 3.0oF per 1000' (6oC/km). As the air comes down, its temperature will rise, so it will
increase its ability to hold water vapor and so its relative humidity will be getting lower which
means condensation will NOT occur. Therefore, the air will warm at the dry adiabatic lapse rate
of 5.5oF per 1000' (10oC/km).

Source: http://www.jsu.edu/dept/geography/mhill/phygeogone/unit2/adiabatf.html