PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LAB 121 Name _____________________________________

Cliffe, Matherly, Curran, Therkalsen, Goodman 50 POINTS POSSIBLE

Grossmont College USE PENCIL ONLY
EXTRA CREDIT on front pages!

LAB #7 - MICROCLIMATES:
SURFACE TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY

Nighttime Thermal Infrared Image taken by Police of a captured, warm-blooded Criminal

Mastermind against a cold background. (Note: This is emitted radiation, not reflected.)
 2 +7 POINTS POSSIBLE
of "Extra Credit"

A. EXTRA CREDIT: Surface Weather Maps

1) Review: Fill-in the 13 blanks below. (+2 Points)
Surface Weather Maps (“Isobar Maps”) show:
✓ the air pressure distribution at Earth’s surface (i.e., how much air is above the
surface from place-to-place), and…
✓ …the resultant direction that the wind blows.

Air Pressure:
✓ “_________” are lines on a map that link together points of equal
atmospheric pressure (here calibrated to Sea Level). Isobars are
read in the same manner as are “isotherms.”
✓ As such, “Surface Isobar Maps” show how much air is above Earth’s
surface from place to place (so that a “center of High pressure” is
analogous to a “mountain of air”)
✓ ___-Pressure is associated with “fair skies;” ___-Pressure commonly
brings “inclement weather” (though this is not generally the case with
a “Stationary L” as typically found over a hot desert surface)
✓ Standard Sea Level Atmospheric Pressure = ______ [mb]
(“mb” means “millibars”).
✓ A “Contour Interval” of 4 [mb] is commonly used on Surface Weather
Maps (i.e., an isobar is drawn every time the pressure changes by 4
[mb]).
Wind Direction:
✓ Given a difference in pressure (i.e., a “pressure gradient”), winds
blow from ___ to ___ pressure (i.e., wind blows across the lines from
Higher to Lower pressure).
o However, winds don’t actually go straight across the
isobars, as “Earth rotation” deflects winds to the ________
in the Northern Hemisphere.
o So…surface winds get deflected part-way across the
isobars toward lower pressure, at about a 45o angle.
Wind Speed:
✓ Winds blow fastest where gradients are steepest (i.e., where lines are
___________ together).

Naming Winds:

✓ Winds are named ______ where they blow (e.g., “Westerly” blows from
____ to ____, or “Northeasterly” blows from the northeast to the
southwest, or “Sea Breeze” blows from the ____ to the_____).
 3
(+3 Points)
2) TODAY’S “SURFACE Wx MAP” (Handed-out separately; tape it below.)
(a) Label the isobars (ignore numbers that are underlined). (b) Label the following 5 cities.
(c) Draw a small arrow showing wind-direction at each. (d) Complete the table.
(1) (2) (3) (4)
Surface Surface Relative
Air Pressure Wind Direction * Wind Speed
City [mb] (from where they blow) (light, medium, strong)

a) San Diego ___________ ______________ __________

b) Salt Lake City ___________ ______________ __________
c) Kansas City ___________ ______________ __________
* At any city where the direction of the
Pressure Gradient is unknown-at-this-
d) Miami ___________ ______________ __________
scale, write Wind Direction “unknown” e) Pittsburgh ___________ ______________ __________

TAPE
CURRENT
WEATHER MAP
HERE

(+2 Points)
WAYPOINT “7F” → After doing today's "GPS Traverse," evaluate your predictions as made from the winds outside.
➢ From the map above (and using appropriate terminology), summarize the regional “pressure distribution” affecting Southern CA:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
➢ Relate this to the winds you observed, and, to the prediction you made about the regional pressure distribution:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
➢ Evaluate your prediction about what’s controlling San Diego’s current “sky condition:”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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B. MEASURING HUMIDITY
1. Use the “Psychrometric Tables" to find: (+4 Points)
✓ % Saturation → Measured by Relative Humidity

✓ Actual Humidity → Measured by Dew Point; converted to Specific Humidity

(use Graph on next page)

RELATIVE DEW SPECIFIC

Include all units HUMIDITY POINT HUMIDITY
(use RH Table) (use DP Table) (use Graph)

La Jolla Shores: Dry Bulb = 70oF

Wet Bulb = 50oF
Difference = ______ ________ ________ ________

Houston: Dry Bulb = 100oF

Wet Bulb = 76oF
Difference = ______ ________ ________ ________

Bahrain: Dry Bulb = 95oF

Wet Bulb = 90oF
Difference = ______ ________ ________ ________

Mammoth Mtn: Dry Bulb = 30oF

Wet Bulb = 29oF
Difference = ______ ________ ________ ________

2. Comparison (Choose from the situations above):

a) Which had the highest capacity for vapor? How do you know?
____________________________________________________________

b) Which had the highest actual vapor content? How do you know?
____________________________________________________________

c) Which was most saturated? How do you know?

___________________________________________________________

d) Compare Bahrain” vs. “Mammoth” above:

❖ Bahrain has _________ Actual Humidity than does Mammoth, by a factor of _~______
Higher / Lower 2X / 4X / 10X

❖ Yet, the Relative Humidity at Bahrain is _________ than at Mammoth

Higher / Lower

❖ Explain why this is not a contradiction: _______________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________
 5

(+4 Points) 3. Using a Psychrometer:

CLASSROOM LAB#7
Air Temperature = _________ Relative Humidity = ____________(from tables)

Wet Bulb Temp = __________ Dew Point Temp = ____________(from tables)

(Dry – Wet) = __________ Specific Humidity = ____________(from graph)

OUTSIDE LAB#7 (time = _____________)

Air Temperature = _________ Relative Humidity = ____________(from tables)

Wet Bulb Temp = __________ Dew Point Temp = ____________(from tables)

(Dry – Wet) = __________ Specific Humidity = ____________(from graph)

GC: Monsoonal Thundstorm (date/time = Sept. 16, 2014 @ 2pm PST)

Air Temperature = ___95oF___ Relative Humidity = ____________(from tables)

Wet Bulb Temp = ___79oF___ Dew Point Temp = ____________(from tables)

(Dry – Wet) = __________ Specific Humidity = ____________(from graph)

4. Comparison (of the data above):

a) Which had the highest capacity for vapor? ________________________
How do you know? ____________________________________

b) Which had the highest actual vapor content? ______________________

How do you know? _____________________________________

c) Which was most saturated? ____________________________________

How do you know? ____________
_____________________________
 6

C. MICROCLIMATE VARIATION (+2 Points)

1. Hypotheses Based on this assumption→ A sunny day with no wind

HYPOTHESIS #1 → Most Water Vapor (vs. least) of these 5 choices:

The classroom vs. a grassy football field vs. parking lot
vs. native Coastal Sage Scrub vegetation vs. over a pool

__________________________________
__________________________________
NULL HYPOTHESIS #1 = ________________________________________________

__________________________________

HYPOTHESIS #2 → Most Saturated (vs. least) of these 5 choices:

The classroom vs. a grassy football field vs. parking lot
vs. native Coastal Sage Scrub vegetation vs. over a pool

__________________________________
__________________________________
NULL HYPOTHESIS #2 = ________________________________________________

__________________________________

HYPOTHESIS #3 → ”Hottest” Surface (vs. least) of these 5 choices:

The classroom vs. a grassy football field vs. parking lot
vs. native Coastal Sage Scrub vegetation vs. over a pool

__________________________________
__________________________________
NULL HYPOTHESIS #3 = ________________________________________________

__________________________________
 7

KEY INFORMATION (for Instructor)

✓ Regardless of status, you must be at the classroom by __________________
✓ Take turns leading to successive Waypoints. Nonetheless, each person should individually
operate their own GPS.
✓ Set the GPS’s Reference Grid to NAD83 CONUS (double-push the Menu key to get to the Main
Menu, then select SETUP, then select POSITION FORMAT, then toggle to Map Datum where
you’ll select “NAD83”), and set the GPS’s position format to hdddo mm’ ss.s” (same
procedure, but in the POSITION FORMAT menu, toggle to Position Format)
✓ When following the GPS’s compass-arrow to a desired Waypoint, also pay attention to the box
indicating “Dist. To Next” to know how far you are from your destination; if there’s no need to
walk into a wall, or a building, or a canyon, don’t do it! If the distance-away is reasonably far,
then walk around these obstacles, and simply follow existing sidewalks, roads, or trails.
(In other words, don’t let the compass-arrow alone dictate the exact direction you take to a
Waypoint; be sure to also consider distance-away, and your ease-of-travel; be smarter than the
machine!)
✓ Accuracy: typically 7 to 15 ft

EQUIPMENT NEEDED
• A GPS (check battery on “3D Nav” page; if below ¼ full, take extra batteries)
• A COMPASS
• A RAYTECH Thermal IR Sensor (one per group)
• A SLING PSYCHROMETER (one per group) + WATER BOTTLE
• This Handout, a Pencil, and a Clipboard

To Calibrate the GPS’s Compass (only if needed)

1. "Page" over to the Compass Screen
2. Press "Menu"
3. Choose the “Calibrate Compass” Option
4. Follow directions, slowly rotating the GPS on all three axes

GOING TO A WAYPOINT
1. Press FIND key.
2. Highlight “WAYPOINTS”. Press ENTER.
3. Scroll down to the desired waypoint, highlighting it, and press ENTER button.
4. Information for the selected waypoint is now displayed with the word “Go” at the
bottom. Make sure that “Go” is highlighted and press ENTER.
5. Use PAGE button to bring up the large compass-face. Start walking and follow the
arrow. Watch the “Distance to Next” window (at the top) to monitor your distance
from the selected waypoint. Hold GPS level when using the GPS compass.
 8

2. Testing Methodology (“GPS Traverse”)

DATA COLLECTION (from the following Waypoints):
Group 1: A, B, C, D, E, F Group 2: F, E, D, B, C, A Group 3: E, B, C, D, F, A
Group 4: A, D, C, B, E, F Group 5: B, C, D, E, F, A Group 6: A, C, D, E, B, F

1) WAYPOINT “7A”
The Classroom.
a) Describe this location: In-door, and air-conditioned

b) Microclimate:
(+1 Point)
(1) Date and time of measurement = ______________________
(2) Surface Temperature (Raytech) = ________________
(3) Psychrometer: Dry Bulb = ________________ Use Wet Bulb Temp
once it stops dropping.
Wet Bulb = ________________ (Be sure Wet Bulb is wet,
and Dry Bulb is dry.)

(Points are always subtracted if units are missing)

A big patch of green,

2) WAYPOINT “7B” N 32o 49’ 05.2” surrounded by a
fence; use gate.
W 117o 00’ 18.5”
Note: If you can’t get to the exact site due to a class, take reading anywhere on the green.

a) Describe the surface-type: _________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

b) Microclimate: (+2 Points)

(1) Date and time of measurement = __________________________
(2) Surface Temperature (Raytech) = ________________
(3) Psychrometer: Dry Bulb = ________________ Use Wet Bulb Temp
once it stops dropping.
Wet Bulb = ________________ (Be sure Wet Bulb is wet,
and Dry Bulb is dry.)
(Points are always subtracted if units are missing)

c) Compass: You should be standing in the middle of a white “O” (between (+1 Point)
the “M” and the “N” (move closer to the “M” side)). Even if the visibility is poor:
shoot a bearing on “Cuyamaca Peak,” which is visible thru the goal-
post at the opposite end of the field! This is SD County’s 2nd Highest Peak!

CUYAMACA PEAK (6512 ft) = ____________

 9
Use a gate to gain
access to the
wettest surface you
3) WAYPOINT “7C” N 32o 49’ 04.9” see.
W 117o 00’ 22.1”
Note: This site is just-west of (and above) a flight of stairs. If gate is locked, then use only
the concrete surface outside the gate (you can still try to point the Raytech at the
wettest surface on the other side of the fence). Avoid interfering with any class in-
session nearby.

a) Describe this location (and surface-type):

____________________________________________________________

b) Microclimate: (+2 Points)

(1) Date and time of measurement = ______________________
(2) Water: Surface Temp (Raytech) = ________________
Concrete: Surf Temp (Raytech) = ________________
(Use a concrete surface NOT in the shade of a building)

(3) Psychrometer: Dry Bulb = ________________ Use Wet Bulb Temp

once it stops dropping.
Wet Bulb = ________________ (Be sure Wet Bulb is wet,
and Dry Bulb is dry.)
(Points are always subtracted if units are missing)

A round manhole cover

4) WAYPOINT “7D” N 32o 48’ 57.0” (with the word “Electric”)
W 117o 00’ 21.0”

a) Describe the surrounding surface-type:

__________________________________________________________

b) Microclimate:
(+2 Points)
(1) Date and time of measurement = ________________
(2) Grass: Surface Temp (Raytech) = ________________
(3) Psychrometer: Dry Bulb = ________________ Use Wet Bulb Temp
once it stops dropping.
Wet Bulb = ________________ (Be sure Wet Bulb is wet,
(Points are always subtracted if units are missing) and Dry Bulb is dry.)

c) Compass: Stand on top of the word “electric” and answer the following (+1 Point)
questions:
a. Name the building number at a bearing = 47o: ___________________
b. Name is the building number at a bearing = 211o: _________________
 10

Tape on the ground (on

the edge of a sidewalk)
5a) WAYPOINT “7E” (Part 1) N 49’ 01.0”
32o labeled “7E”
W 117 00’ 20.4”
o

a) Pictures of this common Native Shrub were shown last week during the “Plant
Debriefing” on Lab #6. It’s marked with a plant ID card, and is a member of
the Mint Family (Lamiaceae). It is “semi-summer deciduous,” meaning that it
drops some (or most) of its leaves seasonally (in summer), rather than being
“evergreen.”
(+2 Points)

(1) Give its Common Name: __________________________________

Give its Taxonomic Name: __________________________________

The "Mint" Family: ASTERACEAE / ROSACEAE / LAMIACEAE

(2) Currently: Are the leaves dried-out or healthy? __________________

(3) Do the leaves have a scent when rubbed? ____________________

(4) Leaf color (silvery, green, or, dried-out formerly-green): ___________________

(5) Describe flower color (if present): ____________________

(6) Find a stem of this plant near the bloom.

Is the stem rounded or squared? _____________________

c) Microclimate: (+2 Points)

(1) Date and time of measurement = ______________________
(2) “Leaf Temp” (Raytech) = _________________
(From 6- inches away, point the Raytech directly at the “leaf canopy” of this shrub;
it's fun to compare with the leg temperature of a fellow student!)

(3) Psychrometer: Dry Bulb = ________________ Use Wet Bulb Temp

once it stops dropping.
Wet Bulb = ________________ (Be sure Wet Bulb is wet,
and Dry Bulb is dry.)
(Points are always subtracted if units are missing)

GOTO Next Page → “7E” (Part 2)

 11
From atop the tape labeled “7E–Part 1" → Along a compass azimuth of ~190o, walk about 14 paces
→ Stop at the tape located on the concrete-base of a lamppost
(labeled "7E-Part 2")

5b) WAYPOINT “7E” (Part 2)

a) Examine the plant (and plant ID card) located on the west-side of the lamp-
post. It's a native plant that’s not as common around the slopes of Grossmont
College (as opposed to the very common Black Sage, as identified above).
(+2 Points)
(1) Give its Common Name: __________________________________
Give its Taxonomic Name: __________________________________

The "Mint" Family: ASTERACEAE / ROSACEAE / LAMIACEAE

(2) Describe its leaf color (green or silvery) = _______________________

(3) Describe its Albedo (high or low) = _______________________

(4) The leaves of this plant are easily confused with the leaves of which
plant that was examined during the “Albedo experiment” of Lab #5?
_____________________________________________________

(5) But: Do these leaves have a scent when rubbed? ____________

b) Examine the nearby white rock (and Green ID Sign): (+2 Points)
(1) Name this white rock = ______________________

(2) It’s made out of which minerals: SILICATES / CARBONATES

(3) Rock type: IGNEOUS / SEDIMENTARY / METAMORPHIC

(4) Metamorphosed from what

probable Sedimentary Rock: SHALE / SANDSTONE / LIMESTONE

(5) Like the “lead” in your pencil, the “dark bands”

of organic matter in this Marble are: LEAD / GRAPHITE
 12

An “X” taped on an
6) WAYPOINT “7F” N 49’ 03.4”
32o angled-section of a curb,
atop the edge of a slope.
W 117 00’ 28.5”
o

a) Describe this location (and surface-type):

____________________________________________________________

b) Microclimate:
(1) Date and time of measurement = ______________________ (+2 Points)
(2) Surface Temperature (Raytech) = ______________________
(of nearby black asphalt → in direct sunlight if possible)
(3) Psychrometer: Dry Bulb = ________________ Use Wet Bulb Temp
once it stops dropping.
Wet Bulb = ________________ (Be sure Wet Bulb is wet,
and Dry Bulb is dry.)

c) “WEATHER OBSERVATIONS”:

(1) OBSERVATION: Observe the sky in the direction of the flat-lying

mesa that’s visible at azimuth  308o.
(+1 Point) (a) If Clouds: Are clouds high
or low; scattered or broken;
Make sure that
layered or vertically-built? ____________________________ Prediction “B”
below correlates
(b) If Clear: Is the horizon blue, with your
Observation here
somewhat hazy, or brown? ____________________________

(c) Winds: Light, gusty, strong; Make sure that

Prediction “A”
from what direction; or calm? __________________________ below correlates
(Carefully “wet” your finger if air appears still) with your
Observation here

(d) Make a profile-view sketch of the sky as seen above the mesa:
(+1 Point)

(Make sure you draw the flat mesa…do so near the bottom of your diagram. Then, focus on the features in the sky.)

“7F” → Continued on NEXT PAGE

 13

(2) PREDICTIONS: San Diego TIME/DATE: __________________________________(PST)

(+1 Point)

PREDICTION “A” – Concerning the “WIND”

Predict as to why the winds are blowing (or not) as observed.
(Do so in the context of predicting the regional “pressure distribution.”)

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
PREDICTION “B” – Concerning the “SKY CONDITION”
Predict as to why the sky’s “visible condition” (e.g., clear, high-
clouds, low-clouds, brown smog layer*, etc.) looks as it does.

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
* Note: San Diego produces about the same amount of air pollution each day. So, variation in the “sky
condition” (crystal-clear vs. slightly-hazy vs. deeply-brown) must be a function of variation in atmospheric
processes (e.g., cool dry northwesterly winds from the Pacific; or, offshore winds transporting Los Angeles
smog to the south one-day vs. another; or, a well-developed Sea Breeze from the west associated with an
“inversion cap” that is stronger vs. weaker or higher vs. lower one-day vs. another; etc.)

San Diego London

(PST) (Z = UTC)

London
(Z = UTC)

San Diego
(PST)
 14

(+3 Points)
DATA ANALYSIS:
(1) Using the data collected at each Waypoint, along with your Psychrometric Tables and the
Specific Humidity Graph, complete the following Data Table.
(2) plot Bar Graphs of the SSH, SH, and RH data.
H2O(V) CAPACITY ACTUAL H2O(V) SATURATION
AIR SATURATION
OBSERVATION TIME
SURFACE TEMP SPECIFIC Wet Bulb DEW POINT SPECIFIC RELATIVE
TEMP (Dry Bulb) HUMIDITY Temp Dry-Wet TEMP HUMIDITY HUMIDITY
SITE [oF] [oF] [g/kg] * [oF] [oF] [oF] [g/kg] * [%]

CLASSROOM

FOOTBALL FIELD

GREEN GRASS

SHRUB CANOPY
(Ave Leaf Temp)

WATER

WHITE CONCRETE
(from near pool)

BLACK ASPHALT

* Use the graph on the back page…estimate SH and SSH values carefully from the graph!
15

(+2 Points)
 16

(+7 Points)
3. Conclusion: Evaluate your three original hypotheses (about humidity and
surface temperatures) in light of the data collected and analyzed. Utilizing the normal
conventions of college-level English, include the following for each hypothesis
individually (each should take a full paragraph):

(+1 Point) ✓ Restate each Hypothesis; restate and further explain the original rationale underlying each; in
this context, restate the Null Hypotheses used for testing

(+3 Points) ✓ Evaluate each Null Hypothesis (reject, fail-to-reject, or modify) in light of the results of your data-
summary; in this context, you’ll need to restate your highest and lowest value by location.
o For Null Hypothesis #1, use the Specific Humidity data to convey exactly how much more H2O(v)
existed at the high vs. the low (e.g., 10 g/kg is exactly twice as much H2O(v) as is 5 g/kg, etc.).
o For Null Hypothesis #2, use the Relative Humidity data to convey exactly how much more
saturated the high was vs. the low. Explaining differences in RH will require more discussion than
the other Hypotheses, since RH varies with both the Specific Humidity and Temperature!
o For Null Hypothesis #3, draw your own small Bar Graph and include it here in your evaluation.
Where different from what was expected, explain each result to the best-of-your-ability
(e.g., compare differences, for instance, between the dark pavement vs. the green field vs. the green grass, etc.)

(+ 1 Point) ✓ Surface Temperatures will show maximum variation between sites if (a) the day is clear, and
(b) not windy. Explain why this should be so.

(+ 1 Point) ✓ Predict the results if the data had been collected at a different time-of-day (e.g., in-the-morning if
you are in an Afternoon Class) or under a different atmospheric condition.

(+1 Points) ✓ Summarize by re-evaluating the original rationales; are they completely wrong, are they valid,
or can they now be better refined?

Write Conclusion on a Separate Sheet of Paper

(so that you can easily refer to the data on page 12 as you write)

Before writing your Conclusion:

Make sure that all numbers used are in the realm-of-possibility!

If a number doesn’t make sense (e.g., a measurement mistake), don’t use it…
ask your instructor for guidance, as needed…then, explain why it wasn’t used.

Note: Slight differences in SH and RH may actually be due to slight variation in

measurement rounding or in interpolating from the Graphs and Tables…in these
cases, assume Actual Vapor Content or Saturation to be the same.