GG140: The Atmosphere, The Ocean, and Environmental Change
Lecture 09 - Water in the Atmosphere I. The lapse rate describes the rate at which air cools with altitude. Atmospheric stability depends on the lapse rate. When an air parcel is lifted or lowered, it can continue to rise or descend based on the temperature of the surrounding air at the new altitude, which indicates an unstable atmosphere. Inversions can occur in the atmosphere, meaning the air near the ground will be cooler than air aloft. This type of temperature profile can cause air to be trapped near the Earth's surface in a boundary layer, which can also lead to pollutants being trapped near the ground. (from oyc.yale.edu)
| Lecture 09 - Water in the Atmosphere I |
| Time | Lecture Chapters |
| [00:00:00] | 1. Mixing in the Atmosphere (recap) |
| [00:02:36] | 2. Atmospheric Stability |
| [00:06:29] | 3. The Diurnal Cycle of the Adiabatic Lapse Rate |
| [00:13:48] | 4. Elevated Inversion and Pollution |
| [00:29:10] | 5. Moisture in the Atmosphere |
| [00:37:17] | 6. Air Saturation Processes |
| References |
| Lecture 9 - Water in the Atmosphere I Instructor: Professor Ronald B Smith. Resources: Credit List [PDF]. Transcript [html]. Audio [mp3]. Download Video [mov]. |
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