CLIMATE ELEMENTS-COMPONENTS: AN OVERVIEW
Susmita Majumder1, Santanu Nath2
- Division of Physiology & Climatology, ICAR-IVRI Bareilly (U.P.)
- Division of Livestock Products Technology, ICAR-IVRI Bareilly (U.P.)
INTRODUCTION: A region’s climate is determined by the spatial distribution and temporal fluctuations of the sun’s radiation energy. The long-term status of the atmosphere is influenced by a number of interrelated processes. The terrain, currents in the water, pressure systems, air masses, and solar radiation are among them.
Solar radiation: Solar radiation is the energy that comes to us as radiation from the sun. It is also known as short-wave radiation. Solar radiation is without a doubt the most important factor in climate. Solar radiations first heat the Earth’s surface, which subsequently has an impact on the temperature of the air above. As long as there is water present, evaporation is powered by solar energy. Heating has an impact on the stability of the air, which affects precipitation and cloud formation. Wind is brought on by pressure gradients brought on by the unequal heating of the Earth’s surface. Everywhere on Earth has access to sunlight for at least a portion of the year.
Any given spot’s exposure to solar radiation changes depending on its geographic position, the time of day, the season, the local topography, and the local weather. There are several different types of solar radiation, including x-rays, radio waves, heat (infrared), visible light, and ultraviolet rays. Solar radiation measurements are higher on days with clear, sunny skies and are typically lower on days with clouds. Solar radiation is nil when the sun is set or when there are thick clouds covering it.
Temperature: Because it affects or regulates other weather components including precipitation, humidity, clouds, and air pressure, temperature is a crucial factor in determining the weather. Thermometers are used to measure temperature.
Air masses-wind and storms: A huge body of air with a largely constant temperature and humidity is referred to as an air mass. The parameters of temperature, humidity, and stability are controlled by air masses. The variance of a place’s daily weather and long-term climate is somewhat determined by its location in relation to the source regions of air masses. The shadow cast by a vertical pole can be used to compute relative air mass in the field. Solar gnomon is the term for a pole used for this purpose.
Winds: Wind is the term for the atmosphere’s horizontal motion. Only when the wind is moving can it actually be felt. Horizontal air pressure variations are what cause wind. Wind is nothing more than the flow of air from a high to a low pressure area. The difference between high and low pressure dictates the wind’s speed. The wind will blow quicker the bigger the difference. The greater the wind, the closer the isobars. A high pressure in a warm location will cause the temperature in a low pressure area to rise because the wind carries the temperature of the region it is coming from. The wind’s ability to make it feel colder than it actually is is known as wind-chill. As the wind picks up speed, warm air is removed more quickly, giving the impression that it is colder than it actually is. Anemometers are the term for the equipment used to measure wind.
Pressure systems: The weight of the air lying on the earth’s surface is known as air pressure. Air has a particular weight. Atmospheric pressure is the force that the air is applying. The weight of the air above a surface in the Earth’s atmosphere is what causes it to exert a force per unit area against that surface. Precipitation is directly impacted by pressure systems. In general, low pressure areas are typically moist, and high pressure areas are typically dry. The seasonal migration of both global and regional pressure systems has an impact on the seasonality of precipitation.
Ocean Currents: The temperature and precipitation of a climate are significantly influenced by ocean currents. Cold ocean water helps stabilize the air and prevents the development of clouds and precipitation, hence climates that are near cold currents are typically drier. Cold ocean currents cause air to lose energy to the water, which lowers the temperature of neighboring coastal areas. Warm ocean currents are accompanied by air masses that encourage instability and precipitation.
In addition, during the winter, the warm ocean water keeps air temperatures a little bit warmer than areas just inland from the coast.
Topography: Various topographic factors have an impact on climate. Precipitation is influenced by how mountains are oriented in relation to the dominant wind. Due to orographic uplift of the air, slopes facing the wind see higher precipitation. Mountains’ leeward sides experience less precipitation since they are in the rain shadow. Slope and orientation have an impact on air temperatures because slopes facing the Sun will be warmer than slopes facing away. As one travels to higher elevations, the temperature also drops.
Humidity: The most significant component of the atmosphere that affects how hot or cold the air is is atmospheric moisture. The quantifiable amount of moisture in the lower atmosphere’s air is known as humidity. Humidity is measured with hygrometers. Three different forms of humidity exist:
Absolute humidity: The total amount of water vapor present in per volume of air at a definite temperature.
- Relative humidity:- Is the ratio of the water vapors present in air having a definite volume at a specific temperature compared to the maximum water vapors that the air is able to hold without condensing at that given temperature.
- c) Specific humidity:- Is the real amount of moisture present in a certain air and is defined as the mass of water vapor in grams contained in a kilogram of air. The humidity component of the atmosphere intensifies the heat of the day and can be utilized to forecast impending storms. The persistent moisture content of an area, which has an impact on entire ecosystems, is known as the humidity component of climate.
Precipitation: The term “precipitation” refers to moisture that falls to the ground from the atmosphere. Snow, hail, sleet, drizzle, fog, mist, and rain are all types of precipitation. Any sort of water that falls to the Earth from cloud formations above is called precipitation. Precipitation, a component of the weather, impacts whether or not outdoor activities are appropriate and whether or not lakes and rivers’ and lakes’ levels will rise.
Cloudiness: In the atmosphere, water is suspended as clouds. Typically, the sky’s most noticeable aspect is its cloud cover. Clouds provide us with information about the state of our atmosphere and potential changes to the weather over the next few hours or even days. Every type of cloud has a unique formation process, and every cloud type affects the weather differently. Numerous crucial tasks for clouds are played in the climate system. In particular, they effectively reflect light to space because to their brightness in the visible region of the sun spectrum, which helps to chill the planet. The heating brought on by greenhouse gases may theoretically be balanced by a slight increase in cloud cover. The foundation for precipitation is clouds.
Cloudy days in the summer shield you from the sun’s rays. In the winter, cloudy skies at night reduce nocturnal radiation and stop the temperature from falling. Winter evenings that are calm and clear tend to be the coldest and encourage condensation.
Visibility: the most important weather component. The meteorological optical range (MOR), which fluctuates with background light, represents precipitation and is a representation of obstructions to visibility such as clouds, fog, smoke, and haze. Arctic or hilly regions with exceptionally clean air can have visibility of up to 70 km (43 mi) or 100 km (62 mi). Air pollution and high humidity frequently cause a little reduction in visibility.
Driving becomes particularly perilous when visibility is nearly zero due to fog and smoke. The same can occur during and around sandstorms in arid regions, as well as during forest fires. In addition to reducing vision, heavy rain makes it difficult to brake fast since it creates hydroplaning. Low visibility also contributes to the definition of blizzards and ground blizzards (blown snow).
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