A's research and proposal

Proposal

I'm going to continue working on what we have discussed in the previous tutorial: water cycle, atmosphere, transformation, change of perception --- vertical structure up to one point then the rest could be fictional eg.virtual reality.

Research

Layers of the Atmosphere (based on vertical profile of temperature)

TROPOSPHERE

- tropein = to turn, change

- starts from the earth's surface up to about 15 km

- air temperature decreases with height to about -52°C

STRATOSPHERE

- starts above the troposphere up to 50 km high- dry and less dense

- temperature increases gradually up to -3°C (absorbtion of uv solar energy)

- 99% of air is located within the troposphere and the stratosphere

MESOSPHERE

- starts above stratosphere - 85 km high

- temperature falls to -93°C

THERMOSPHERE

- extends to 600 km high

- hot layer, temperature may exceed 500°C

- charged particles from the sun interact with air molecule --- aurora displays

- a person shielded from the sun would not necessarily feel hot (too few molecules to bump against exposed skin and transfer enough heat to make it feel hot)

...beyond the atmosphere...

EXOSPHERE

- starts at the top of thermosphere

- merges with interplanetary gases/space

- atoms, molecules escape the earth's gravitational pull

Composition of the Atmosphere

Nitrogen 78%

Oxygen 21 %

Other 1 %

Circulation of Water in the Atmosphere

- Unending circulation

- 70% of the earth's surface is water thus begins here

- Hydrologic Cycle

EVAPORATION

- the sun's energy transforms liquid water into water vapor

- wind and temperature of water enhance evaporation --- warmer water = greater rate of evaporation

CONDENSATION

- winds transport moist air to other regions, where water vapor changes back into liquid, forming clouds

- more likely to occur when the air cools

PRECIPITATION

- liquid/ solid cloud particles grow in size and fall to earth's surface

- if falls into ocean/water sources, cycle begins again

- rain, snow, hail

TRANSPIRATION

- moisture from plants

Clouds

classified into four major groups: high clouds (6000-18000 m), middle clouds(2000-8000 m), low clouds(0-2000 m), clouds with vertical transformation

HIGH CLOUDS

- composed mostly of ice crystals

- thin

CIRRUS

- most common

- thin

- usually move from west to east (due to prevailing winds at their elevation)

CIRROCUMULUS

- small, rounded white puffs

- reflect red/yellow light of the setting sun

- seldom cover more than half of the sky

CIRROSTRATUS

- thin, sheetlike --- sun/moon can be seen through

- cover entire sky

- halo encircles the sun/moon

- thick clouds give a glary white appearance and form ahead of a storm

- rain/snow within 12-24 hrs especially if followed by middle type clouds

MIDDLE CLOUDS

- water droplets, ice crystals (at low temp)

ALTOCUMULUS

- gray, puffy mass

- sometimes rolled out in parallel waves

- if seen on a warm, humid summer morning = thunderstorms by late afternoon

ALTOSTRATUS

- gray, blue-gray clouds

- cover entire sky

- sun/moon maybe dimly visible in thinner section

LOW CLOUDS

- water droplets (always), ice particle/snow in cold weather

NIMBOSTRATUS

- dark gray, wet-looking --- continuously falling rain or snow

- sun/moon not visible

- visibility below cloud = poor, due to rain

STRATOCUMULUS

- low, lumpy layer appears in rows, patches, rounded

- appear near sunset

- light to dark gray

- rain/snow rarely falls from

STRATUS

- uniform, gray

- covers entire sky

- no precipitation

- commonly occurs over Pacific and Atlantic coastal waters in summer

CLOUDS WITH VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT

CUMULUS

- variety of shapes (usually cottons with sharp outline, flat base)

CUMULONIMBUS

- thunderstorm clouds

- tremendous amount of energy are released by condensation of water vapor --- violent up-and down- drafts

- water droplets/ ice crystals

- may contains all forms of precipitation

- lightning, thunder, tornadoes