Review Questions for Chapter 13 - Mid Latitude Cyclones

• Who developed the Polar Front Theory for mid latitude cyclones and when did they publish it?
• What are the different stages of a mid latitude wave cyclone according to the polar front theory?
• What is the importance of mid latitude wave cyclones in terms of atmospheric energetics and stability?
• Where are preferred cyclogenesis regions?
• What is a "bomb" and how are they defined?
• Why will vertically stacked cyclones/anticyclones not intensify?
• Why will the low tilt to the NW for the surface low to intensify?
• Why will the high tilt to the SW for the surface high to intensify?
• Is surface convergence < or > upper level divergence for the storm to intensify?
• Is surface divergence < or > upper level convergence for the surface H to intensify?
• What are long and short waves? How do they move? How many are there typically?
• What is the steering level?
• At what level(s) are short waves seen?
• How can one predict cyclone and anticyclone motion and speed?
• How do short waves generate baroclinic instability?
• What is baroclinic instability?
• What is cold/warm-air advection? How do they create vertical motions?
• What is a barotropic atmosphere?
• How do the warm and cold conveyor belts relate to cold/warm-air advection?
• How is the dry slot formed?
• What is the role of the jet stream/jet streaks in mid-latitude cyclone evolution and development?
• How does the jet streak create areas of convergence and divergence in the jet stream?
• What is the 3-D relationship between:
  • the surface L and H
  • the short wave at mid/upper levels
  • the jet stream and jet streaks in the jet stream
• What is vorticity?
• What is planetary vorticity?
• What is relative vorticitiy? How is it generated?
• How does the vorticity pattern aloft associated with a short wave relate to vertical motions?
• How do lee-side lows form?