Stability of the
environment
- To determine the environmental
stability, one must calculate the lapse rate for
a sounding
- lapse rate = DT/DZ =
T2-T1/Z2-Z1
- Since the environment is often
composed of layers with different stabilities, it
is useful to first identify these layers and then
calculate their respective lapse rates
- recall the stability criteria:
- Ge
< Gm -
Absolutely stable
- Gm
< Ge
< Gd -
Conditional Instability
- Gm
< Gd
< Ge -
Absolutely unstable
- Characterize the stability of the
layers in the sounding to the right -->
QUESTION FOR THOUGHT:
Pull up the latest ALB sounding. Find the location of one absolutely
stable, conditionally unstable, and absolutely unstable layer. Indicate
the pressure of the base and top of these layers.
|
|