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Questions and Answers
What characterizes the appearance of Altocumulus clouds?
What characterizes the appearance of Altocumulus clouds?
Under what conditions do Altocumulus lenticularis clouds typically form?
Under what conditions do Altocumulus lenticularis clouds typically form?
Where are Altostratus clouds commonly found?
Where are Altostratus clouds commonly found?
What is a distinguishing feature of Nimbostratus clouds?
What is a distinguishing feature of Nimbostratus clouds?
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How do Altostratus clouds develop?
How do Altostratus clouds develop?
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What is a defining characteristic of Cumulonimbus (Cb) clouds?
What is a defining characteristic of Cumulonimbus (Cb) clouds?
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Which cloud type is typically seen as billowy and can signal an approaching storm?
Which cloud type is typically seen as billowy and can signal an approaching storm?
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Why are Cumulonimbus clouds significant in meteorology?
Why are Cumulonimbus clouds significant in meteorology?
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What generally follows the presence of Cumulonimbus clouds?
What generally follows the presence of Cumulonimbus clouds?
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What is one of the common misconceptions about Cumulonimbus clouds?
What is one of the common misconceptions about Cumulonimbus clouds?
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What is the primary characteristic of Nimbo in cloud classification?
What is the primary characteristic of Nimbo in cloud classification?
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What altitude range corresponds to Alto clouds?
What altitude range corresponds to Alto clouds?
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Which of the following is true about Stratus clouds?
Which of the following is true about Stratus clouds?
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What defines Cirro clouds?
What defines Cirro clouds?
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Which cloud type is categorized as vertically developed?
Which cloud type is categorized as vertically developed?
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Which of the following best describes Cirrostratus clouds?
Which of the following best describes Cirrostratus clouds?
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What distinguishes Cumulus clouds from other cloud types?
What distinguishes Cumulus clouds from other cloud types?
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What cloud type typically signifies stable weather conditions?
What cloud type typically signifies stable weather conditions?
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Which level would you typically find Stratus clouds at?
Which level would you typically find Stratus clouds at?
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Which cloud type is primarily associated with severe weather patterns?
Which cloud type is primarily associated with severe weather patterns?
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Study Notes
Part 5 Meteorology
- Part 5 is about Meteorology
Chapter 25 Fundamentals of Meteorology
- Atmosphere: A mixture of gases that surrounds Earth.
- Composition: Primarily nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%).
- Layers: Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere.
- Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude.
- Tropopause: Boundary between troposphere and stratosphere, where temperature stops decreasing.
- How the atmosphere changes with altitude: Air density decreases.
- Composition: Relative percentages of gas particles are constant.
- Temperature: Decreases approximately 2°C per 1000 feet gain in altitude within the troposphere.
Chapter 25 Atmosphere
- Composition: Mixture of gases known as “air”.
- Key gases: Nitrogen and oxygen make up most of the atmosphere.
- Gas quantities: 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1% Other gases.
Chapter 25 Atmospheric Pressure
- Atmospheric/air pressure: Force exerted by moving air particles. Measured in Pascals (Pa) or hectopascals (hPa).
- International Standard Atmosphere (ISA): Standard atmospheric conditions, defining pressure and temperature, used for engineering and performance comparisons.
- ISA values: Sea-level pressure: 1013.2hPa; Air temperature: 15°C; Temperature lapse rate: 1.98°C per 1000 ft.
- Units: Pascal (Pa) and hectopascal (hPa), also millibar (mBar).
- Measurement: Barometers - mercury and aneroid altimeters.
Chapter 25 Temperature and Heat Exchange
- Conduction: Transfer of heat energy via direct contact between molecules.
- Convection: Transfer of heat within fluids (liquids or gases) by the movement of molecules.
- Radiation: Transfer of heat energy via waves through space (e.g., solar radiation).
- Albedo: Ratio of radiation reflected from a surface (higher albedo = more reflection).
- Greenhouse effect: Absorption of radiation by atmospheric gases, causing warming of the Earth.
Chapter 25 Atmospheric Moisture
- Condensation: Conversion of vapor/gas to liquid.
- Evaporation: Conversion of liquid to vapor/gas.
- Deposition: Conversion of vapor/gas directly to solid (without a liquid phase).
- Sublimation: Conversion of solid directly to vapor/gas (without a liquid phase).
- Melting: Conversion of solid to liquid.
- Freezing: Conversion of liquid to solid.
- Latent heat: Heat energy absorbed or released during a phase change.
- Nuclei (condensation nuclei): Particles that provide surfaces for water vapor to condense (e.g., dust, salt).
- Saturation: Point when no more of a substance can be absorbed.
- Dew point: Temperature at which air becomes saturated with water vapor.
- Relative humidity: Amount of water vapor in a volume of air expressed as a percentage of the amount needed to saturate the air.
Chapter 26 Pressure Systems, Air Masses and Fronts
- Pressure systems: Highs and Lows.
- Anticyclone ("high"): Winds circulate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and anticlockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Depression ("low"): Winds circulate counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Convergence: Air movement toward a center.
- Divergence: Air movement away from a center.
- Air masses: Large bodies of air that have uniformed properties (uniform temperature and moisture).
- Source region: Areas where air masses develop their characteristics.
Chapter 26 Air Masses
- Air masses: Large bodies of air, uniform in temperature and moisture content.
- Source regions: Where air masses develop. Latitude influences temperature and moisture.
- Classifications: Maritime and continental.
Chapter 26 Fronts
- Fronts: Boundaries separating different air masses.
- Cold front: Cold air mass advancing, typically steep.
- Warm front: Warm air mass advancing, typically gradual.
- Occluded front: Warm air mass trapped above (or below) the cold air
Chapter 27 Wind
- Air movements: Caused by pressure gradient force.
- Pressure gradient force: Moves air from high to low pressure. High pressure regions are illustrated with red (H) and low pressure regions are illustrated with blue (L).
- Coriolis force: Deflects wind to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Surface friction/terrain: Slows wind speed and affects direction.
- What determines wind velocity?: Pressure gradient force, Coriolis force and surface friction/terrain.
Chapter 27 Judging the Wind
- Wind direction: Can be determined by windsocks, water surfaces, or smoke.
- Buys Ballot's Law: Use to find the location of low and high pressure systems based on wind direction. Useful in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere situations.
Chapter 27 Wind Shear
- Wind shear Sudden change in wind speed or direction.
- Types: Vertical and horizontal wind shear.
- Causes: Terrain features, temperature inversions, and fronts.
Chapter 27 Sea and Land Breezes
- Sea breezes: Land heats faster than the sea during the day.
- Land breezes: Land cools faster than the sea during the night.
Chapter 27 Mountain Winds
- Valley breezes: Warm air rises up mountains during the day.
- Mountain breezes: Cool air descends down mountains at night.
- Anabatic winds: Upward winds flowing up a slope (exaggerated valley breezes).
- Katabatic winds: Downward winds flowing down a slope (exaggerated mountain breezes).
- Mountain waves (or lee waves): Undulations in the air, often producing turbulence.
Chapter 28 Clouds and Precipitation
- Air stability: Describes how a parcel of air responds to vertical movement.
- Environmental lapse rate (ELR): Actual rate of temperature decrease with altitude.
- Dry adiabatic lapse rate (DALR) and Saturated Adiabatic Lapse Rate (SALR): Rates of temperature change in rising/descending air that are not influenced by heat exchange between the air and its surroundings
- Condensation vs. Deposition: When air cools and temperature reaches the dew point, condensation occurs, changing from gas to liquid. Deposition is the transformation directly from a gas to a solid.
- Precipitation forms: Drizzle, rain, snow, sleet, and hail.
- Conditions for precipitation: Saturation of air mass, presence of condensation nuclei (tiny particles like dust, pollen), and processes like coalescence and ice crystal formation.
- Cloud reporting: System for reporting cloud cover, type, and base altitude.
Chapter 28 Clouds Science
- Evaporation: Conversion from liquid to gas via heat.
- Transpiration: Evaporation process through plants.
Chapter 29 Meteorological Flying Considerations
- Visibility: The maximum distance that an object can be seen through the air. Is impacted by the transparency of air, not illumination.
- Slant range: Visibility measured from the aircraft to the ground.
- Hazards from freezing precipitation: Clear ice, rime ice, hoar frost, freezing rain.
- Aircraft icing: Formation of ice on aircraft surfaces (related to precipitation and air temperature).
- Carburettor icing: Formation of ice in the engine’s intake system.
- Environmental factors impacting aircraft icing: Moisture, temperature, and air temperature gradient.
Chapter 29 Thunderstorms
- Thunderstorm development: Requires unstable air, moisture, and an initial lifting force.
- Hazards associated with thunderstorms: Strong winds, windshear, turbulence, heavy rain and hail, lightning strikes and microbursts.
- Tornado development: A product of severe thunderstorms leading to a rotating column of air.
Chapter 30 New Zealand Meteorological Services and Climate
- MetService: Licensed by CAA to provide three aviation weather briefing systems.
- Metflight GA, Commercial and Jet: Different systems for private, commercial and jet operations.
- Area Forecasts (ARFORs): Graphical forecasts covering regions.
- Forecasts: Provide different types of forecasts, for example, Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs) based on each aerodrome within a 8km radius. Including the different reporting criteria for each aerodrome
- Significant Meteorology Reports (SIGMETs): Advisories covering significant weather hazards.
- Weather Information Systems: Providing weather information. Includes (Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS), etc).
- Radar and Satellite Imagery: Tools for detecting precipitation types.
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