Physical Geography Laboratory Manual Section Name EXERCISE 14 PROBLEMS-PART II T
ID: 291382 • Letter: P
Question
Physical Geography Laboratory Manual Section Name EXERCISE 14 PROBLEMS-PART II Two satellite images are reproduced in Figure 14-4. You may view these maps by going to the Hess Physical Geography Laboratory Manual, 12thedition, website at www.MasteringGeography.com, and then select Exercise 14, or by scanning the QR (Quick Response) code for this exercise. They show the forecast surface and upper atmosphere winds (300 mb level) over the northeastern Pacific Ocean. The west coast of North America is visible along the right side of each image. The dark areas are ocean, and the white areas are clouds. The centers of three pressure cells are shown on the small surface pressure map. Enlarged wind symbols from each labeled region are shown on the left. What is the surface wind direction off the coast of California (35° N. 125° W)? 1. (a) From the (b) What explains this wind direction? What is the surface wind direction in the northern Pacific Ocean (45° N, 155° W)? 2. (a) From the ? ????????? (b) What explains this wind direction? What is the surface wind direction in the tropical Pacific near Hawai i (20° N, 160e W)? 3. (a) From the (b) What is the upper atmosphere wind direction in the tropical Pacific over Hawai'i? From the What explains the difference in wind direction between the surface and the upper atmosphere in the tropical Pacific near Hawai'i? (c) (d) Suggest a reason why the surface wind speed and upper atmosphere wind speed near Hawai'i are so different.Explanation / Answer
Please note in this type of the question we need to read out the Barbs that are available with the wind map. This can be down in following way:
a) Figure out the North direction in the map.
b) Barbs are provided with directional context.
c) The top of the feathered end show where the wind is coming from.
d) The lower end of the barbs represents where the wind is going.
e) Bars are represented by distinct shape or line representing different speed.
I) Combination of the small and large circle indicates calm wind condition
II) A small line or feather represents 5 knots (Kts.)
III) A single line represents 10 knots (Kts.)
IIIV) A fully blackened triangle represents 50 knots (Kts.)
Above basic information is used to solve this problem.
1. a. The wind is blowing from the North towards South
b. The top end is showing where the coming from whereas the lower end of the barb is showing where the wind is going. In this case, the wind is coming from North and going in South.
2.a. The wind is blowing from the South-West towards North-East
b. The top end is showing where the coming from whereas the lower end of the barb is showing where the wind is going. In this case, the wind is coming from North and going in South.
3. a. The wind is blowing from the North-East towards South-West
b. The wind is blowing from the West towards East
c. In the Tropical Pacific wind is moving with a speed of 20 knots towards South-West whereas the speed of the wind in the upper atmosphere in tropical Pacific is 70 knots towards East, these difference in the magnitude of the wind speed explain the variation with the wind speed and direction.
d. In simple words, surface winds are slower than upper atmosphere wind because there is friction for surface wind whereas upper atmosphere winds are unobstructed. This friction occurred when the winds move over the irregular earth, this causes the wind to slow.