Meteorology 212 Spring, 2006
Exam 1
Directions: This is an OPEN-BOOK exam. You may use any part of your textbook or your
notes. You may not talk to any other student.
Answer all parts of all four questions in the blue books. Percentage values for each part are given in
parentheses. You have 50 minutes so
budget your time.
1. For this
question, imagine the orbit of Planet X is as shown below:
The people on Planet X use our
calendar which they have figured out by intercepting our TV transmissions. The
spherical Planet X has a highly elliptical orbit, as shown, with apogee
(farthest point from the sun) occurring on July 4. Perigee (closest approach to the sun) occurs
on January 4. Assume Planet X has no oceans or large bodies of open water. Also, the planet has no mountains, just flat
plains. Planet X rotates once every 24
hours about its polar axis which is inclined 0° from a line which is
perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic, as shown. By contrast, Earth is inclined 23.44° from such
a line. Planet X does have an atmosphere
consisting of Nitrogen and Oxygen, in the same proportions as the Earth.
a. ( 7%) At
42°N, what is the hottest time of year (I want a calendar date). State your reasoning for your answer.
b. ( 8%)
What is the planetary energy imbalance, i.e., where is there an energy surplus
and where is there an energy deficit?
Why does this imbalance occur?
c. ( 8%) If
there are no oceans, there are no ocean currents. What other mechanism is
available to correct the energy imbalance in the northern hemisphere and how
does that mechanism work?
2. In class it
was mentioned that the Earth’s orbit is changing. 10,000 years ago our perigee was in July (it
is currently in January). Assume the
sun’s output is the same 10,000 years ago as it is today (almost true) and that
the year is the same length.
a. ( 8%)
What effect would the orbit 10,000 years ago have had on the solar
constant? Why? (careful – think
hard).
b. ( 8%)
The changes in radiation would have had effects on air temperatures in middle
latitudes of
c. ( 12%)
Consider your answer to part b as a hypothesis.
Briefly outline a plan to test that hypothesis. In other words, what data will you need to
test it and how will you get that data? You have unlimited resources but no new
technology (no time machines). Also, native Americans from 10,000 years ago left no written
records. This is not a detailed
proposal, just some ideas and how to go about implementing them.
3. This question
refers to the graph of Oneonta daily average temperatures for each day of the
year shown below.
a. ( 8%)
The January Thaw is marked with an arrow.
Explain why this is a particularly strong anomaly (i.e., not what you’d
expect), considering the insolation.
b. ( 8%)
The standard averaging time for climatological
records is 30 years. So, for example, we
could have an average temperature calculated using the years 1961-90 as in the
graph above. But 30 years might not be
the optimum length of time. Explain why
30 years is too short a period to average meteorological variables like
temperature and precipitation.
c. ( 8%)
Explain why 30 years is too long a period to average meteorological
variables like temperature and precipitation.
4. On the next page is a
base map of
a. ( 15%) Based on what we know
about the formation of fogs, where are good places for fogs in general to be
frequent in
b. ( 10%) Which of your fog
locations will have primarily advection fogs?
Briefly explain your reasoning for putting them where you did.
