2- at sea level the air temperature is 80 degree F. this air reaches the dewpoint at 6,000’. The air continues to rise, pushed up by trade winds, over a mountain that is 12,000’ high. If the dry adiabatic rate is 5.5 degree F/ 1000’ and the wet adiabatic rate is 3.2 degree F/1000’ , there is no dew point lapse rate and do not use the snow rate,
a- what is the dew point temperature?
b- what will the temperature be at the top of the Mountain?
c- if the air descends back to sea level on the leeward side, what would the temperature be?
d- why is the air warmer at sea level on the leeward side than it was to begin with on the windward side?
This is really an earth science or meteorology question.
To answer these questions, we need to understand the concept of adiabatic cooling and adiabatic warming.
The dew point is the temperature at which air becomes saturated and condensation begins. It is the temperature at which the air can no longer hold all the water vapor it contains, leading to the formation of dew or, in certain conditions, clouds or fog.
a) To find the dew point temperature, we need to calculate the dew point lapse rate. The dew point lapse rate is typically around 1°C or 1.8°F per 1000 feet. However, in this scenario, we are given that there is no dew point lapse rate. Therefore, the dew point temperature remains constant at the sea level temperature of 80°F.
b) As the air rises over the mountain, it undergoes adiabatic cooling. The dry adiabatic rate states that for every 1000 feet of elevation gain, the temperature decreases by 5.5°F. Since the air rises from 6000 feet to 12000 feet, it would cool by 5.5°F * 6 = 33°F. Therefore, the temperature at the top of the mountain would be 80°F - 33°F = 47°F.
c) When the air descends back to sea level on the leeward side (away from the windward side where it originally rose), it undergoes adiabatic warming. The dry adiabatic rate of 5.5°F per 1000 feet does not change in this scenario. So, for every 1000 feet of descent, the temperature will increase by 5.5°F.
d) The air is warmer at sea level on the leeward side because of the process of adiabatic warming. As the air descended, it compressed due to the increased pressure at lower altitudes. This compression caused the air molecules to collide more frequently, resulting in an increase in kinetic energy and, consequently, temperature. Therefore, the air ends up being warmer at sea level on the leeward side compared to its initial temperature at sea level on the windward side.
Please note that this is a simplified explanation, and in real-world meteorological processes, there are various factors that can affect temperature and humidity.