DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES                                                      Spring 2005

San Francisco State University                                                        Metr. 201

 

Synoptic Metr Quiz #1

100 pts.

(Test will be collected at 9:45 AM)

 

1.     Short Answers.  (4 points each for a total of 24 points in this section).

 

(a)  The 500 mb level is found typically at what height (either in meters or feet)  ____18000 ft__

 

(b) The 700 mb level is found typically at what height (either in meters or feet)  _____10000 ft________

 

(c)  The 300 mb level is found typically at what height (either in meters or feet)  _____36000 ft__________

 

(d) A contour of constant wind speed (or current speed) is known as an ___isotach____________________

 

(f)  The branch of meteorology in which basic laws are used to study the development and evolution of circulation systems is known as _____dynamic meteorology_________________________

 

(g) 0300 UTC 2 February 2005 is what time and date PST?  __0700 PM (or 1900) PST 1 February 20005

 

2. Units.  Provide the units used conventionally for the following (25 pts)

        

Example

         Acceleration                  meters per sec-2 or m s-2

 

        

         V                                           __m s-1___________________________

 

         u                                           __m s-1___________________________

 

         Coriolis acceleration                ____ m s-2____________________

 

         Pressure gradient                     ____mb km-1_________

 

         -V ĘT/Ęs                               ______ Co h-1__________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Multiple choice (24 pts) (Find the choice on the right that best fits the statement or question on the left)

 

_d___ vertical wind component in the natural coordinate system

 

__f___ increment on the axis parallel to the horizontal wind in the natural coordinate system.

 

_g & i _  in balance for the case of the geostrophic wind.

 

__b___ west wind component in the rectangular coordinate system

 

_c____ wind component tangent to y-axis

 

__l___  Coriolis effect is significant in understanding wind flow at this scale and larger.

 

a.  z axis

b.  u

c.  v

d.  w

e.  n-axis

f.  Ęs

g.  pressure gradient acceleration

h.  frictional acceleration

i.  Coriolis acceleration

j.  Macroscale

k.  Mesoscale

l.  Synoptic scale

 

 

4.  500 mb chart (27 pts).

 

Examine the 500 mb chart given below.  Note the locations given at A, B, C and D.

 

1.  The strongest winds would be found at location _____C________

2.  The wind direction (please use the direction designation that meteorologists use) at location A is __NNW_________ and at location B is _____SW__________ .

3.  If the wind speed at C is 55 knots, plot the correct meteorological symbol for that wind information right on the chart (you will have estimate wind direction based upon what you have learned in this course or in Metr 200).