Weather Records

In this activity we recorded the weather of our location for a perios of about 3 weeks. We recorded highs, lows, barometer, wind speed, wind direction, sky cover, precipitation, and amount. Then we compared to the normal weather for that time of year as recorded by NOAA. Compared to NOAA's records it seems that this year the weather was much warmer and not as cold as it has been in past records. This relates to my topic because deforestation can cause changes in climate and cause an area to be warmer or colder. This is because deforestation can affect the amount of moisture in the air making a place dryer and it can affect wind resistence making stronger winds.


Related Links
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/
http://www.wunderground.com/

Wind Driven Ocean Circulation

Before this activity I didn't know very much about the movement of oceanic currents and winds on the Earth's surface. In this activity we used two note cards to demonstrate how the earth's rotation affects currents moving on the earth's surface. This activity talks about the Coriolis Effect. The Coriolis Effect is when air is heated and cooled unevenly on land and on the surface of the ocean creating wind. The wind creates friction when moving over the surface of the ocean causing the ocean upper layer to move. The water that is then deflected as it moves across the Earth's surface except for on the equator. This is what we call the Coriolis Effect. In this activity we also learned about Trade Winds and Westerlies. The Trade winds come from the SouthEast in the Southern Hemisphere and the NorthEast in the Northern Hemisphere. Then the Westerlies blow from the SouthWest in the Northern Hemisphere and the NorthWest in the Southern Hemisphere. All this causes water in the ocean to be bushed long distances. We also learned about Gyre circulation and how in the Northern Hemisphere the gyre rotates clockwise and in the Southern Hemisphere the gyre rotates counterclockwise. This is related to Deforestation. This is because the number of trees in an area affects wind patterns. If there are few trees in an area there is less wind resistance. This causes winds to travel farther and unimpeded. If there are more trees in an area there is more wind resistance which slows down the wind so that when it reaches the ocean it is not as strong. Another factor is that the number of trees in an area also affects the amount of moisture in the air which also can affect the temperature in that area or climate. This is important because the mix of hot and cold air is what creates the wind and if there is not enough of both the winds will not be strong enough to reach the ocean with any strength.

Related Links
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/earth/coriolis.html
http://www.ukdivers.net/meteorology/coriolis.htm

Activity 4: The Earth's Atmosphere and The Greenhouse Effect

In this activity I discovered more about the Earth's atmosphere and the Greenhouse Effect. I learned that cloud coverage and the type of land in an area can affect the temperature and or climate of that area. For an example if there is a lot of dark soil in an area then that soil will absorb more light and heat from the sun than a lighter color of soil affecting the temperature of that area. If there is water in an area it will reflect the sunlight, refracting rays of light and consequently heat. Then there are the affects of cloud coverage. If there are a lot of clouds in an area they help to shield the Earth from the suns light. The water particles act as a mild filter and make the amount light and there fore heat that reaches the Earth lesser. This is why it is important to take care of our atmosphere. If we continue to pollute our air with chemicals it will interfere with the delicate balance of gases that maintain it putting our atmosphere in jeopardy and causing potentially dangerous changes in the climate of our planet. The danger being that the planet's temperature will continue to rise little by little causing the polar ice caps to melt creating floods. Temperature also greatly affects the health of our plant life. This creates a link to Deforestation or perhaps more simply put the loss of our forests. As more and more trees are cut down it also cuts down on the amount of oxygen being released into the atmosphere by those trees. Also if the trees are cut down leaving bare earth it affects the temperature in that area because all the energy that would have been absorbed by those trees for use in photosynthesis will instead by absorbed into the ground.

Related Links
http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_3_1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming

Why Is Mother Nature Playing April Fools?

In this activity we learned that currently there are only moderate La Nina conditions which means there is less precipitation than usual. This of course is why lately we've been getting so little snow in Michigan. Normally in December through maybe February we would be experiencing moderate to heavy snow fall. Only for the most part we have only had short heavy snowfalls that don't last long or only light snows. Which is unusual for this area. So basically Mother Nature is sending us this lovely warm weather and rain but a cold front will soon be coming in an then it will be cold again. All this is also added to by the polar circulation which is giving us more cold air into the mix so that just when our hopes are up it brings us back down like a bucket of cold water...or rather a good bought of snow. Also the North American Jet Stream adds to this because it is divided and therefore is bringing ,guess what, more cold air! All this is of course related to Deforestation. Depending on how many trees are in an area affects how much water is on the ground. This is of course able to be affected by the cold coming our way. Also depending on the amount of trees in an area decides how much moisture is in the atmosphere in an area and helps to decide how much precipitation will fall. So even though it seems nice out today there's no better time to dig in, grab a blanket, and get ready for a white kick off to spring break!
Related Links
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080114085128.htm
http://squall.sfsu.edu/crws/jetstream.html