Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
25 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
What is the difference between hazard, risk and vulnerability?
|
hazard= potential threat to humans
risk= probability of loss vulnerability= potential degree of loss from event |
|
|
What are people`s reactions to crises + disasters?
|
anger, frustration, refusal to evacuate, suspicion, skepticism, denial
|
|
|
What is the difference between deterministic and non-deterministic views? Give an example of both.
|
deterministic=predictions of events whose outcomes occur with almost 100% probability (ex. flooding as a result of tidal forces)
non-deterministic=unpredictable events (ex. flooded city as a result of a swollen river) |
|
|
Where have the deadliest tropical cyclones occured?
|
South Asia
|
|
|
What are the economic impacts of hurricanes?
|
-cost of evacuation
-rebuilding damaged infrastructures -cost of severe coastal erosion -impact on energy production |
|
|
What kind of damage occurs as a result of hurricanes?
|
-wind damage
-water damage (storm surge+flooding, erosion) |
|
|
What is a tropical cyclone?
|
it is a warm-core, low pressure system that doesn`t have a front attached to it. It occurs over tropical + subtropical waters and has organized circulation
|
|
|
How is warm air generated in tropical cyclones?
|
-latent heat release: warm+moist air moves over the water, water vapour rises and condenses, condensation releases heat into the atmosphere, and creates wind
-subsidence: as the air in the eye of the cyclone sinks, it is warmed due to compression - |
|
|
What is the Coriolis effect? Why don`t tropical storms form near the equator?
|
Coriolis effect: apparent deflection of the air due to the earth`s rotation, when air moves from areas of high to low pressure in northern hemisphere, air is deflected to right, in southern hemisphere air is deflected to left
tropical storms don`t form near the equator due to lack of coriolis effect, air is not delfected in any direction. |
|
|
What are the 4 main requirements for tropical cyclogenesis?
|
-enough Coriolis force to produce a low-pressure center
-warm sea surface temperatures -low vertical wind shear -pre existing disturbances |
|
|
When does tropical cyclone activity peak? Why?
|
it peaks in the late summer, because water temperatures are the warmest + the ocean`s heat capacity is the greatest (September 10th)
|
|
|
Why don`t easterly waves develop into hurricanes?
|
-strong, descending air inhibits convection
-vertical wind shear is too strong for cloud systems to stay together -middle layers of atmosphere are too dry |
|
|
What are the different types of disturbances needed to start tropical cyclogenesis? Which one causes the most cyclones?
|
-fronts, easterly waves and intertropical convergeance zones
-easterly waves |
|
|
Where do the strongest (of highest intensity) hurricanes occur? Why?
|
they occur in the western pacific, because that is where the highest sea surface temperature is (the higher the sea surface temperature, the higher the intensity)
|
|
|
Why is a weak windshear needed?
|
latent heat release creates energy, if clouds are carried away by high winds, energy is no longer concentrated enough for the hurrican to develop, they can blow the tropical cyclone apart
|
|
|
Why do hurricane winds usually dimish quickly once landfall occurs?
|
because warm water is the hurricane`s energy source, it fuels the hurricane through latent heat release. This increase in surface roughness also weakens the system.
|
|
|
What are the main parts of the structure of a hurricane?Give a brief description of each.
|
Eye-clamest part of the storm, light winds, air moves faster as it moves towards the center and centrifugal forces cause it to
Eyewall-ring of tall thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and the strongest winds Rainbands-curved bands of clouds and thunderstorms that trail away from the eye in a spiral fashion, can produce strong bursts of wind+rain |
|
|
What are the main hazards of hurricanes?
|
storm surges, wind damage, heavy rains (flooding) and associated tornadoes
|
|
|
Name hurricanes associated with: storm surge, wind damage and heavy rains (flooding)
|
storm surge= hurricane Katrina + hurricane Galveston
Wind damage= hurricane Camille + hurricane Andrew Heavy rains (flooding) = hurricane Floyd |
|
|
what is the vertical wind shear?
|
change in wind speed with height
|
|
|
what is the purpose of tropical cyclones?
|
-they regulate the earth`s temperature
-they take heat stored in the ocean and tranfer it to the upper atmosphere, heat is carried to poles and stops polar regions from being too cold+ tropics from overheating |
|
|
Why are tropical storms named? When is a name retired?
|
because they reduce confusion when 2 storms occur in the same basin at the same time, easier for communication between airports, ships, etc. rather than latitud-longitude methods
-a name is retired when the storm is so deadly or costly that it would be inappropriate to name another storm that |
|
|
What is Bernoulli`s principle?
|
-the faster the air moves, the lower the pressure of the air becomes
-high wind moving overtop of roof creates lower pressure on exposed side of the roof+ roof is blown off due to high pressure in attic and walls |
|
|
What are squalls and gusts?
|
gusts are short, rapid bursts in wind speed and squalls are long periods of increased wind speeds
|
|
|
What is storm surge?When is it the most dangerous?
|
it is a wide dome of water that sweeps over the coastline during landfall
it is the most dangerous at high tide, since the sea level rises. |
