1. Use pressure based on the US standard atmosphere to estimate the proportions of the atmospheric mass in the troposphere, the stratosphere, and the mesosphere. How do the relative proportions in the tropospheric and stratospheric parts of the column change from the tropics to the polar latitudes?

2. Suppose that the maximum mass mixing ratio of ozone is 1.3x 10^-5 at a height of 35 km above sea level. Using a reasonable value for air density there, find the density and volume mixing ratio (ppmv) of ozone.

3. Use the PAOS Weather Center  Web site (Archives section, general sounding archive) for this question. Output the text format of the sounding for Vandenberg, CA on January 12, 2003 at 12Z (2003011212).

(a) What is the tropopause height for this sounding?  View text version of sounding here

(b) Calculate the 600 to 500 mb lapse rate (C/km).

(c) Make a table with the ``significant levels'' (sfc, 700, 500, 400, 300, 250, 200 mb), including height, pressure, temperature, dewpoint, water vapor mixing ratio (g/kg), and wind direction and speed. (see highlighted rows in the sounding)

(d) Make station model plots for 700, 500, and 200 mb levels. Replace the pressure in the upper right of the plot with the height in meters. Use Celsius for the temperature and dewpoint.

4. Make height-latitude cross section plots of the mean meridional wind (N-S). Use the NOAA Climate and Diagnostics Center Web site (go to "Access to the Reanalysis Atlas" then "no difference processing" and look at the "Monthly Longterm Mean"). Make the plots for January and July and average over all longitudes. Use these plots and the Hadley Cell model of circulation to explain the seasonal pattern of rainfall in the subtropics (for example, in California the rainfall occurs in the winter).

5. Radiosonde data are the primary input for numerical weather prediction models even though there are many fewer radiosonde stations than surface stations. Explain why surface stations alone can't be used. What regions of the globe are likely to have poorer weather forecasts? Why?

6. Contrast the appearance on visible and infrared satellite imagery of a tropical thunderstorm (with dense clouds rising from low levels to the tropopause) and low level overcast stratocumulus clouds over a subtropical ocean. Estimate the infrared brightness temperature in each case. (estimate here, means, very roughly - "real cold" or "near surface temp" - the answer is really just simple logic, you don't have to calculate it, nor read any number off a scale).