SCIENCE CONCEPT
People that study weather patterns use tools such as satellites, radars, and surface maps. Meteorologists look at patterns in the atmosphere, beginning with general patterns, then narrowing it down to the more specific details. Satellites provide constant coverage by taking photographic images every 15 minutes that feed straight to a computer. The radar detects all types of precipitation, the rotation of thunderstorm clouds, airborne tornado debris, and wind strength and direction. Surface maps help show the current weather conditions at the Earth’s surface. These maps typically show temperature, pressure systems, wind direction and speed, humidity levels, and precipitation.
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APPLICATION
Clouds play an important role in the world from covering 70% of the world for shade to being the source of precipitation. Meteorologists use clouds to predict the weather. High-level clouds tend to predict weather changes about a day away, mid-level clouds tend to often indicate a significant rain or storm, and low-level clouds usually means that there is fog. Clouds can help us understand air temperature and predict weather, by analyzing how much sunlight reaches the ground or when droplets join with other droplets to cause rain.
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CAREER
A meteorologist is someone who studies weather patterns and clouds. A meteorologist studies, observes, and explains the forecast. They have to have a bachelor's degree in meteorology and atmospheric science. Activities of a meteorologist are separated into a couple of groups. A few examples are: air pollution, global climate modeling, hydrometeorology, and numerical analysis and forecasting.
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SCIENTIST
William Ferrel was born January 19, 1817. He was an American meteorologist who developed theories that explained the mid-latitude atmospheric circulation cell in detail, and it is after him that the Ferrel cell is named. The Ferrel Cell is the average motion of air in the mid-latitudes. Ferrel demonstrated that it is the tendency of rising warm air, as it rotates due to the Coriolis effect, to pull in air from more equal, warmer regions and transport it towards the north and south pole. It is this rotation which creates the complex curvatures in the frontal systems separating the cooler Arctic/Antarctic air polewards from the warmer tropical air towards the equator.
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