Lab10_GEOL1147
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Apr 3, 2024
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Lab 10 for GEOL 1147 (Introduction to Meteorology Lab) The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) is a standardized index based on the observed sea level pressure
differences between Tahiti and Darwin, Australia. The SOI is one measure of the large-scale fluctuations in
air pressure occurring between the western and eastern tropical Pacific (i.e., the state of the Southern
Oscillation) during El Niño and La Niña episodes. When the SOI is negative (positive), it corresponds to El
Niño (La Niña) event. 1.Use the SOI index listed in Lab10_soi.xls to calculate the averaged SOI index in Jan and Feb.
The average SOI index in Jan. and Feb. is 0 and -0.2 respectively.
2. Plot time series of SOI (Jan & Feb) and Precipitation at San Diego (Jan & Feb). Plot the scatter plot of
SOI (Jan & Feb) and Precipitation at San Diego (Jan & Feb). Copy Jan & Feb precipitation at San Diego
from Lab9_SAN.xls to Lab10_soi.xls. Calculate averaged precipitation in Jan & Feb. Then plot averaged
SOI (Jan & Feb) versus Precipitation at San Diego (Jan & Feb).
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
SOI Index for Jan. and Feb.
Janurary
Feburary
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Average Precipation
Janurary
Feburary
1
2
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
SOI Index
Average Precipatation
SOI index vs Avg. Precip in Jan. and Feb.
SOI Index
Average Precipatation
3.Does negative SOI (El Nino event) correspond to wet winter at San Diego? Yes.
4. The National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration's Earth Systems Research Laboratory (ESRL), in
Boulder, Colorado, provides Web access to many years of atmospheric observations analyzed for use
originally by computer forecasting models. Among other things, the Web site allows you to construct
"composites" (by which ESRL means averages of spatial patterns over time) of a variety of atmospheric
quantities, including wind speed at various levels in the atmosphere.
4a.
Access
ESRL's
Monthly/Seasonal
Climate
Composites
Web
site
at
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/cgibin/data/composites/printpage.pl. 4b. Specify the quantity that you want to analyze and plot: Pull down the "Which variable?" menu and select "Scalar Wind Speed". 4c. Specify the level in the atmosphere where you want to analyze the wind speed: Pull
down the "Level?" menu and select "300 mb". 4d. Specify the period of particular months of the year (the "season") during which you want to analyze the
wind speed at 300 mb: Pull down the "Beginning month of the season" menu and select "Jan". Pull down the "Ending month"
menu and select "Feb". 4e. Specify the range of years for which you want to compute a composite average of 300 mb wind speed
during January and February (JF): In the "Enter range of years" text box, enter "1950" to "2012". 4f. You are going to create a "color-filled" contour plot, which is a contour plot (of lines of constant wind
speed, or isotachs) in which the area between each pair of adjacent contour lines is filled in with a different
color. Specify a plot color: Pull down the "Color" menu and select "Black and White". 4g. Under "Override default contour interval?", in the "Interval" text box, enter "2.5" (which means 2.5
meters per second). In the "Range: low" text box, enter "30" (that is, 30 meters/second). In the "Range:
high" text box, enter "50" (that is, 50 meters/second).
4h. Rather than viewing a plot for the entire world, create one for North America (which focuses more
closely on the area of interest to us, the West Coast of the U.S.): Pull down the "Map projection" menu and
select "North America". 4i. Click on the "Create plot" button. This should create the specified plot and display it in your Web
browser. 4j. Plot Scalar Wind Speed for El Niño years (1983, 1992, 1998) and La Niña years (1974, 2008, 2011).
Describe the differences of jet stream during the El Nino and La Nina years. During El Nino, jet streams move South and spread eastward while in La Nina years, jet streams move northward while weaking westward.
5. Plot 1000 mb air temperature for Jan and Feb in El Niño years (1983, 1992, 1998) and La Niña years (1974, 2008, 2011). Also plot the anomaly figure for 1000 mb air temperature for El Niño years (1983, 1992, 1998) and La Niña years (1974, 2008, 2011). Plot the figure for the whole globe. Describe differences in the 1000 mb air temperature between El Nino and La Nina years. El Nino years has a greater difference than La Nina years.
6. Plot the 300 mb vertical velocity (omega) for Jan and Feb in El Niño years (1983, 1992, 1998) and La
Niña years (1974, 2008, 2011) over the North America. Negative (positive) omega refers to rising
(sinking) air. Describe differences of vertical velocity between El Niño and La Niña years and their
relationships to the precipitation at San Diego. El Nino has a greater vertical velocity than La Nina.
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