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Tools of the Atmospheric Scientist Lesson #6 - Measuring Cloud Heights |
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Activity - Measuring Cloud Heights |
1. Go to the ARM SGP MPL site and select a date for the current or previous month which clearly shows clouds being detected by the instrument. 2. Use the left vertical scale to estimate the height of the lowest cloud base displayed in the image. 3. Go to the ARM SGP MMCR site and select the same date. 4. How does the lowest cloud base in the MPL image compare to that determined by the MMCR image? 5. Which instrument displays a more clearly defined cloud base? 6. Which instrument can be used to more accurately measure the cloud thickness from the base to the top? |
Interpreting the Data |
1. If the base of a low level cloud is generally found between 0-2 km, the base of a middle level cloud between 2-7 km, and the base of a high level cloud between 7-18 km, determine the type of clouds detected in the MPL image you selected. 2. The base of a vertically developed cloud usually occurs between 0-3 km. Could the clouds detected by the MPL data plot you selected be vertically developed? 3. Use the ARM SGP MPL site to find examples of the other varieties of clouds as classified by the height of their cloud base. Congratulations! You have taken another step in understanding how meteorologists use atmospheric data to help monitor and forecast the weather. |
National Science Education Standards Annotated by MCREL (Standard -
Level - Benchmark) |
Standard 1. Understands atmospheric processes and the water cycle: 1-III-1, 1-III-2, 1-III-4, 1-III-6 Standard 9. Understands the sources and properties of energy: 9-III-8, 9-III-9 Standard 11. Understands the nature of scientific knowledge: 11-III-2 Standard 12. Understands the nature of scientific inquiry: 12-III-1, 12-III-5, 12-III-6, 12-III-7 Standard 13. Understands the scientific enterprise: 13-III-3 |