In the experiment mimicking extratropical cyclones, how does the apparatus represent the atmosphere of the Earth? Point out the essential elements of the analogy as well as the elements that are neglected.

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In the experiment mimicking extratropical cyclones, how does the apparatus represent the atmosphere of the Earth?  Point out the essential elements of the analogy as well as the elements that are neglected.

The apparatus is composed of a center pot of ice which represents the north pole or the polar ice caps. There is also surrounding enclosure of room temperature water that forms a donut like enclosure around the pot of ice to represent the Earth’s atmosphere, while the warm water on the outermost surrounding enclosure represents warm tropical waters from the tropics. This is done to represent the strong temperature gradient in the air near the surface. The middle layer of room temperature water has many features that are similar to the Earth’s atmosphere—like its ability to transfer movement and heat. The whole apparatus is rotating counterclockwise to represent the Earth's rotation in the northern hemisphere. This apparatus shows that Earth’s atmosphere has varying degrees of temperatures and rotates, two elements that are vital to the development of an extratropical cyclone. The movement of the water is meant to simulate the jet streams in the atmosphere. The use of the rotating camera over head that moved in the same direction and speed as the turntable was essential to give a clearer demonstration the movement of the water as the jetstream.

Elements that are neglected include any terrain, living organisms or things that are actually affected by weather events, the Southern hemisphere, and the spherical shape of the Earth is not represented.

Describe the flow pattern between the inner and outer walls.  In what ways is it analogous to the flow patterns of the real atmosphere? 

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The meandering flows of the red and green dye are very similar to the flow patterns of the real atmosphere; they carried heat from an area of a higher temperature to an area of lower temperature. This was done via the convection of heat; heat was transferred through the representational atmosphere (room-temperature water) from the outer warm wall to the inner cold wall. This process was aided and made efficient by the meandering flows of the jet streams which formed vortices like movements. In the demonstration, this was observed because the red and green dye moved in opposing directions. These ...

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