The origin of hurricanes and predictability of hurricane tracks

The origin of hurricanes and predictability of hurricane tracks Low pressure systems form at mid latitude temperate zones as a result of the convergence of warm and cold air masses. Low pressure systems generally form over the polar front where the polar maritime air (a cold air mass) and tropical maritime air (a warm air mass) meet. Air currents in this area within the Northern Hemisphere will flow counter-clockwise due to the rotation of the earth and surface friction. Air flows accumulate at the centre of the system, and the warm air rises because it is less dense, leading to low pressure at the surface. It contains more moisture than the polar maritime air and as a result, when it ascends, it condenses and produces clouds and rain. Cirrus type clouds are the first clouds that are usually created at this point. A circulation of air rotates in an anticlockwise motion due to the coriolis effect. The tropical maritime air swirls around the polar front, the system matures and eventually a warm and cold front is created. At the warm front, the warm air rises over the cold air, the cirrus clouds develop to be cirrostratus, altostratus and nimbostratus clouds which eventually will lead to heavy rain because of the condensation of the warm air. Towards the edge of the warm front, conditions are more stable and pressure stops decreasing as much. No longer is there so much

  • Word count: 1276
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Physical Sciences
Access this essay

Climate modelling of Precipitation in Brazil

Precipitation Overview: The precipitation levels of Brazil vary widely over the country. Most areas of Brazil show moderate precipitation between 1000 to 1500 millimeters a year. Most of rainfall is concentrated during the summer time at south part of the equator. The Amazon region shows higher precipitation level, which is 2000 – 3000 millimeters per year. Especially the western Amazon area shows the higher precipitation level than other areas of Amazon. Yet, Amazon region has three to five-month-long dry season per year but dry season comes in a different seasons depending on the parts of Amazon. On the contrast of the Amazon region that shows high and regular level of precipitation, Northeast area is semiarid. The northeast area of Brazil is the driest and hottest part of the country; the dry season starts from May and last till November. Most of central-western area of Brazil shows 1500 to 2000 millimeters of rainfall per year but it also has dry seasons in the middle of the year. Meanwhile, the south, Northwest and Atlantic coast shows the similar precipitation per year without a distinct dry season. Precipitation is closely linked to the air temperature. This temperature fluctuation due to the precipitation may affect the ecology, environment and industry of Brazil. Model Analysis: Two different models are used to get data for the analysis of precipitation. The

  • Word count: 913
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Physical Sciences
Access this essay

Choose a public policy in Hong Kong and then discuss the most appropriate model for explaining the way in which the policy was made. Give reasons for your choice.

Q: Choose a public policy in Hong Kong and then discuss the most appropriate model for explaining the way in which the policy was made. Give reasons for your choice. Introduction Incremental decision making model has contributed much to our understanding of how policies are made and implemented. The purpose of this paper is to address the decision making model applied in Hong Kong by illustrating the environmental policies that have been made in the last two decades. Environmental policy was chosen in this paper because it has again become a popular point of discussion in Hong Kong due to the massive concern by the Chief Executive in his policy address. Besides, there are few controversial issues in recent years that aroused public concern and discussion too, such as the building of Disneyland, the development of Sha Lo Tung and the Western Railway Project by the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC). This essay mainly comprised of three parts. First, I will mention the main features and characteristics of the incremental decision making model. Secondly, I will briefly discuss the environmental policies in Hong Kong in the last two decades, especially the Ordinances imposed by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD). Finally, I will analyze how the environmental policies have been made in the period and if they can be explained by the incremental decision making

  • Word count: 2371
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Physical Sciences
Access this essay

Mount Kenya Forest

Mount Kenya Forest Summary: Conventional economic tools are poorly equipped to deal with the subsistence value of forest resources within the context of local livelihoods. Methods for economic valuation must be based on locally meaningful economic categories, rather than an inappropriate and externally imposed market paradigm, if they are to be realistic and practical. Using the case of Mount Kenya Forest, this paper demonstrates that recognition of the livelihood value of forest resources forms a key part of conservation planning and practice. As well as presenting a strong justification for forest conservation in the face of competing demands on scarce land and financial resources, local forest values provide insights into methods for forest conservation, which are both equitable and sustainable over the long-term. The paper concludes that attempts at forest conservation are unlikely to succeed unless they recognize the importance of forest resources in local livelihoods. Ignoring local use values not only marginalizes forest adjacent communities and jeopardizes their livelihoods, it also gives rise to the danger that forests will be under-valued and that forest management efforts will fail to achieve conservation goals. Mount Kenya Forest covers an area of over 200,000 ha, lying on the slopes of Mount Kenya (5,199 m) in the central highlands of Kenya. The forest was

  • Word count: 1099
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Physical Sciences
Access this essay

Environmental Management.

Environmental Management Assignment 1, semester 1 ) Business organisations today are under increasing pressures from various groups in relation to reduce their environmental impact and support sustainability. In this section of the assignment I will discuss and explain the nature of the pressures in general terms. In turn I will outline the various groups and the nature of pressures imposed. National legislation laid out by the government is one of the key and most fundamental pressures which businesses face today. Guidelines are set out and principle legislation has been created such as the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Water Resources Act 1991 and the Environment Act 1995. Although environmental legislation has been laid down, the government take a discretionary approach towards organisations. The governments set targets such as stating how much material has to be recycled per year. The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution first outlined in concept of BPEO (Best Practicable Environmental Option) in its 5th Report. A BPEO approach was described as meaning the reduction or modification of waste generation and the direction of what waste remained to the environmental medium in which the least overall damage would be done. European legislative pressure is a little more direct and assertive than national legislation. This is counteracted by the fact that

  • Word count: 1789
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Physical Sciences
Access this essay

The 123 Agreement Between U.S. and Russia on Nuclear Waste Disposal. Recently the Russian-American relationship has been strengthened by a legally binding document the 123 Agreement, which came into force in January 2011 and contained information abou

The 123 Agreement Between U.S. and Russia on Nuclear Waste Wisposal Recently the Russian-American relationship has been strengthened by a legally binding document - the 123 Agreement, which came into force in January 2011 and contained information about "reprocessing" of the US nuclear waste on the Russian territory (WRP 2011). The 123 Agreement was officially produced and discussed back in 2008, during the G-8 Summit meeting between the former President of the United States, George W. Bush and the Prime-Minister of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. The parties agreed that the 123 Agreement was the best possible way to encounter and solve the issue of large aggregations of the nuclear waste of America that have been temporarily stored without any progress on the Yucca mountain repository construction (WRP 2011). The issue of nuclear waste and nuclear energy as a concept has been addressed and criticized many times from the sustainable development point of view, questioning the ability to develop and consume the available resources without jeopardizing the future generations' ability to use those resources in the same manner, i.e. not exceeding the ability of nature to replenish those resources (UN, Our Common Future 1987). Also the idea of sustainable development implies that the future generations will face a clean environment and will not have to face the challenges

  • Word count: 1649
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Physical Sciences
Access this essay

Environmental Degradation.

Merve Kovan CIVL Ds f Ins. Deniz Bingöl Research Paper 22-05-2002 Environmental Degradation Environmental degradation is a controversial issue of the last and new centuries. Because human activities increased with the developing technology since the last century, human effects on the environment have increased. Similarly, the consequences of globalization are also results of human activities. For example, Scholte (2000) states that ozone layer depletion, which is an environmental problem, is a global issue and the depletion is caused by human activities. Furthermore, globalization is a significant feature of recent world history which can be characterized as the spread of supra-territorialization according to Scholte (2000). What is meant by supra-territorialization is not that there are no more territories, but decreasing importance of territories in some social spaces (Scholte, 2000). Hence, one can conclude that globalization and environmental degradation simultaneously take place in the world history. As Scholte indicated, globalization is a new phenomenon which emerged with new changes and contemporary issues. To distinguish globalization from other phenomena, Scholte (2000) stresses that global is neither international, which includes cross-border exchanges while globalization includes trans-border exchanges, nor universal, which indicates spreading

  • Word count: 1916
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Physical Sciences
Access this essay

Human impacts at the coast intended to stabilise a coast line can alos lead inadvertently to increased coastal erosion. Discuss

Level one Geography Tutorial 2 . Human impacts at the coast intended to stabilise a coast line can alos lead inadvertently to increased coastal erosion. Discuss Humans have a great impact on coastal areas; these impacts may be of a positive or negative nature. In this essay I will aim to discuss how mans effort to stabilise coastal regions often results in causing more problems, and ever worsening the original problems, which may have existed. To begin with I will talk about specific problems, which result from the human alteration or moderation of a coastal regions. Modification may take place in a number of forms there are various different methods of protecting coastlines these include the following, groins, jetties, breakwaters, Seawalls, and revetments. Each of these methods has been proven to be of some degree of use, but also each have knock on affects resulting in further erosion. Sea walls are perceived to be the answer to many different erosion problems at coastlines. They are the most costly coastal protection schemes to construct and can lead to further erosion. The sea walls reflects wave energy back towards the sea, this speeds up erosion and deprives the actual beach of sand as the force of the wave undercuts the wall. This sand would have acted as a natural defence to the coastline; its removal leads to further erosion. Wave reflection from sea walls can

  • Word count: 964
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Physical Sciences
Access this essay

How did Captain Cook influence the way we see and understand the modern world

Critically Assess how Captain Cook influenced the ways we see and understand the modern World Captain Cook has been extremely influential in how we perceive and understand the modern world. To Britain he evokes pride as a national heroic symbolic figure, in other areas of the world he is as deeply enthralled in their heritage as he: "appears in children stories and in classroom histories as a new type of explorer" and "For many Europeans, Australians, and New Zealanders, Cook is part of their heritage." (Obeyeskere 1992) both these quotes exemplifying his significance and importance, but also demonstrating how global his presence was felt. The recognition and fame he has been accredited for is an example of how he has managed to influence the modern world. His three voyages of discovery accounted to the addition of one third of the map of the currently known world. He contributed to the world map by helping form its construction: performing the first circumnavigate (travelling all the way around the edge) of New Zealand and achieving first European contact with places such as Australia and the Hawaiian Islands. These areas were to be later incorporated into the British Empire. Such good were his navigating skills that it was recorded his maps were still used in the twentieth century: "he produced charts and maps that were of such accuracy that some were still in use as

  • Word count: 966
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Physical Sciences
Access this essay

Global Warming. Due to too much information, there are many conflicting views on whether human activity is leading to climate change and further to global warming. Warburton (2001) explains: The consequences of global warming are unclear and have cau

Storms, hurricanes, tornados and volcanic eruption, are some of the stories on which the media thrive on, eager to be the first one to bring breaking news story to share with the rest of the world. Almost every day, there will be a new story related to natural disasters somewhere in the world. According to some scientists, humans are the main contributes; these disasters are somehow linked to climate change and global warming. Global warming is the overall warming of the planet, which is based on average temperature over the entire surface. Whereas, climate change is the regional climate characteristics, including temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind and severe weather events (Warburton 2001, p.5). Warburton on p.47 goes on to explain, the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation have both resulted in a steady rise in CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Along with the emission of other gases, known collectively as 'greenhouse gases' these have resulted in an overall warming effect to the atmosphere. Thanks to the media, millions of viewer became aware of the impact which climate change can have upon the world's population. But can the media be trusted because most of the times the media does not tell the whole story, it only informs the public about what the government wants them to hear. It is dedicated to making our society feel guilty about its wealth and materialism, and to

  • Word count: 2807
  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Physical Sciences
Access this essay