Aridity coefficient: Difference between revisions

From Glossary of Meteorology
No edit summary
m (Rewrite with Template:Term and clean up)
 
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Term
 
|Display title=aridity coefficient
{{TermHeader}}
|Definitions={{Definition
{{TermSearch}}
|Num=1
 
|Meaning=A function of [[precipitation]] and [[temperature]] designed  by W. Gorczyński to  represent the relative lack of effective moisture (the [[aridity]]) of a place.
<div class="termentry">
|Explanation=It is given by (latitude factor) &times;  (temperature range)  &times;  (precipitation ratio). The latitude factor  is the cosecant of the latitude (taken as 3.0 for 0&#x000b0;&ndash;4&#x000b0;). The temperature [[range]] is the  difference  (&#x000b0;F) between the means of the hottest and coldest months.  The precipitation ratio is the difference  between the highest and lowest  annual totals (adjusted to a 50-year record) divided by the average.<br/> The value of this coefficient is about 100 in the middle of the Sahara; in  the United States it  ranges from 70 at Bagdad, California, to 2 at Eureka,  California.
  <div class="term">
}}
== aridity coefficient ==
}}
  </div>
 
<div class="definition"><div class="short_definition">A function of [[precipitation]] and [[temperature]] designed  by W. Gorczy&#x00144;ski to  represent the relative lack of effective moisture (the [[aridity]]) of a place.</div><br/> <div class="paragraph">It is given by (latitude factor) &times;  (temperature range)  &times;  (precipitation ratio). The latitude factor  is the cosecant of the latitude (taken as 3.0 for 0&#x000b0;&ndash;4&#x000b0;). The temperature [[range]] is the  difference  (&#x000b0;F) between the means of the hottest and coldest months.  The precipitation ratio is the difference  between the highest and lowest  annual totals (adjusted to a 50-year record) divided by the average.</div><br/> <div class="paragraph">The value of this coefficient is about 100 in the middle of the Sahara; in  the United States it  ranges from 70 at Bagdad, California, to 2 at Eureka,  California.</div><br/> </div>
</div>
 
{{TermIndex}}
{{TermFooter}}
 
[[Category:Terms_A]]

Latest revision as of 04:22, 28 March 2024

A function of precipitation and temperature designed by W. Gorczyński to represent the relative lack of effective moisture (the aridity) of a place.

It is given by (latitude factor) × (temperature range) × (precipitation ratio). The latitude factor is the cosecant of the latitude (taken as 3.0 for 0°–4°). The temperature range is the difference (°F) between the means of the hottest and coldest months. The precipitation ratio is the difference between the highest and lowest annual totals (adjusted to a 50-year record) divided by the average.
The value of this coefficient is about 100 in the middle of the Sahara; in the United States it ranges from 70 at Bagdad, California, to 2 at Eureka, California.


Copyright 2024 American Meteorological Society (AMS). For permission to reuse any portion of this work, please contact [email protected]. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S. Code § 107) or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S.Copyright Act (17 USC § 108) does not require AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, require written permission or a license from AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement.