Los Angeles Basin Temperature Inversion Quiz
Smog trapping and coastal inversions (10 questions).
Los Angeles Basin Temperature Inversion Quiz: Quick Study Notes
The Los Angeles Basin is famously prone to temperature inversions, a meteorological phenomenon where a layer of warm air traps cooler air (and pollutants) beneath it. This unique atmospheric condition, combined with the region’s geography and coastal influences, has historically made the LA Basin a hotspot for severe smog, impacting air quality and public health.
Key Concepts
Key Takeaways
- Temperature inversions are critical for understanding LA’s air quality challenges.
- The Pacific High-pressure system causes subsidence inversions over Southern California.
- Coastal proximity creates a cool, moist marine layer often trapped beneath the inversion.
- Surrounding mountains exacerbate the problem by acting as physical barriers, limiting horizontal dispersion.
- Inversions trap primary pollutants (Volatile Organic Compounds, Nitrogen Oxides) which then react in sunlight to form photochemical smog.
- Breaking an inversion requires strong atmospheric mixing, often from weather fronts or significant wind events.
- Historical severe smog issues in Los Angeles are directly linked to persistent temperature inversion layers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a temperature inversion?
A meteorological phenomenon where atmospheric temperature increases with altitude, instead of decreasing. This creates a stable layer that resists vertical air movement.
Why are temperature inversions common in the Los Angeles Basin?
The LA Basin’s geography (surrounded by mountains) and meteorology (influenced by the stable Pacific High-pressure system causing subsidence, and cool marine air from the ocean) combine to create frequent and strong inversions.
How do temperature inversions contribute to smog in Los Angeles?
The warm air layer of the inversion acts like a lid, trapping cooler air and all the pollutants emitted from vehicles and industry beneath it. This concentration of pollutants near the ground leads to the formation of smog.
What is the “marine layer” in the context of LA inversions?
The marine layer is a cool, moist, relatively shallow layer of air that originates over the Pacific Ocean. It often gets trapped below the warmer air of a subsidence inversion, intensifying the pollutant trapping effect.
What breaks a temperature inversion in the LA Basin?
Inversions are typically broken or weakened by weather events that cause strong vertical mixing, such as the passage of a cold front, strong winds and atmospheric turbulence, or significant heating of the ground.
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