Lapse rate, dry adiabats, moist adiabats

[TheMathNoob]

Homework Statement

With the drying out of Central California with global warming, the lapse rate may change from a moist adiabatic lapse rate to a dry lapse rate. Does this mean the lapse rate would decrease or increase?

Homework Equations

https://www.google.com/search?q=moi...ozE39a0yAIVTJUNCh01TA_T#imgrc=TVgSQ4ZODxnXTM:

The Attempt at a Solution

I can see what the difference of the slopes are. I would say that moist adiabat has a higher lapse rate than the dry diabat. Therefore if we go from Moist adiabat to Dry adiabat then the lapse rate would decrease.

 

[haruspex]

Is lapse rate quoted as $\Delta \theta / \Delta h$ or the other way around? Which is Y and which is X on the graph you are looking at?

 

[TheMathNoob]

Is lapse rate quoted as $\Delta \theta / \Delta h$ or the other way around? Which is Y and which is X on the graph you are looking at?

Sorry, do not pay attention to that picture, the lapse rate is change of altitude over the change of temperature.

 

[haruspex]

Sorry, do not pay attention to that picture, the lapse rate is change of altitude over the change of temperature.

Not according to https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapse_rate#Mathematical_definition.

 

[TheMathNoob]

Not according to https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapse_rate#Mathematical_definition.

Right! thank you, so it would increase, In the dry adiabat if we go down for example 5 kilometers then t will raise to x and in the moist adiabat if we go down to 5 then t will just raise to a value that is smaller than x.

 

[haruspex]

Right! thank you, so it would increase, In the dry adiabat if we go down for example 5 kilometers then t will raise to x and in the moist adiabat if we go down to 5 then t will just raise to a value that is smaller than x.

Yes.