Cause of Instability
See also: Lapse rateWhether or not the atmosphere has stability depends partially on the moisture content. In a very dry troposphere, temperature decreases with height less than 9.8C per kilometer ascent indicate stability, while greater changes indicate instability. This lapse rate is known as the dry adiabatic lapse rate. In a troposphere which is completely moist, temperature decreases with height less than 6C per kilometer ascent indicate stability, while greater changes indicate instability. In the range between 6C and 9.8C temperature decreases per kilometer ascent, the term conditionally unstable is used.
Read more about this topic: Atmospheric Instability
Famous quotes containing the word instability:
“The peace loving nations must make a concerted effort in opposition to those violations of treaties and those ignorings of humane instincts which today are creating a state of international anarchy and instability from which there is no escape through mere isolation or neutrality.... When an epidemic of physical disease starts to spread, the community approves and joins in a quarantine of the patients in order to protect the health of the community against the spread of the disease.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)