The term meteorology refers to the branch of physics that studies the phenomena that occur in the atmosphere. Meteorology refers to a great difference in processes, including the appearances of the movements of the atmosphere, where the interaction with the emission of radioactive energy and thermodynamic processes, is what describes the states of equilibrium at the microscopic level that lead to the formation of clouds and their climatological manifestations such as rain, snow and hail.
What is meteorology
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It is the science in which several disciplines are combined, for the study and understanding of the behavior of the phenomena that develop in the atmosphere, their composition and other aspects, in order to be able to forecast the weather in a timely manner, as it affects activity human.
What does meteorology study
A complete definition of meteorology cannot be had without involving two elementary concepts, such as weather and climate.
Weather refers to the behavior of the atmosphere in a given region and period of time, generally no longer than a week. For this, it is necessary to measure different factors that influence climate, such as temperature, humidity, wind, pressure and rainfall (amount of rain).
Climate, on the other hand, is the statistics on the behavior of the weather over a long period. This has made it possible to keep a record of the phenomena developed through history, during the present and to understand how the intervention of human activities has influenced the climate over the centuries, and to try to decipher the future that the planet already holds. humanity in this area.
History of meteorology
Since the beginning of time, in various geographical points around the world, observation methods were applied, such as the appearance of the sky, the intensity of the wind, the temperature, the migration of birds or the foliation of trees. Even in ancient Babylon, they were understood in the meteorological issue, because in documents dating from about 2000 years BC, details about the great universal flood were related, as well as predicting atmospheric phenomena not only observing the rain and the wind, but also the position and appearance of the stars, and even the movement of the planet.
But, in the third century AD, the philosopher and scientist Aristotle would collect more objectively in his work "Meteorological", data with more scientific approaches to meteorology, even though there was still no collective interest in knowing the why behind all these phenomena. Later on, the Romans would continue with this legacy, by compiling data of scientific interest, including the Tetrabiblos, which contained meteorological material that would serve as a tool in this area during the Middle Ages.
José de Acosta, a Spanish anthropologist and naturalist, was a forerunner of modern climatology, and thanks to him and other pioneers, meteorological science began to take a different course from Aristotle to take form of current knowledge on the subject..
From now on, multiple discoveries and incorporations of rudimentary elements that would later evolve in current instruments for the study of the atmosphere, as well as observations of other phenomena and their effects on the climate, would shape this science as we know it today. day.
Importance of meteorology
The meaning of meteorology has always had relevance for man, as it has influenced the way activities are planned.
The weather conditions are disseminated through different mass media, as this helps man to program his daily activities and of a greater nature, such as air and maritime transport, military operations, agriculture, livestock, among others..
The weather, which supports the concept of meteorology to collect data on atmospheric constant, cooperate in building a climate model for each region, so that helps predict possible future events.
For those who are interested in how to learn about meteorology, you should know the devices for the study of atmospheric conditions, whose combined data will provide forecasts about the weather. According to the atmospheric condition it measures, they can be classified into:
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| Element to Measure | Instrument | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Pluviometer | This apparatus measures the amount of precipitated water. The observation period with this instrument is 24 hours. |
| Pluviograph | It measures the amount of water that fell and the period of time that it fell. | |
| Hygrometer or Hygrograph | The first measures the amount of moisture in the air or some type of gas. The second, it measures it through time. | |
| Evaporimeter or Atmometer | This measures the potential evaporation of water in the atmosphere, taking into account a specific area and a certain time. | |
| Evaporation tank | It is used to measure effective evaporation, taking into account solar radiation, temperature, humidity and wind. | |
| Temperature | Thermometer | Measure the air temperature. These can be mercury, alcohol, liquid metal, or resistance. Maximum thermometers record the highest daily temperature peak, minimum thermometers record the lowest daily temperature, and the soil thermometer measures deep-sea and ground temperatures. |
| Thermograph | Measure temperature graphically over time. | |
| Wind | Anemometer (speed only) | This measures the speed of the wind, and there are propellers, tubes and cups or hemispheres. |
| Anemocinemograph (direction and speed) | Similar to the anemometer, with the variant that measures the speed and direction of the wind. | |
| vane | Measure the direction of the wind. This must be oriented in a North-South direction. | |
| Pressure | Barometer | Measure atmospheric pressure. There are aneroid and mercury ones. The first can be for domestic use, and the second should not be exposed to the sun, wind or any other element that affects the temperature around it, since the temperature of the mercury must be controlled. |
| Barograph | Its simile, the barograph, measures atmospheric pressure over time and its variations. | |
| Radiation | Pyranometers and pyrheliometers | It measures the solar radiation on the planet of the entire hemisphere. The second measures direct solar radiation over a given space. |
| Heliophanograph | It records the duration of the sun's rays, a phenomenon also known as insolation. | |
| Visibility | Transmisometer | It is used to measure the visual range through the speed of light transmission between two points, or if it is interrupted. |
| Clouds | Nephobasimeter | Measure the height of the cloud base. It also detects the amount of aerosols and other contaminants. |
Study meteorology
Within Mexico, there are options for the population that wants to learn what meteorology is. The most prominent options are:
- The National Autonomous University of Mexico, which offers a Bachelor's Degree in Earth Sciences with an orientation to Atmospheric Sciences.
- The University of Veracruz with a Bachelor of Atmospheric Sciences.
- The University of Guadalajara, on the other hand, offers a Master of Science in Hydrometeorology, as well as a technical career in Meteorology (degree obtained: TSU).
