atmqty: Summary of Procedural Functions

These functions are found in modules of the same name. Thus, the theta function is in the module theta in this package.

All positional inputs, unless otherwise stated in the "Description" column, are Numeric arrays of any shape and size, or a dictionary of Numeric arrays of any shape and size. Keyword inputs are shown with their default value. Output units are given in the "Description" column.

Some argument abbreviations in this table:

  • esat: Saturation vapor pressure over water [hPa]
  • N2: Static stability [1/s2]
  • p: Pressure [hPa]
  • q: Specific humidity [kg/kg]
  • qty: Dictionary of Numeric arrays of atmospheric quantities
  • r: Mixing ratio [kg/kg]
  • RH: Relative humidity [unitless fraction]
  • T: Temperature [K]
  • theta: Potential temperature [K]
  • Tv: Virtual temperature [K]
  • u: Zonal velocity [m/s]
  • v: Meridional velocity [m/s]
  • z: Altitude [m]

For the meaning of qty dictionary keys, see the pydoc documentation for that function. Links in the "Function" column take you to that documentation.

Function Arguments Description
eice T, missing=1e+20 Calculate saturation vapor pressure over ice [hPa].
esat T, missing=1e+20 Calculate saturation vapor pressure over water [hPa].
mix_ratio qty, missing=1e+20 Calculate mixing ratio [kg/kg]. qty keys that can be used by function include: 'e', 'p', and 'q'.
press qty, p0=None, missing=1e+20 Calculate pressure [hPa] (given temperature and potential temperature). qty keys that can be used by function include: 'T' and 'theta'. Keyword parameter p0 is the reference pressure [hPa].
press2alt P (or z), P0=None, T0=None, missing=1e+20 Calculate altitude from pressure (or vice versa). Keyword parameters P0 and T0 are surface pressure [hPa] and temperature [K], respectively.
rho p, Tv, missing=1e+20 Calculate air density [kg/m3], including moisture effects.
static_stability T, z, missing=1e+20 Calculate static stability [1/s2], a.k.a. square of the buoyancy frequency. T and z are each 1-D Numeric vectors.
theta p, T, p0=1000.0, missing=1e+20 Calculate potential temperature [K]. Keyword parameter p0 is the reference pressure [hPa].
vapor_press qty, missing=1e+20 Calculate vapor pressure [hPa]. qty keys that can be used by function include: 'esat', 'p', 'q', 'r', and 'RH'.
virt_temp r, T, missing=1e+20 Calculate virtual temperature [K].

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Updated: April 30, 2004 by Johnny Lin <email address>. License.