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Is this definition of katabatic winds correct? #7

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andypbarrett opened this issue Dec 12, 2024 · 0 comments
Open

Is this definition of katabatic winds correct? #7

andypbarrett opened this issue Dec 12, 2024 · 0 comments
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@andypbarrett
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The following definition of katabatic winds is very broad, including any air flow down a slope

term: katabatic wind
definition:
1: Any wind blowing down an incline; if the wind is warm, it is called a foehn or
chinook; if cold, it may be a fall wind (bora), or a gravity wind (mountain wind);
the opposite of anabatic wind.

https://github.com/nsidc/nsidc_cryosphere_glossary/blob/5c1d18e0d6e8d59837e84d5904fe50bd3bc2b9d5/glossary/k/katabatic_wind.yml#L1C1-L5C35

Although the etymology of katabatic is descent from the Greek katabasis, the Wikepedia entry for katabatic winds states that not all downslope winds are katabatic, and specifically states that fohn winds are not.

The AMS glossary entry defines katabatic winds as downslope winds driven by [radiative] cooling at the surface. However, they do note that some authors include fohn- and chinook-type winds. The distinction between fohn and katabatic winds is that fohn-type winds are driven by synoptic-scale flows forcing air over barriers. Katabatic winds are driven by radiative cooling.

Given that the focus of NSIDC's glossary is the cryosphere, do we stick with the more general definition or focus on katabatic winds in the sense of Antarctic and glacier, and mountain wind systems?

@andypbarrett andypbarrett added the Check Definition Request someone check a definition label Dec 16, 2024
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