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Earth

Rain shadow: why one side of a mountain is dry

Track moist air over a mountain: condensation removes water on ascent and dry warming lowers humidity on descent.

Rain shadow: why one side of a mountain is dry — Actual application image
Actual application image

Try this

Follow the air parcel from left to right. Compare temperature and relative humidity before and after the mountain.

The model and its limits

Pseudoadiabatic mountain crossing: condensate is removed on ascent, descent is dry adiabatic. Time is accelerated 180 times. No terrain-scale weather prediction.

Equations used in the module
Equations
q_initial = q_vapour + q_precipitated
Gamma_d = g / c_p

Related experiments

Back to catalogue
Inside planets and the Sun — Actual application image

Astronomy / Earth

Inside planets and the Sun

Probe a calculated rocky planet, or explore reference cutaways of the Sun and the four giant planets.