Potential Temperature

The potential temperature of a parcel of fluid at pressure is the temperature that the parcel would acquire if adiabatically brought to a standard reference pressure, usually 1000 millibars. The potential temperature is denoted and, for air, is often given by

where is the current absolute temperature (in K) of the parcel, is the gas constant of air, and is the specific heat capacity at a constant pressure. This equation is often known as Poisson's equation.

Read more about Potential Temperature:  Contexts, Comments, Potential Temperature Perturbations, Derivation, Related Quantities

Famous quotes containing the words potential and/or temperature:

    If the Russians have gone too far in subjecting the child and his peer group to conformity to a single set of values imposed by the adult society, perhaps we have reached the point of diminishing returns in allowing excessive autonomy and in failing to utilize the constructive potential of the peer group in developing social responsibility and consideration for others.
    Urie Bronfenbrenner (b. 1917)

    This pond never breaks up so soon as the others in this neighborhood, on account both of its greater depth and its having no stream passing through it to melt or wear away the ice.... It indicates better than any water hereabouts the absolute progress of the season, being least affected by transient changes of temperature. A severe cold of a few days’ duration in March may very much retard the opening of the former ponds, while the temperature of Walden increases almost uninterruptedly.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)