dry adiabatic lapse rate


dry adiabatic lapse rate

[¦drī ‚ad·ē·ə¦bad·ik ′laps ‚rāt] (meteorology) A special process lapse rate of temperature, defined as the rate of decrease of temperature with height of a parcel of dry air lifted adiabatically through an atmosphere in hydrostatic equilibrium. Also known as adiabatic lapse rate; adiabatic rate.

dry adiabatic lapse rate

The rate of decrease of the temperature with the height of a parcel of dry air lifted adiabatically through the earth's atmosphere in hydrostatic equilibrium. This lapse rate is g/cp, where g is the acceleration of gravity and cp is the specific heat of dry air at constant pressure. It is numerically equal to 9.767°C/km, 3°C/1000 ft, or 5.4°F/1000 ft.