Re: A couple of winter questions

From: Ian Cooper <ian_hammond_cooper_at_...>
Date: Tue, 09 Dec 2003 23:06:20 -0000

Bryan wrote:
> Here on earth, temperature drops as you go to higher altitudes. I
> seem to recall there is a pretty linear progression for this, so
> many degrees per km, or whatever.

Adiabatic and Environmental Lapse Rates

http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/edu/dees/ees/climate/lectures/atm_phys5. html

Adiabatic is 9.8 degrees C per 1000m (let's just approximate and call it 1 degree C per 100 m (or 330ft) between friends). So yes it is colder at altitude. I assume this holds true in Glorantha. The Inora explanation seems a good one....

However warm air raises so in a valley the warm air often rises to be filled by colder air sliding down the mountainside, 'trapping' a pocket of cold in the valley bottom. I certainly postulated this for Wintertop vale.

> So that the sun would seem to be at the same position and height
>at noon in fire season as at noon in dark season?

No it slips from the equatorial path - mythically to do with Yelm being in the underworld (substitute your own solar myth of course) IIRC. I agree that the sun will likely seem weaker in winter - as if at higher latitudes with thicker air perhaps - as the darkness asserts itself.

> But the days do get shorter and longer by season, so
> presumably he travels faster or slower depending on season?
Well perhaps has to spend more time attending to affairs in the underworld every night...