Moist Absolute Instability: The Sixth Static Stability State

where γ is the observed environmental lapse rate, and Γ s and Γ d are the moistand dry-adiabatic lapse rates, respectively. Of particular interest here is state 5, dry absolutely unstable. Typically, this state exists in a shallow surface-based layer (usually < 100 mb deep) and results from an imbalance between the rate at which air adjacent to the ground is heated by conduction and the rate at which dry convective eddies (restricted to dry-adiabatic overturning) can transport the heated air upward (Hodge 1956; Slonaker et al. 1996). It is most often observed on clear dry days when surface heating by incoming shortwave radiation is intense. Under these conditions, dry convective eddies Moist Absolute Instability: The Sixth Static Stability State