Horizontal Motions, Atmospheric Transport, and Dispersion

The horizontal motion of the atmosphere (or wind) is characterized by four spatial scales. These, with their conventional names, are  

0 to 10 km - the micrometeorologk scale, in which turbulent dispersion of materials is dominant. 

10 to hundreds of km - the mesometeorologic scale, in which both advection and turbulent dispersion are effective. 

Hundreds to thousands of km - the synoptic scale, in which motions are those of whole weather systems. Advection is the dominant transport process. 

Going along with these spatial scales, we can define temporal scales as well. Micrometeoro-logic processes tend to be important for times less than an hour, mesoscale processes, up to about a day, and synoptic scale, a few days or more. 

Going along with these spatial scales, we can define temporal scales as well. Micrometeorological processes tend to be important for times less than 

mesoscale processes up to about 1 day, and synoptic processes a few days or more. 

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