Stüve diagram

Example of a Stüve diagram.

A Stüve diagram is one of four thermodynamic diagrams commonly used in weather analysis and forecasting. Usually, temperature and dew point data from radiosondes are plotted on these diagrams to allow calculations of convective stability or Convective Available Potential Energy. Wind barbs are often plotted at the side of the diagram to indicate the winds at different heights they are used to save space with symbols to help in charts.

The Stüve diagram was developed circa 1927 by the German meteorologist Georg Stüve (1888-1935) and quickly gained widespread acceptance in the United States. It has a simplicity in that it uses straight lines for the three primary variables: pressure, temperature and potential temperature. In doing so, however, it sacrifices the equal-area requirements (from the original Clausius–Clapeyron relation) that are satisfied in two of the other diagrams frequently used (the Skew-T log-P diagram and the Tephigram). For practical purposes, this is not important. In the Stüve diagram, isotherms are straight and vertical, isobars are straight and horizontal and dry adiabats are also straight and have a 45 degree inclination to the left while moist adiabats are curved.

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