Heat to work conversion during upward heat convection Part II: Internally generated entropy method

The work produced in the atmosphere is calculated from the entropy produced when work dissipates. The work is equal to the product of the entropy produced and the temperature at which the work dissipates. The atmosphere exports more entropy to external sources than it imports from external sources because it gives up heat at lower temperature than it receives heat. The net entropy export is compensated for by entropy produced internally also called internally generated entropy. sating for the net entropy export of the atmosphere requires an average work dissipation of approximately 25 W m−2. The entropy increase during weather events is calculated from soundings taken before and after the events. The internally generated entropy is the observed entropy increase minus the net entropy received from external sources. The work dissipation during a sub-tropical squall and during a period of forenoon warming are calculated to be 600 W m−2 and 15 W m−2 respectively. The method could be used to calculate work produced and dissipated under a wide range of atmospheric conditions. Routinely calculating of the entropy and enthalpy of soundings could improve the understanding of atmospheric energetics.