GATE Overflow for GATE XE - Recent questions and answers in Atmospheric Science

GATE XE 2026 | Question: 144

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:24:06 +0000

Which of the following is TRUE for the 'Summer solistice' in the Northern Hemisphere?

Longest night of the year
Equal duration of daylight and night
Longest duration of daylight of the year
Shortest duration of daylight of the year

GATE XE 2026 | Question: 145

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:23:19 +0000

Which of the following options are parts of the atmospheric boundary layer?

Benthic boundary layer, Internal boundary layer
Mixed layer, Entrainment layer
Mixed layer, Internal boundary layer
Mixed layer, Benthic boundary layer

GATE XE 2026 | Question: 147

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:22:30 +0000

Which of the following weather systems has the shortest duration of lifecycle?

Tropical Cyclones
Thunderstorms
Western Disturbance
Winter Monsoon

GATE XE 2026 | Question: 160

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:16:39 +0000

The temperature of a dry air parcel is $20^{\circ} \mathrm{C}$ at a height of $150$ $\mathrm{m}$ with atmospheric pressure of $1000$ $\mathrm{hPa}$. If the air parcel rises adiabatically to a height of $2$ $\mathrm{km}$ where atmospheric pressure is $800$ $\mathrm{hPa}$, then the temperature (in ${ }^{\circ} \mathrm{C}$ ) of the air parcel at that height will be $\_\_\_\_$. (rounded off to three decimal places)

[Gas constant and specific heat capacity for the dry air are $287 \mathrm{~J} \mathrm{~kg}^{-1} \mathrm{~K}^{-1}$ and $1004 \mathrm{~J} \mathrm{~kg}^{-1} \mathrm{~K}^{-1}$, respectively.]

GATE XE 2026 | Question: 163

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:16:34 +0000

In a free atmosphere without friction, if the pressure increases by one kilo Pascal eastward across a distance of $200$ $\mathrm{km}$, the magnitude of geostrophic flow (in $m s^{-1}$ ) is $\_\_\_\_$. (rounded off to two decimal places)

[Density of air is $1.029 \mathrm{~kg} \mathrm{~m}^{-3}$ and the Coriolis parameter is $10^{-4} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$.]

GATE XE 2026 | Question: 170

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:14:35 +0000

Which of the following is/are greenhouse gas(es), as identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change $\text{(IPCC)}$?

Nitrogen dioxide ( $\mathrm{NO}_{2}$)
Nitrous oxide $\left(\mathrm{N}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)$
Sulphur hexafluoride ($\mathrm{SF}_{6}$)
Carbon monoxide $\text{(CO)}$

GATE XE 2026 | Question: 177

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:12:24 +0000

Which one of the following defines the angle made by the line joining the centers of the sun and the earth with its projection on the equatorial plane?

Declination
Latitude
Azimuth angle
Zenith angle

GATE XE 2025 | Question: 154

Sun, 04 May 2025 15:27:07 +0000

During which of the following times of the day is the $2 \: \mathrm{m}$ air temperature usually the lowest at a tropical location?

At sunrise
At noon
At sunset
At midnight

GATE XE 2025 | Question: 155

Sun, 04 May 2025 15:27:05 +0000

At which of the following locations in the atmosphere is the anvil of a towering cumulonimbus cloud usually located?

Top of the surface layer
Top of the boundary layer
Tropopause
Stratopause

GATE XE 2025 | Question: 156

Sun, 04 May 2025 15:27:03 +0000

Which one of the following is the main reason why tropical cyclones rarely form over the Bay of Bengal during the summer monsoon season?

Strong vertical wind shear.
Weak low-level relative vorticity.
Dry mid-troposphere.
Stable atmosphere.

GATE XE 2025 | Question: 157

Sun, 04 May 2025 15:27:01 +0000

Which one of the following is the main cause of the land-sea temperature contrast that drives phenomena like sea breeze and the Indian summer monsoon?

Difference in the cloud cover between the land and the sea.
Difference in the albedo between the land and the sea.
Difference in the specific heat capacities between the land and the sea.
Difference in the surface roughness between the land and the sea.

GATE XE 2025 | Question: 159

Sun, 04 May 2025 15:26:56 +0000

The time period of the inertial oscillation at a location $\textsf{R}$ is $1.5$ times that of a particle moving at a speed of $0.5 \mathrm{~m} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$ at a location $\mathrm{S}\left(87^{\circ} \mathrm{E}, 45^{\circ} \mathrm{S}\right)$. Which of the following is the latitude of location $\textsf{R}$? (Round off to the nearest integer)

$45 \: ^{\circ} \mathrm{N}$
$67 \: ^{\circ} \mathrm{S}$
$28 \: ^{\circ} \mathrm{N}$
$50 \: ^{\circ} \mathrm{S}$

GATE XE 2025 | Question: 162

Sun, 04 May 2025 15:26:51 +0000

Acceleration due to Coriolis force of a water parcel at a location $\mathrm{P}\left(67^{\circ} \mathrm{E}, 20^{\circ} \mathrm{N}\right)$ moving with a speed of $0.35 \mathrm{~m} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$ is $\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$ $\times 10^{-5} \mathrm{~m} \mathrm{~s}^{-2}$. (Round off to two decimal places)

[Assume the angular velocity of the Earth is $7.3 \times 10^{-5} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$].

GATE XE 2025 | Question: 163

Sun, 04 May 2025 15:26:50 +0000

A rotating weather system has a tangential velocity of $100 \mathrm{~m} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$, diameter of $1 \: \mathrm{ km}$ , and located at a latitude where the Coriolis parameter is $10^{-4} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$. Which one of the following statements is true about this weather system?

It is in geostrophic balance.
It is in gradient wind balance.
It is a high-pressure system.
It is in cyclostrophic balance.

GATE XE 2025 | Question: 169

Sun, 04 May 2025 15:26:34 +0000

In the figures given below, $\mathbf{L}$ and $\mathbf{H}$ indicate low and high pressure centers, respectively; $\mathbf{PGF}$, $\mathbf{CoF}$ and $\mathbf{CeF}$ indicate Pressure Gradient Force, Coriolis Force and Centrifugal Force, respectively; $\mathbf{V}$ is Velocity.

[The arrows indicate only the directions but not the magnitudes of the forces and velocity.]

Which of the following is/are the correct representation(s) of the directions of various forces and velocity in the gradient wind balance in the northern hemisphere?

$textsf{(i)}$
$\textsf{(ii)}$
$\textsf{(iii)}$
$\textsf{(iv)}$

GATE XE 2025 | Question: 174

Sun, 04 May 2025 15:26:27 +0000

A column of air mass extending from surface to a height of $10 \:\mathrm{km}$ moving eastward along $30^{\circ} \: \mathrm{N}$ strikes a north-south oriented mountain range. While crossing the mountain range, the air mass acquires a relative vorticity of $-3.65 \times 10^{-5} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$ at the top. If the air mass maintains the same latitude and conserves potential vorticity, the height of the mountain range is $\_\_\_\_\_\_\_$ km . (Round off to the nearest integer.)

[Assume the angular velocity of the Earth is $7.3 \times 10^{-5} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$ and initial relative vorticity is zero.]

GATE XE 2024 | Question: 145

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:40:48 +0000

Which one of the following feature is NOT necessary for the formation of Indian summer monsoon?

Land-sea temperature contrast
El Niño
Seasonal reversal of winds
Meridional pressure gradient

GATE XE 2024 | Question: 146

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:40:47 +0000

The work done by Coriolis force is

directly proportional to velocity
a function of latitude
zero
always positive except at the equator

GATE XE 2024 | Question: 149

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:40:45 +0000

A value of outgoing long-wave radiation $\text{(OLR)}$ $<200 \mathrm{~W} \mathrm{~m}^{-2}$ over the tropical oceans indicates ___________

high pressure region
deep convection
high sea surface temperature
clear sky condition

GATE XE 2024 | Question: 150

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:40:45 +0000

Which of the following is a correct statement?

Tropics receive more incoming short-wave radiation than the outgoing long-wave radiation.
Polar regions do not emit any long-wave radiation.
Both tropics and polar regions receive and emit equal amounts of radiation.
Polar regions receive more short-wave radiation than tropics.

GATE XE 2024 | Question: 156

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:40:41 +0000

Billow clouds indicate:

turbulence in the atmosphere
vertical shear of the wind
heavy precipitation
uniform winds

GATE XE 2024 | Question: 157

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:40:41 +0000

Consider an atmospheric flow at $45^{\circ} \mathrm{N}$, which is parallel to latitude and isobars. Which of the following is/are true when there is no friction?

Flow is in gradient wind balance.
Acceleration of the flow is close to zero.
The above description depicts an extratropical cyclone.
A balance between Coriolis force and pressure gradient force.

GATE XE 2024 | Question: 158

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:40:40 +0000

The given figure shows a schematic of dry, moist, and environmental lapse rates. Which of the following is/are correct statements?

The lapse rate of environment below $5$ km is $-15^{\circ} \mathrm{C} \mathrm{km}^{-1}$
The atmosphere is unstable above $5$ km
The chances of a deep convective cloud growth above $5$ km are less
The atmosphere is conditionally unstable below $5$ km

GATE XE 2024 | Question: 159

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:40:39 +0000

Balance of forces and different types of flows/weather phenomena in the northern hemisphere are given. Match the following:

Balance of forces	Flow type/weather phenomena
P. Balance between pressure gradient force, centrifugal force and Coriolis force in anticlockwise rotation	X. Geostrophic flow
Q. Balance between pressure gradient force and centrifugal force clockwise anticlockwise rotation	Y. Cyclones
R. Balance between pressure gradient force and Coriolis force in uniform flow	Z. Tornado

$\mathrm{P}-\mathrm{Z} ; \mathrm{Q}-\mathrm{X} ; \mathrm{R}-\mathrm{Y}$
$\mathrm{P}-\mathrm{X} ; \mathrm{Q}-\mathrm{Y} ; \mathrm{R}-\mathrm{Z}$
$\mathrm{P}-\mathrm{Y} ; \mathrm{Q}-\mathrm{Z} ; \mathrm{R}-\mathrm{X}$
$\mathrm{P}-\mathrm{Y} ; \mathrm{Q}-\mathrm{X} ; \mathrm{R}-\mathrm{Z}$

GATE XE 2024 | Question: 161

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:40:37 +0000

Net solar radiation of $1360 \mathrm{~W} \mathrm{~m}^{-2}$ is incident on the surface of a still lake having mixed layer depth of $20$ m. Find the change in temperature $\text{(in SI units)}$ of the mixed layer of the lake for a day length of $8$ hours. $\text{(Rounded off to 2 decimal places)}$
Assume that there is no variation in solar radiation in a day and all radiation incident on the surface is absorbed uniformly throughout the mixed layer $\text{(Density of lake water is $1025 \mathrm{~kg} \mathrm{~m}^{-3}$ and Specific heat capacity $\left(C_{p}\right)$ of lake water is $3850$ $\mathrm{J} \mathrm{kg}^{-1} \mathrm{~K}^{-1}$ )}$.

GATE XE 2024 | Question: 165

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 16:40:34 +0000

A stationary air parcel centered on the equator is moved north-ward by conserving absolute vorticity. In the new location it has gained a relative vorticity of $-10^{-4} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$. The latitude of its new location is ____________ ${ }^{\circ} \mathrm{N}$. $\text{(Assume the angular velocity of earth is}$ $10^{-4} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$ ). $\text{(Answer in integer)}$

GATE XE 2023 | Question: 147

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:08:02 +0000

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
\hline Q. 157 & \begin{tabular}{l}
The variation in geostrophic winds with height, in particular, at the atmospheric \\
boundary layer, considering the variation in pressure gradient as a function of \\
height, is referred to as
\end{tabular} \\
\hline

& Isallobaric winds \\
\hline
& Gradient winds \\
\hline
& Thermal winds \\
\hline
& Cyclostrophic winds \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

GATE XE 2023 | Question: 151

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:07:58 +0000

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
\hline Q. 161 & Which among the following gases has the highest global warming potential? \\
\hline

& $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ \\
\hline
& Water vapor \\
\hline
& Methane \\
\hline
& $\mathrm{N}_{2} \mathrm{O}$ \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

GATE XE 2023 | Question: 152

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:07:57 +0000

\begin{tabular}{l|l}
Q.162 & \begin{tabular}{l}
What will happen to the speed of a balanced flow as one moves across the isobar \\
along a particular latitude?
\end{tabular} \\

& \begin{tabular}{l}
The speed changes for a geostrophic flow and remains constant for a cyclostrophic \\
flow
\end{tabular} \\
& \begin{tabular}{l}
The speed remains constant for a geostrophic flow and changes for a cyclostrophic \\
flow
\end{tabular} \\
& The speed remains constant for both (geostrophic and cyclostrophic) types of flow \\
& The speed changes for both (geostrophic and cyclostrophic) types of flow
\end{tabular}

GATE XE 2023 | Question: 155

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:07:53 +0000

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|}
\hline \multirow[t]{6}{*}{ Q. 165} & \multicolumn{2}{|c|}{\begin{tabular}{l}
Match the following physical phenomena from the perspective of monsoonal \\
circulation:
\end{tabular}} \\
\hline & Column-1 & Column-2 \\
\hline & \begin{tabular}{l}
a) Reversal of East-West temperature \\
gradient with seasons
\end{tabular} & i) Over the tropics \\
\hline & \begin{tabular}{l}
b) Reversal of North-South \\
temperature gradient with seasons
\end{tabular} & ii) Indian Ocean \\
\hline & \begin{tabular}{l}
c) Surface cooling and deepening of \\
mixed layer
\end{tabular} & iii) Over mid-latitudes \\
\hline & \begin{tabular}{l}
d) Northward movement of south \\
equatorial current
\end{tabular} & iv) Arabian Sea \\
\hline

& a-i, b-iii, c-ii, d-iv & \\
\hline
& a-iii, b-i, c-iv, d-ii & \\
\hline
& a-iii, b-ii, c-iv, d-i & \\
\hline
& a-ii, b-i, c-ii, d-iv & \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

GATE XE 2023 | Question: 157

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:07:50 +0000

\begin{tabular}{|l|l|}
\hline Q.167 & Which of the following is/are associated with winter rainfall over India? \\
\hline

& Northeast monsoon \\
\hline
& Southwest monsoon \\
\hline
& Western disturbances \\
\hline
& Agulhas Current
\end{tabular}

GATE XE 2023 | Question: 158

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:07:50 +0000

\begin{tabular}{l|l}
Q. 168 & If the global albedo is increased from 0.3 to 0.4 , the global radiative equilibrium \\
temperature (in $\mathrm{K}$ ) would decrease by \\
(consider no greenhouse effect, solar constant $=1360 \mathrm{~W} \mathrm{~m}{ }^{-2}$ and Stefan- \\
Boltzmann constant $=5.67 \times 10^{-8} \mathrm{~W} \mathrm{~m}^{-2} \mathrm{~K}^{-4}$, rounded off to one decimal place).
\end{tabular}

GATE XE 2023 | Question: 159

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:07:49 +0000

Q. 169 When a parcel of dry air rises at a rate of $2 \mathrm{~cm} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$ vertically, what should be the rate of heating per unit mass in $\mathrm{J} \mathrm{s}^{-1} \mathrm{~kg}^{-1}$ (due to the radiation, conduction, etc.) in order to maintain the air parcel at a constant temperature?
(consider the acceleration due to gravity as $9.8 \mathrm{~m} \mathrm{~s}^{-2}$, rounded off to three decimal places).

GATE XE 2023 | Question: 161

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:07:48 +0000

Q. 171 A parcel of dry air having an initial temperature of $30^{\circ} \mathrm{C}$ at $1000 \mathrm{hPa}$ level is lifted adiabatically. At what pressure (in $\mathrm{hPa}$ ) its density reduces by half?
(consider the ratio of the specific heat of dry air at a constant pressure to the specific heat of dry air at a constant volume, $\mathrm{C}_{\mathrm{p}} / \mathrm{C}_{\mathrm{v}}=0.71$, rounded off to two decimal places).

GATE XE 2023 | Question: 164

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:07:45 +0000

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
\hline Q. 174 & \begin{tabular}{l}
Consider the two parallel isobars separated by a spacing of $250 \mathrm{~km}$ at $30^{\circ} \mathrm{N}$ \\
(air density $=0.70 \mathrm{~kg} \mathrm{~m}^{-3}, 2 \Omega=14.6 \times 10^{-5} \mathrm{rad} \mathrm{s}^{-1}$ ) with a pressure gradient of 5 \\
$\mathrm{hPa}$. Calculate the geostrophic velocity in $\mathrm{m} \mathrm{s}^{-1}$ (rounded off to two decimal \\
places).
\end{tabular} \\
\hline
\end{tabular}