Saturated Adiabatic Lapse Rate
Unlike the DALR which has a constant numerical value, the value of the SALR changes with pressure and temperature. For saturated air, the effects of latent heat release when water changes phase are important, the heat released goes into the environment, leading to a SALR that is much lower than the DALR. Values of the saturated adiabatic lapse rate vary from 4 K km^-1 near the ground in warm humid air masses to typical values of around 6-7 K km^-1 in the middle troposphere.
Saturated adiabats (pseudoadiabats) are the lines which show the rate of decrease in temperature with height of a parcel of air that is rising or sinking in the atmosphere under saturated adiabatic (pseudoadiabatic) conditions.
The equation for the SALR is:
For definitions and explainations of some of the terms in this, see the subsequent sections on the main thermodynamics page.