Stability and instability

Lapse Rates
In a standard atmosphere:
-standard environmental lapse rate = 1.98/1000′

In a non-standard atmosphere:
-We consider dry lapse rate and saturated/wet lapse rate.
-A youtube video explaining dry and saturated adiabatic lapse rates
-DALR = 3.0/1000′
-SALR = 1.5/1000′

Stable Atmosphere
-ELR is shallow or negative (inversion)
-ELR < DALR and/or ELR < SALR
-ELR less than one or both

Unstable Atmosphere
-ELR is steep
-ELR > DALR, SALR
-ELR greater than both

Conditionally/Potentially Unstable Atmosphere
-ELR is between DALR and SALR