Physical Geography Lecture 04.5 - Earth's Atmosphere 101016
Transcript of Physical Geography Lecture 04.5 - Earth's Atmosphere 101016
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Physical GeographyLecture 4.5
EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE
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Ready for a quick review?
1. What’s the difference between shortwave and longwave electromagnetic radiation? Which of these does Earth predominantly radiate?
2. What are the two important principles of EMR emissions?
3. What is the solar constant? Why do we care?
4. The amount of insolation received by an area on Earth’s surface depends on what?
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5.How are the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn related to Earth’s axial tilt?
6.How are the Arctic and Antarctic Circles related to Earth’s axial tilt?
7.What are aphelion and perihelion? On about what date do they occur?
8.True or false? Earth’s axial tilt shifts over time. By 2015, it will be 25°.
9.What causes Earth’s seasons?
10. What is the subsolar point? How is it related to the solstices and equinoxes?
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How is insolation “processed” by Earth’s atmosphere?
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First, we need to ask:What is the make-up of Earth’s
atmosphere?
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Air is...where?
Air has weight, it has mass
Air is attracted by Earth’s gravity
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Composition of the Atmosphere
The atmosphere is composed of two types of gases:
1. Those which generally do not change their concentrations from place to place
2. Those which do
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Proportional Volume of Atmospheric Gases
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Particulates in the Atmosphere
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The Importance of Particulates
Absorb and reflect sunlight This reduces the amount of sunlight that
reaches Earth’s surface Scatter sunlight
Mostly in the blue range of the spectrum, giving the sky its blue color
At sunrise and sunset, most of the blue has been scattered in the upper atmosphere, leaving red and yellow
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The Importance of Particulates
They also act as condensation nuclei...
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Condensation Nuclei Condensation nuclei are
necessary elements for the formation of cloud droplets
Without them, conditions may be perfect for the formation of clouds or fog, yet condensation does not occur
Excess condensation nucleii also may cause condensation before the saturation point has been reached
Some particles are hygroscopic—they attract and absorb water (salt)
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Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere
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Thermal Structure of the Atmosphere Troposphere
Temp. decreases with increasing altitude (surface warmed by the sun is its heat source)
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Conduction Conduction is the
passing of heat from molecule to molecule by touch
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Conduction Temperature is an
expression of molecular motion
As one molecule bangs into another, it makes the next one vibrate, as well—thus passing on its molecular motion and increasing the temperature of the molecule it just “sped up”
Thus the heat passes up the metal bar until it reaches the hand holding it…
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Conduction in the Troposphere
The sun’s radiation is absorbed at Earth’s surface and reradiated upward as heat
But air is a poor conductor of heat (the molecules are too far apart and move around too much)
So heat is not transferred upward very far
This is why the Troposphere is warmest at the surface and gets colder as you rise upward
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ELR The rate at which air temperature
drops as you rise through the Troposphere can be roughly estimated:
6.5ºC/1000 m or 3.5ºF/1000 ft
This rate is called the Environmental Temperature Lapse Rate, or ELR
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Thermal Structure of the Atmosphere Troposphere
Temp. decreases with increasing altitude (surface warmed by the sun is its heat source)
Stratosphere Temp. increases as ozone
absorbs UV light
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A Little Bit About the Importance of Ozone…
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The Ozone Hole
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Thermal Structure of the Atmosphere Troposphere
Temp. decreases with increasing altitude (surface warmed by the sun is its heat source)
Stratosphere Temp. increases as ozone
absorbs UV light Mesosphere
Temp. decreases (no heat source)
Thermosphere Temp. increases as
stratified layers of gases absorb high-intensity ultraviolet radiation and are split apart
Exosphere Merging into space So few molecules of gas in
this layer that “temperature” really doesn’t apply
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Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere Ionosphere—begins in the
Mesosphere blocks extremely harmful
short wave radiation (UV-B and UV-C), some cosmic rays, and high energy particles from the sun
reflects radio waves back to the surface, aiding long-distance communications
source of the arorae (borealis and australis), a.k.a. the Northern and Southern Lights
Homosphere Mixed gases in roughly equal
concentrations Heterosphere
Gases so far from Earth’s surface that the effect of gravity is minimized—gases are stratified (layered) by molecular weight
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A little more review:1.Why are most of Earth’s atmospheric
gases found near the surface?2.Name 3 important variable-amount gases
found in Earth’s atmosphere. Why is each one important?
3.Why are atmospheric particulates important?
4.What would happen if there were no condensation nuclei in the atmosphere? What happens when there is an abundance of nuclei?
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5.What is ozone? In which thermal layer of the atmosphere is it found? How does it affect temperatures within that layer?
6.What generally happens to the surrounding air temperature as you rise through the troposphere?
7.What happens in the -pauses?
8.What is conduction? Is air a good conductor of heat?
9.What is the ELR? What is the rate of change of the ELR? To which thermallayer of the atmosphere does it apply?
10.What is the homosphere? What is the heterosphere? What does the ionosphere do?
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Practice drawing the vertical structure of the atmosphere diagram in a notebookWatch a Khan Academy video (see the post on Oct. 5 for links, about mid-way down the post)
Finish reading Chapter 3. Take notes. Write questions in the margins.
Review the class slidesStudy the chapter review questions
To Work On: