Download - EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE
EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE
Warner Bros. Movie Trailers: Twister
What gases are in our atmosphere?NitrogenOxygenArgon
Carbon DioxideNeonHeliumMethaneKryptonHydrogen
Bottom Graph is only the tiny sliver from top graph!!!!
Exosphere
Exosphere Highest layer of
atmosphere, 640 km to 10000 km
Boarder between atmosphere and outer space
Hydrogen (H) and Helium (He) are the primary molecules present
Some satellites orbit here.
Thermosphere Height from 85 km to 640 km
– Lower boundary called “Mesopause”
Name means “Heat Sphere”– Temperatures can reach over
1000 o C– Few molecules present absorb
the strong solar energy and heat up
– Even though temperature is very hot, it would feel COLD to us due to the low molecule density!
Temperature increases with height
International Space Station orbits here in Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
Auroras occur here!
IonosphereInside ThermosphereHeight from 80 km to
550 kmHelps radio and
television signals travel– Before satellites, this was
the only way to communicate over very long distances without a wire connecting two places
Full of electrically charged particles (Ions)
Mesosphere Height 50 km to 85 km
– Upper boundary called “Mesopause”
– Lower boundary called “Stratopause”
Coldest layer– Temperature drops with
height– Can be up to minus 100
degrees C Most meteors entering the
atmosphere burn up here
Stratosphere
Height from 18 km to 50 km– Upper boundary called
“Stratopause”– Lower boundary called
“Tropopause” Contains the Ozone Layer Temperature increases
with altitude– Due to absorption of solar
radiation by Ozone Layer
Troposphere
Lowest layer– Surface to 18 km– Upper boundary called
“Tropopause” Temperature decreases
with height 75% of the total mass of
the atmosphere is here! Weather happens here! All non-aquatic life lives
here!
What is the source of all heat and weather
on the Earth?
The SUN is the source of all
heat & weather on Earth.
3 Types of Energy
RADIATIONTransfer of energy through space in the form of electromagnetic waves.
CONDUCTIONTransfer of heat energy through collisions of the molecules of a substance.
CONVECTIONTransfer of heat energy
through motion of liquid or gas caused by differences in density.
Three (3) types of EnergyConduction
Convection
Radiation
• Energy from the sun radiates through space to heat the atmosphere and Earth’s surface by conduction & convection
Energy (Heat) Transfer
Energy transfer among sun, atmosphere & Earth’s surface produces weather
If more energy comes in than leaves, Earth’s temperature will increase
If more energy leaves than comes in, Earth’s temperature will decrease
Heat in the Atmosphere
Heat transfer
Earth’s surfaceabsorbs 51%
Solar energy100%
Atmosphereabsorbs 19%
30% reflected into space(albedo)
Evap
orat
ion
23%
to
atm
osph
ere
Rad
iate
15%
to a
tmos
pher
e
Con
duct
ion
& c
onve
ctio
n 7%
to a
tmos
pher
e
Rad
iate
6%
to sp
ace
Energy from the sun heats Earth’s atmosphere and surface. Heat moves through the atmosphere in three different
ways: radiation, conduction, and convection.
Energy transfer between Earth’s surface and the atmosphere creates the WEATHER
Insolation: incoming solar radiation click here for a youtube video
Human Influence on the Atmosphere
Humans can Change the atmosphere
The carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere has increased due to human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels:
coal, gasoline, and natural gas.
Human Impact on the Atmosphere
Humans can change the atmosphere
Biologic activity, including human activity, may influence global temperature and climate.
Air pollution – harmful particles caused by volcanoes, forest fires, and human activity.
Acid Rain – sulfur dioxide and nitrogen react with water vapor create an acid rain that kills fish and forests, and damages structures of marble and limestone.
Smog – nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons (auto exhaust) that, when triggered by solar radiation, create harmful ground-level ozone.
Human Impact on the Atmosphere
Human impact on the atmosphere
Ozone Depletion – a hole in the protective ozone layer created by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
UV
Ray
s
UV
Ray
s
Ozone Creation
CFC kill O3
Human Impact on the Atmosphere
Human impact on the atmosphere
Global Warming – due to increase in greenhouse gases. Rising sea levels Melting polar caps Stronger storms More storms and
droughts Relocation of crop areas
Global Warming = Climate Collapse
INSTRUMENTATION TO
MONITORTHE ATMOSPHERE
Air Temperature
Wind Speed
Humidity
Air Pressure
Wind Direction
Instrumentation
Thermometer measures
temperature
Psychrometer measures humidity
Barometer measures
air pressure
Air PressureA barometer
measures air pressure
Air pressure at sea level is 760mm
barometer
Air PressureChanges because of…
Elevation
Temperature
Humidity
ElevationAs elevation increases, the pressure
decreases since there is less air around you
Denver, CO: 835mb
Sea Level: 1013mb
Temperature
As temperature increases, pressure decreases because the molecules are
further apart
A warm air mass has low
pressure & rises
A cold air mass has high
pressure & sinks
HumidityAs humidity increases, pressure decreases because water molecules are less massive
than air.Humid air rises & has low pressure
Dry air sinks & has high pressure
Air pressure
Isobar: a line that joins points with the same air pressure;
lines closer together mean steeper pressure
gradient
Explain the relationship between air pressure and
1. Temperature2. Elevation3. Humidity
WindsAir flows from high pressure to low
pressure, forming winds
WindsAir over land cools faster & heats faster
than air over watersea breeze: when winds blow inland from
the ocean, because a warm low pressure area is over the land
land breeze: when winds blow off the land to the ocean because a warm low pressure area is over the ocean
Warm low pressure zone over the land
Air rises
Cool high pressure zone over the sea
Air sinks
Wind blows from the sea to the land, filling in the gap left by rising warm air.
Sea Breeze
Cool high pressure zone over the land
Air sinks
Warm low pressure zone over the sea
Air risesWind blows from the land to the sea,
filling in the gap left by rising warm air.
Land Breeze
Draw and Label a Sea Breeze
Include—
1. Air packets2. Areas of High and Low Pressure3. Direction of the wind on the shore
Draw and Label a Land Breeze
Include—
1. Air packets2. Areas of High and Low Pressure3. Direction of the wind on the shore
Wind
Anemometer: instrument to measure wind
speed
Factors Affecting Winds
Coriolis effect Jet stream Global Wind patterns
Coriolis Effect
Coriolis effect: the tendency of an object moving freely over Earth’s surface to curve away from its path of travel, caused by E’s rotation
Northern HemisphereCurve to the right
Southern HemisphereCurve to the left
Coriolis Effect -NorthWinds around a high pressure zone circle clockwise
Winds around a low pressure zone
circle counterclockwise
Youtube animation at 1:29 minutes
What is the direction of a High Pressure system in the Northern Hemisphere?
What is the direction of a Low Pressure system in the Northern Hemisphere?
Jet Streama band of swiftly moving wind, moving east
from west, at the top of the troposphere, unaffected by friction
Global Wind
Patterns
Global Wind Patterns Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ): low-
pressure zone near equator caused by warm, rising air
trade winds: 5-20° latitudes - warm & steady winds
sub-tropical highs: 20-35° latitudes - air usually sinks - very dry w/ little wind - deserts
polar highs: high pressure regions near the poles (sinking air) - very dry
Horse Latitudes30-35 degrees N/S
Seasonal WindsSummer Land hotter than ocean,
so blows moist air inland Summer monsoon: winds &
rainWinter Ocean hotter than land,
so blows dry air to sea Winter monsoon: winds &
no rain
Temperature maps Colored to show temperatures Often have ISOTHERMS - lines that connect
places with the same temperature
Santa Ana Winds
Monsoons ofBangladesh
(NASA)
Seasonal Monsoon Winds of
Bangladesh
-Cyanobacteria: were blue-green algae thought to be one of the earliest forms of life on Earth appearing about 3.5 billion years ago-These organisms were partially responsible for altering the Earth’s atmosphere increasing the oxygen content
Earth’s Early Atmosphere
Bibliography http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/images/eit_19970914_0121_304.gif http://erkki.kennesaw.edu/GCII1/barometer.jpg http://www.secret-agent-josephine.com/blog/steamy-shower.gif http://www.dca.state.ga.us/images/drop.jpg http://www.top-wetter.de/lexikon/a/arid.jpg http://www.interklasa.pl/portal/dokumenty/angielski/blow_wind_blow.jpg http://www.smg.gov.mo/dm/equip/ws.jpg http://comosigns.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/w12r.gif http://www.mcdot.maricopa.gov/manuals/eng_manuals/signman/images/
warn_img/W1_2Llg.gif http://www.tulane.edu/~sanelson/geol204/oceanatmos.htm http://www.accuweather.com/adc_images2/english/forecast/jet/400x300/
us__tomjet.jpg http://www.geo.arizona.edu/Antevs/ecol438/monsoon.gif http://www.metricmind.com/ac_honda/images/smog.jpg