earth’s real-life atmosphere - weber state...
TRANSCRIPT
EARTH’S REAL-LIFE ATMOSPHERE
1. Introduction: a thin envelope of gases
2. What’s in it?
3. Atmospheric density, pressure and structure
4. Moving heat around the world
Earth’s atmosphere: a thin envelope of gases.
Source: Weber State University HARBOR balloon flight, August 2009.
Present-day composition of Earth’s atmosphere. Source: Mann and Kump, 2009, p. 12.
Atmospheric concentration of CFC-11. Source: IPCC, 1996.
Antarctic ozone hole as measured by NASA TOMS instrument, September 11 2003.
Source: Christopherson, 2009, p. 71.
Smog in the Wasatch Front/Salt Lake City area.
Source: Salt Lake Tribune, 2002.
Pollution’s effects on clouds: more reflective, less rainy.
Source: Houghton, 2009, p. 61.
Source: Christopherson, 2009, p. 64.
Height in miles
Height in kilometres
Atmospheric pressure in millibars
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Look what happens when a balloon rises to nearly 100,000
feet (~19 miles, ~30 km). http://vimeo.com/6045546
Height in miles
Height in kilometres
Temperature
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
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Layers in the atmosphere. Source: Mann and Kump, 2009, pp. 12 and 38.
Rising air flattens out when it hits the tropopause: an anvil cloud (cumulonimbus incus).
Source: NASA Earth Science Picture of the Day, http://epod.usra.edu
Warming the surface causes the altitude of the skin temperature to increase.
Radiation escapes to space from about 6 km.
Source: Houghton, 2009, p. 24; see Archer p. 45.
PROCESSES OF ENERGY TRANSFER: HOW DOES IT GET FROM (A) TO (B)?
1. Convection: vertical mixing currents
2. Conduction: two surfaces touching
3. Advection: warm or cold air moves horizontally
4. Radiation: via electromagnetic waves, making no use of intervening medium
Effects of latitude on temperature. Source: Mann and Kump, 2009, p. 10.
Insolation received at Earth’s surface. Source: Christopherson, 2009, p. 91.
Effects of latitude on temperature. Source: Mann and Kump, 2009, p. 10.
Energy budget by latitude.
Source: Christopherson, 2009, p. 100.
3-D visualization of the oceans. Source: Mann and Kump, 2009, p. 60.
General circulation of the atmosphere. Source: Ruddiman, 2001, p. 33.
The general circulation of the atmosphere. Source: Christopherson, 2009, p. 155; see also Mann and Kump, 2009, p. 13.
Physical states and phase changes of water. Source: Christopherson, 2009, p. 181.
Clouds over southern Utah. Notice the level of the cloud bases.
Moist convection: rising air forms clouds, releasing latent heat,
warming the upper atmosphere.
Source: Archer, 2012, p. 54.
El Niño and La Niña.
Normal and La Niña conditions.
Source: Christopherson, 2003, p. 279; see also Archer, 2012, p. 54.
WARM
COLD
El Niño conditions. Walker circulation reverses
Source: Christopherson, 2003, p. 279; see also Archer, 2012, p. 54.
WARM
COLD
El Niño and La Niña: ocean-atmosphere coupling in the tropical Pacific. Source: Mann and Kump, 2009, p. 90.
El Niño and La Niña: ocean-atmosphere coupling in the tropical Pacific. Source: Mann and Kump, 2009, p. 90.
You can SEE the effects of El Niño and La Niña on sea surface temperatures……. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTig9gKegQk&feature=player_embedded
El Niño years = warmer La Niña years = cooler.
…as shown in this data graphic from SkepticalScience.com http://skepticalscience.com/graphics/ENSO_Temps_1024.gif