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The Atmosphere

This overview explores the essential components of Earth's atmosphere, including weather and climate variations, atmospheric composition, and energy transfer. It delves into the structure of the atmosphere, the impact of solar radiation, and the factors that influence air temperature. The document also discusses key concepts such as albedo, greenhouse gases, and climate proxies. By examining these aspects, we gain insights into atmospheric heating and the intricate relationships between Earth and the Sun that drive weather patterns and climate changes.

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The Atmosphere

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  1. The Atmosphere

  2. The Atmosphere • Weather and Climate • Atmospheric Composition • Atmospheric Structure • Energy, Heat, & Temperature • Review of Earth-Sun Relationships • Incoming Solar Radiation • Atmospheric Heating • What Controls Air Temperature? • World Temperature Distribution

  3. Terms • Weather • Short-term conditions; change often • Climate • Long-term composite of weather conditions; changes more slowly • Albedo • How reflective a surface is; higher albedo=more reflective

  4. Terms • Ozone • O3 molecules; shield Earth from UV rays • Climate proxy • Way of measuring climate conditions before records were kept • Ice cores, deep ocean sediments, others

  5. Weather and Climate PSCI 131: The Atmosphere

  6. Weather and Climate PSCI 131: The Atmosphere • Weather: short-term condition; local • Climate: long-term conditions; regional or global

  7. Weather and Climate PSCI 131: The Atmosphere Weather data Climate data

  8. Atmospheric Composition PSCI 131: The Atmosphere

  9. Major Components PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Composition • Don’t vary significantly

  10. Variable Components PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Composition • Vary by location and over time • Three important ones: • Water vapor • Aerosols • Ozone

  11. Variable Components: Water vapor PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Composition • Clouds, precipitation • Greenhouse gas (traps heat) • State changes absorb or release energy

  12. Variable Components: Aerosols PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Composition • Suspended solid or liquid particles • Dust, pollen, liquid water, bacteria, etc. • Refract light, give sky its color

  13. Variable Components: Ozone PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Composition • O3 molecules • Absorbs UV radiation • Concentrated in “ozone layer”

  14. Atmospheric Structure PSCI 131: The Atmosphere

  15. Pressure PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Structure • Weight of air over a given location • Decreases with increasing altitude • 50% of atmosphere’s mass concentrated in lowest 4 miles (out of 90+ miles)

  16. Pressure PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Structure

  17. World-record parachutists PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Structure • Kittinger • 1960 • 19 miles • 614 mph max speed • Baumgartner • 2012 • 24 miles • 843 mph max speed

  18. Temperature-based Structure PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Structure • Four temperature-based layers • Troposphere (lowest) • Stratosphere • Mesosphere • Thermosphere (highest)

  19. Temperature-based Structure PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Structure

  20. Energy, Heat, & Temperature PSCI 131: The Atmosphere

  21. Heat Energy PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Energy, Heat, Temperature • Drives atmospheric activity • Creates “weather” • Moves from hotter to cooler

  22. Heat Transfer PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Energy, Heat, Temperature

  23. Earth-Sun Relations (review) PSCI 131: The Atmosphere

  24. PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Earth-Sun Relations

  25. PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Earth-Sun Relations

  26. Incoming Solar Radiation PSCI 131: The Atmosphere

  27. Incoming Solar Radiation PSCI 131: The Atmosphere • Atmosphere can do three things to solar energy: • Reflection • Albedo: % of incoming energy that is reflected • Scattering • Absorption • All three keep energy from reaching surface

  28. PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Incoming Solar Radiation 100 % Incoming Absorbed: 50% land/sea, 20% atmosphere Reflected: 5% land/sea, 20% clouds Scattered: 5% atmosphere

  29. Atmospheric Heating PSCI 131: The Atmosphere

  30. PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Atmospheric Heating The Greenhouse Effect 1) Short-wavelength (light) energy absorbed by surface. 2) Energy re-radiated at longer wavelengths (heat) by surface. 3) Greenhouse gases absorb heat, re-radiate it again.

  31. What Controls Air Temperature? PSCI 131: The Atmosphere

  32. Sun Angle PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Controls on Air Temperature • Sun angle controlled by • Latitude • Season

  33. Other Controls on Air Temp PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Controls on Air Temperature • Geographic location • Proximity to large bodies of water • Leeward vs windward side of continent

  34. Other Controls on Air Temp PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Controls on Air Temperature • Geographic location • Proximity to large bodies of water

  35. Other Controls on Air Temp PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Controls on Air Temperature • Geographic location • Leeward vs windward

  36. Other Controls on Air Temp PSCI 131: The Atmosphere: Controls on Air Temperature • Altitude • Higher = cooler average temps • Cloudiness • Ocean currents • Move heat from tropics to colder areas

  37. End of Chapter

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