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01earth System
01earth System
2. Vertical
Structure
a. Temperature
b. Electrical properties
4
c. Function
1. Composition – of what?
≈ 100 km
≈ 12 km thunder heads
Steady State
Physical Processes:
• chemical reactions
output rate
• volcanic eruptions
input rate
Biological Processes:
• photosynthesis
• respiration
• human activity
Residence time = length of time an individual
molecule remains in the atmosphere 6
Tropical
Storm
Gustav
9
http://wwwghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/goeseastconuswv.html - 1 September, 2008
1. Composition
Carbon Dioxide
Radiative forcing = +
Input: respiration,
organic decay, volcanic
eruptions, anthropogenic
activity
Uptake: photosynthesis
Residence time =
150 yr
Methane
Radiative Forcing = +
Input: wetlands, termites,
anthropogenic activity
Uptake: soils,
Atmosphere
Residence time =
10 yr
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/iadv/
1. Composition
Ozone
Radiative Forcing = +
(nearby), − (up high)
Input: chemical
reactions involving
ultraviolet radiation
Destroyed via
chlorine-containing
compounds -
chlorofluorocarbons
http://www.epa.gov/air/oaqps/gooduphigh/
Composition and Structure of the
Atmosphere
1. Composition
a. Permanent gases
b. Variable gases
2. Vertical
Structure
a. Density
b. Temperature
c. Electrical properties
13
d. Function
2. Vertical Structure – via density
Density = mass per unit volume
density (kg / m3)
Standard Atmosphere =
models defining atmospheric variables as a function of
altitude, for a given set of mean conditions at sea
level
For example, the U.S. definition of “standard atmosphere” is described or defined in the following web sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Standard_Atmosphere 15
http://modelweb.gsfc.nasa.gov/atmos/us_standard.html
Layers in the ISAStandard Atmosphere 1976
Base Base
Base
Geopotential Geometric Lapse
Level Base Atmospheric
Layer Altitude above Altitude Rate
Name Temperature Pressure
MSL[5] above MSL[5] (in
T (in °C) p (in Pa)
h (in km) z (in km) °C/km)
19
2. Vertical Structure – via electrical properties
Ionosphere:
defined by electrical properties
reflects AM radio waves
responsible for aurora
20
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionosphere
Solar Activity Variations
2. Vertical Structure – via function
Ozonosphere:
maximum ozone
concentrations
(20-30 km)
23
Earth’s Climate System
• climate system
• electromagenetic spectrum
• Earth’s radiation budget
• albedo
• greenhouse effect
Earth’s climate system
• climate driven by “solar energy”
28
a. Atmospheric Influences on Insolation (review)
Absorption:
Reduces energy reaching Earth surface
Scattering:
Rayleigh, Mie, Nonselective
Radiation is redirected
29
C. Surface – Atmosphere Energy Transfer
Radiation Exchange:
Earth emits radiation (longwave), almost like a
blackbody
atmosphere
Radiation absorbed
by atm.
33
C. Surface – Atmosphere Energy Transfer
Radiation Exchange:
Selective absorption
Atmospheric “window”
(Radiation emitted
by Earth)
Radiation absorbed
by atm.
34
C. Surface – Atmosphere Energy Transfer
Radiation Exchange:
Net loss of radiation
35
C. Surface – Atmosphere Energy Transfer
Net Radiation = absorption of insolation
+ net longwave radiation
Net radiation
for atmosphere
= 25-54 units
= -29 units
Net radiation
for surface
= 45-16 units
36
= +29 units
C. Surface – Atmosphere Energy Transfer
Surface surplus offset by transfer of sensible (8
units) and latent (21 units) heat to atmosphere.
38
C. Surface – Atmosphere Energy Transfer
39
C. Surface – Atmosphere Energy Transfer
Latitudinal variations:
Between 38°N and S = net energy surpluses
Poleward of 38o = net energy deficits
Winter hemispheres - Net energy deficits poleward of
15o
40
C. Surface – Atmosphere Energy Transfer
Latitudinal variations:
Energy surplus at low latitudes is offset by advection (horizontal heat
movement) of heat poleward by global wind (75%) and ocean (25%)
currents
more energy in
Earth’s spin axis is inclined, so we get seasons
Energy out is controlled by albedo
Albedo --the brightness of a surface
can be quantified:
greenhouse 285 oC 31 oC 5 oC
warming
Earth’s atmosphere absorbs incoming solar radiation and warms the planet.
Surface temperature without atmosphere: -17 C (1 F), actual: 15 C!
Greenhouse gases on the rise:
Pre-industrial Now Sources
Carbon dioxide: 280 ppm 380 ppm Organic decay; Forest fires;
Volcanoes; Burning fossil fuels;
Deforestation; Land-use change
Ozone (O3)
Ozone is a pale blue, relatively unstable molecule made up of three oxygen atoms
Water Vapor
Water vapor is a naturally occurring greenhouse gas and accounts for
the largest percentage of the greenhouse effect, between 36% and
66%. Water vapor concentrations fluctuate regionally, but human
activity does not directly affect water vapor concentrations except at
local scales (for example, near irrigated fields).
Water vapor is special in the sense that the amount of water vapor
depends directly on the temperature.
This equation establishes that warmer air has the potential to hold more water
vapor per unit volume. As a simple example, the air at 30 oC can hold about 3.5
times more water vapor than air at 10 oC. Current state-of-the-art climate
models predict that increasing water vapor concentrations in warmer air will
amplify the greenhouse effect created by anthropogenic greenhouse gases.
Thus water vapor acts as a strong positive feedback to the forcing provided by
greenhouse gases such as CO2.
Vapor (g) per
Temperature
Kilogram of Dry
Degrees Celsius
Air
50 88.12
40 49.81
30 27.69
20 14.85
10 7.76
0 3.84
Positive feedbacks tend to accelerate change and
make things worse…
Global temperature
+
The greenhouse effect increases More CO2 trapped in soil reservoirs is
temperature further released
+
Greenhouse gases
Negative feedbacks tend to slow or reverse change…
Global temperature
-
Reduced rate of greenhouse gas More CO2 in the atmosphere, higher
accumulation slows global warming temperatures enhance plant growth and
CO2 uptake
-
Greenhouse gases
Global temperature
-
A1 family:
rapid economic growth and technology
development, world living standards
converge, global population peaks in
mid-century. A1FI: fossil fuel intensive,
A1T: Non-fossil fuels, B: fossil/non-fossil
balance.
A2 family:
Heterogeneous world with continued
population growth.
B1 family:
Like A1 but with rapid transformation to a
service and information economy, less
material intensive, with clean efficient
technologies.
B2 family:
Like A2 with emphasis on local solutions
to social and environmental
sustainability.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia