The Atmosphere

University of PNG - Earth Sciences

World climate has changed in the past - sometimes cooler,
sometimes warmer - and will change in the future.

It may change very rapidly in the near future because of the

rapid build up of gases (‘greenhouse’ gases) in the Earth’s
atmosphere.

The main source of the greenhouse gases is the burning of

fossil fuels. Logging of rain-forest adds to the problem,
because rain-forest uses up carbon dioxide - the main
greenhouse gas.
REDUCING to OXIDIZING conditions over
geologic time.
Experts disagree on the effect of the
greenhouse gases, because we do not
know all the factors that control climate.

This is a very hot topic of research today.

We have learned that climate (the

behaviour of the atmosphere) is closely
linked to the oceans.
Thus to understand climate and climate
change we need first to understand the
structure and behaviour of the atmosphere
and the oceans.
Know structures and behaviour of
Atomospher and Ocean
Composition of the atmosphere
- mostly nitrogen

• Water vapour
• Argon
• Carbon dioxide
Layering in the atmosphere
The atmosphere is layered, with denser
layers at the base and less dense layers at
the top.
km TEMPERATURE

Ionosphere
80 Layers
Mesosphere
of the
atmosphere
50

Stratosphere

- 60C
10
Troposphere 30C
The layers of the atmosphere are
temperature-controlled.

km TEMPERATURE

Ionosphere
80
Mesosphere
50

Stratosphere

- 60C
10
Troposphere 30C
The ozone layer, at about 30 km above
Earth surface, filters out UV radiation
from the sun.
km TEMPERATURE

Ionosphere
80
Mesosphere
UV
50
OZONE LAYER
Stratosphere

- 60C
10
Troposphere 30C
 Character of each layer

• Ionosphere (>110 km) - temp increases with height;

the gases are ionised and reflect radio waves
• Mesosphere (50-110 km) - temperature decreases
with height
• Stratosphere (10-50 km) - temperature increases with
height. (Ozone layer absorbs UV radiation from the
Sun - this causes warming of stratosphere)
• Troposphere (0-10 km) - well mixed by vertical motion
of gases and water vapour. Temperature decreases
with height.
 Van Allen Radiation Belt

• Charged particles from the solar wind are trapped by

Earth’s magnetic field 2500 km from Earth
• Some charged particles escape and reach the
Ionosphere
• The high-energy particles in the Van Allen Belt are
dangerous to humans and to electronic equipment
• Because of this the safe maximum altitude for humans
in orbit is 400 km
 Heat budget of the Earth

• Earth receives radiation from the Sun

• Earth radiates energy back into space
• Energy in from the Sun = Energy out from the Earth
• The result is Earth’s surface temperature remains
fairly constant.
• The moderate temperature has been vital for the
development of life on Earth
 Heat budget of the Earth

IN OUT

HEAT RADIATED BACK

FROM EARTH SURFACE
The ratio of energy reflected out to energy received from the Sun = albedo

IN OUT

out/in =
The entrapment of heat in the troposphere and
radiation of heat back to Earth is called the
greenhouse effect

IN OUT

out/in =
 Moisture content of air
• Relative humidity is the ratio of the amount of
moisture in the air to the total moisture that can
be absorbed by air at that temperature
• Air with high moisture content intercepts and
re-radiates more heat energy than air with little
moisture
• Warm air can hold more moisture than cold
• Moist air is less dense than dry air
Wind
 Our climate is driven by thermal
radiation from the sun.

Earth

Thermal radiation is stronger at the equator, where

Earth surface is square on to the sun, than at the
poles, where the Earth surface slopes away from the
sun.
 Our climate is driven by thermal
radiation from the sun

Thermal radiation is stronger at the equator, where Earth surface

is square on to the sun, than at the poles, where the Earth
surface slopes away from the sun.
The result is greater heating at the equator and less
heating at the poles.

Differential heating of Earth surface causes circulation of the

atmosphere. Air at the equator is hot and is therefore less dense,
so it rises. The result is a series of circulation ‘cells’.
 Circulation
of the
atmosphere
driven by
differential
HADLEY CELL heating of
the Earth’s
surface.
HADLEY CELL
Note the
‘Hadley
cell’ at the
equator.
HADLEY CELL:

•Warm air rises at the

equator, and is
replaced by warm
moist air drawn from
north and south.

•Cold dry air descends

at 30o South and 30o
North
HADLEY CELL: Hot air rises at the equator, and
moist warm air is drawn in from north and south. The
result is rain and the development of tropical forests.

The descending part of the Hadley cell comprises cold

dry air. Where this air descends there is low rainfall
with the result that deserts form (brown areas on map)
 Coriolis effect

Air moving towards the equator is deflected to

one side because of the Earth’s rotation.
The apparent path will be 45 degrees to the
left in the southern hemisphere
Coriolis effect
Looking down on Earth
from above the North
Pole.
Air flowing towards the
equator is deflected to
the right.

In the southern hemisphere the wind is

deflected to the left, and in the northern
hemisphere to the right
Coriolis effect on air flowing towards the Equator
produces the Tradewinds

Southeasterly winds from the

south to the east

Note that air flowing away from the Equator

is deflected in the opposite direction
Geostrophic air flow in August

Intertropical Convergence Zone is

north of Equator
Geostrophic air flow in February

Intertropical Convergence Zone is

south of Equator
 Winds driven by the unequal
heating of land and sea
Land surface gains and loses heat
quickly. The oceans retain heat.
The results of the differing retention
of heat are
• Monsoons
• Land and sea breezes
 The Monsoons
• Northern Summer heating
of Asian land mass causes
inflow of air from the south,
brings rains to India
• Southern Summer cooling
of Asian landmass and
heating of Australian
landmass causes flow in the
opposite direction, brings
rains to PNG & NAust
 Land and sea breezes
• Land surface gains and
loses heat quickly.
• The sea warms slowly and
cools slowly.
• In day time air over the
land surface is warmer
than air over the sea.
• At night the air over the
sea is warmer than air
over land
 Land and sea breezes
• Warming of the land
surface during the day
causes air over land to
rise,and draws in air from
the ocean
• Cooling of the land
surface during the night
causes air over land to
become cool. Sea
remains warm. Air over
sea rises. Cool air flows
from land to sea.