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ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION & STRUCTURE

A. INTRODUCTION

Temperature & amount insolation also affected by:

• altitude, and

• atmospheric composition, which affects absorption, scattering, and reflection of radiant and heat energy

• absorbed energy causes substances to warm; scattered and reflected energy have no impact on temperature

B. TEMPERATURE STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE

Troposphere  

• lapse rate

• isothermal layer

Stratosphere

• temperature inversion

Image source: modified from NASA/GSFC http://umpgal.gsfc.nasa.gov/www_root/homepage/uars-science/OzoneLayer.html

C. ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION

Non-Variable Gasses

• nitrogen

• oxygen

Variable Gasses

• water vapor (H₂O)

• carbon dioxide (CO₂)

source: R.A. Rohde http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Image:Instrumental_Temperature_Record_png

• methane (CH₄)

  
  Source: NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, The NOAA Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI) Figure 2. http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/aggi/index.html

  sources: (US EPA http://www.epa.gov/methane/sources.html)

  • natural: wetlands (76%), termites (11%), oceans (8%), hydrates (5%)

  • human: landfills, natural gas systems, livestock farming, coal mining, manure management, wastewater treatment, rice cultivation

• ozone (O₃)

Image source: NASA Earth Observatory http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/Nimbus/nimbus2.html

Particulate Matter

Atmospheric Impact of Mount Pinatubo Image source: NASA Earth Observatory http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=4952

Mount Pinatubo, 1991 Image source: NASA/GSFC http://umpgal.gsfc.nasa.gov/www_root/homepage/uars-science/BrochurePage1.html

D. SUMMARY

Temperature patterns affected by:

• altitude

• greenhouse gasses (water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane)

• particulate matter