Environmental

Engineering class
Atmosphere and Climate
D. Chemisana and Chr. Lamnatou

23/9/2013

Atmosphere and Climate

Earth
s atmosphere
a thin layer of gases that surrounds the planet
Nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%)
Water: solid (snow), liquid (rain), and water vapor
(humidity)
-Troposphere
-up to 10 km
(above earth
s
surface)

-Stratosphere
-10-50 km

-Mesosphere
-50-80 km

-Thermosphere
-80-700 km
Source: http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SOLAR/learningindex.html

Atmosphere and Climate

Atmosphere is held around the Earth by the
force of gravity pressure increases as
altitude decreases
Four regions based on the temperature of the
atmosphere
when temperature increases with altitude, the
atmosphere is stable (resistant to vertical movements
by air)
when temperature decreases with altitude the
atmosphere is less stable (more prone to vertical
movement by air)

Source: http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SOLAR/learningindex.html

Atmosphere and Climate

Troposphere
the lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere
contains 90% of the mass of the atmosphere and almost all of the atmospheric
water
sensible weather like clouds, rain, snow occurs in this region
vertical motions determine weather: upward motions lead to cloud formation (L =
low pressure), while downward motions lead to fair or sunny weather (H = high
pressure)

Stratosphere
contains most of the Earth's
ozone (a gas that absorbs
dangerous UV radiation from the sun)

Mesosphere and Thermosphere

they extend a great distance from the Earth,
these regions contain only about 1% of the
atmosphere's mass

Source:
https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/kravtsov/www/downloa
ds/ATM100/Lecture18.pdf

Source: http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SOLAR/learningindex.html

Atmosphere and Climate

What's the Difference Between Weather and
Climate?
Weather is what conditions of the atmosphere are over a
short period of time
Climate is how the atmosphere "behaves" over relatively
long periods of time
Climate change: changes in long-term averages of daily
weather
In addition to long-term climate change, there are
shorter term climate variations (climate variability):
El Nio, volcanic eruptions etc
Source: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/noaa-n/climate/climate_weather.html

Atmosphere and Climate

El Nio
Every 3-7 years, the seawater at the surface of the
equatorial Pacific off the west coast of South America
becomes unusually warm. This is an El Nio event

has consequences for weather around the world,
equatorial Pacific changes are the most recognized
Abnormally warm waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific

negative impacts on marine life and other changes in
climate

Source: El nio: illustrating the concept, University of California

Atmosphere and Climate

El Nio

the trade winds that blow from east-to-west cease, decrease in

intensity, or reverse
warm waters of the western equatorial
Pacific begin to slosh eastwards

typically winds blow from east-to-west because atmospheric

pressure is higher in the east. Winds reverse when the relative
pressure between west and east reverses

thicker than normal layer of warm water in the eastern Pacific

cuts off the delivery of nutrients by reducing upwelling from below.
The warm water prevents vertical mixing of water and keeps the
cooler nutrient-laden water away from the surface
reduction of
the biological productivity
Upwelling = the movement of water from deeper layers of the sea to the
surface
nutrient generation in the surface; usually is wind-driven and
depends on coastal line shape and water depth
(source: http://www.es.flinders.edu.au/~mattom/ShelfCoast/ notes/chapter06.html)

Source: El nio: illustrating the concept, University of California

Atmosphere and Climate

El Nio and Upwelling
Normally, the cold Peru Current flows offshore from
south to north
associated with this cold current
"coastal upwelling appears
upwelling water is rich in
nutrients which stimulate the growth of phytoplankton
which then serve as food for small animals
(zooplankton). The plankton is eaten by fish which are in
turn caught by bigger fish etc
During El Nio, when the warm current appears,
upwelling ceases and phytoplankton production is
greatly diminished and the fish move to colder regions
farther south (or they starve)
Source: El nio: illustrating the concept, University of California

Atmosphere and Climate

El Nio and Upwelling

fishermen Pacific off the coast of Peru and Ecuador have known for centuries
about the El Nio (December, January)
fish in the coastal waters off of these
countries virtually vanish; worldwide effects: El Nio effects are not limited to
the disturbed areas off of Peru and Ecuador they can be transmitted great
distances

air/sea interaction: a key element of the El Nio phenomenon is the

interaction between the winds in the atmosphere and the sea surface

"upwelling" of deep ocean waters brings with it nutrients that otherwise

would lie near the bottom of the ocean. The fish population living in the
upper waters is dependent on these nutrients from below for survival

consequent warming of the ocean surface further weakens the trade

winds, and strengthens El Nio. Without upwelling, the nutrients from
the deep water are no longer available. This signals a severe reduction
in the fishing industry until the time that normal conditions return

Source:http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SOLAR/learning-elnino.html

Atmosphere and Climate

Normal conditions over the Pacific basin

Non-El Nio conditions: westwardblowing winds
pile up warm surface

water in the western Pacific
seasurface temperatures are warmer at the
western Pacific than near eastern Pacific
(Ecuador). Upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich
water from deeper levels
high primary
productivity and major fisheries

El Nio conditions: trade winds relax

Disturbed (El Nio) conditions, Pacific

in the central and western Pacific,

causing the depth of the thermocline to
lower in the eastern Pacific and to rise in
the western Pacific
reduction of the
efficiency of the upwelling currents in the
eastern Pacific
decreases the supply
of nutrient-rich thermocline water to the
surface zone
rise in sea surface
temperature and a drastic decline in
primary productivity (fisheries)

Source:http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SOLAR/learning-elnino.html, http://geosci.sfsu.edu/courses/geol103/labs/upwelling/descript2.html

Atmosphere and Climate

Ozone

Unstable molecule found in Earth's atmosphere

An ozone molecule is made up of
3 atoms of oxygen

Depending on where ozone resides, it can protect

or harm life on Earth. High in the atmosphere-about
24 km up-ozone acts as a shield to protect
Earth's surface from the sun's harmful ultraviolet
radiation. Without this shield, we would be more
susceptible to skin cancer, cataracts and impaired immune systems
Closer to Earth, in the air we breathe, ozone is a harmful pollutant that causes
damage to lung tissue and plants
The amounts of "good" and "bad" ozone in the atmosphere depend on a balance
between processes that create ozone and those that destroy it
Scientists are finding evidence that changes are occurring in ozone levels-the
"bad" ozone is increasing in the air we breathe and the "good" ozone is
decreasing in our protective ozone shield
Source:http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SOLAR/learning-ozone.html

Atmosphere and Climate

In Stratosphere, ozone is created and destroyed primarily by UV radiation
When high-energy UV rays strike molecules of ordinary oxygen (O2), they split the
molecule into two single oxygen atoms (atomic oxygen). A freed oxygen atom then
can combine with an oxygen molecule (O2) to form a molecule of ozone (O3)
The characteristic of ozone that makes it so valuable to us-its ability to absorb a range
of ultraviolet rays-also causes its destruction. When an ozone molecule (O3)
absorbs even low-energy UV radiation, it splits into O2 and a free oxygen atom
(O). The free oxygen atom then may join up with an oxygen molecule to make
another ozone molecule, or it may steal an oxygen atom from an ozone molecule to
make two ordinary oxygen molecules O3 production and destruction, initiated
by UV radiation (Chapman Reactions)
Ozone levels change periodically: changing seasons, winds, volcanic eruptions etc
Ozone balance: ozone is being created at the same rate that it is being destroyed
the total amount of ozone will remain the same

Source:http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SOLAR/learning-ozone.html

Atmosphere and Climate

Source:http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SOLAR/learning-ozone.html

Atmosphere and Climate

Early 1970's: human activities are disrupting the ozone balance

human production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) has added an
additional factor that destroys ozone
CFCs: are compounds made up of chlorine, fluorine and carbon bound

together; they are extremely stable molecules: one of the few forces that
can break up CFC molecules is UV radiation; although the CFC molecules
are heavier than air, the mixing processes of the atmosphere carry them
into the stratosphere

-When CFCs and HCFCs reach the stratosphere, UV from the sun
causes them to break apart and release chlorine atoms which react
with ozone, starting chemical cycles of ozone destruction that deplete
the ozone layer
Ozone depletion -One chlorine atom can break
apart more than 100,000 ozone molecules (source:http://www.epa.gov/ozone/science/q_a.html)
Source:http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SOLAR/learning-ozone.html

Atmosphere and Climate

CFCs
in the stratosphere, CFCs bombarded by the sun's UV break up and
release their chlorine atoms and the free chlorine atoms then can react
with O3 molecules, taking one oxygen atom to form chlorine monoxide
(ClO) and leaving an ordinary oxygen molecule
if each chlorine atom released from a CFC molecule destroyed only one
ozone molecule, CFCs would pose very little threat to the ozone layer
however, when a chlorine monoxide molecule encounters a free atom of
oxygen, the oxygen atom breaks up the chlorine monoxide, stealing the
oxygen atom and releasing the chlorine atom back into the stratosphere to
destroy more ozone. This reaction happens over and over again,
allowing a single atom chlorine to act as a catalyst, destroying many
molecules of ozone

Ozone Depletion
means that ozone loss is exceeding ozone creation
putting O3-destroying compounds such as CFCs into the atmosphere
ozone leaks out at a faster rate - faster than ozone is being created
consequently, the level of ozone protecting us from UV decreases
Example: area over Antarctica

Source:http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SOLAR/learning-ozone.html

Atmosphere and Climate

The environmental concern
for CFCs follows from their
long atmospheric lifetime
(55 years for CFC-11 and
140 years for CFC-12,
CCl2F2) which limits our
ability to reduce their
abundance in the
atmosphere and associated
future ozone loss

The accumulation of chlorofluorocarbon-11 (CFC-11) in the atmosphere levels off as a result of voluntary and mandated emission
reductions. Monthly means reported as dry mixing ratios in parts per trillion (ppt) for CFC-11 at ground level for four NOAA/CMDL
stations (Pt. Barrow, Alaska; Mauna Loa, Hawaii; Cape Matatula, American Samoa; and South Pole) and three cooperative stations
(Alert, Northwest Territories, Canada (Atmospheric Environment Service); Niwot Ridge, Colorado (University of Colorado); Cape
Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station, Tasmania, Australia, (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization)
(Courtesy of NOAA/CMDL)

CFCs are used in the manufacture of aerosol sprays, blowing agents for foams and
packing materials, as solvents and as refrigerants
Source: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/hats/publictn/elkins/cfcs.html