Atmospheric Structure

and Composition

Atmosphere: The thin envelope of gases
surrounding the earth
Highly compressible

Density decreases rapidly with height

Air: A mechanical mixture of gases and aerosols

Definitions
Vertical Structure of Atmosphere
Troposphere (surface to 8-20 km)
Upper boundary varies from about 8 km
(poles in winter) to about 20 km
(tropics)
Weather and climate layer
Most of atmospheres mass; all of its
water




Vertical Structure of Atmosphere
Troposphere (surface to about 8-20 km)
Upper boundary varies from about 8 km
(poles in winter) to about 20 km (tropics)
Weather and climate layer
Most of atmospheres mass; all of its
water

Stratosphere (8-20 km up to about 50 km)
Ozone (O
3
) Layer
Temperature inversion



Vertical Structure (ctd.)
Mesosphere (50-80 km)
Temperature decreases with height. Why?


Thermosphere (80-? km)
Temperature inversion. Why?
Vertical Structure (ctd.)
Homosphere vs. Heterosphere
Vertical Structure (ctd.)
Homosphere vs. Heterosphere
Transition zones between layers
Tropopause
Stratopause
Mesopause
Defining Layers by Function
the Ozonosphere
Roughly corresponds to the stratosphere

How does the ozone layer work?

Why is there a hole in the ozone layer?

Why no hole where the pollution is
produced?




Defining Layers by Function
the Ionosphere
Upper mesosphere + thermosphere
Produces the aurora borealis and aurora
australis
D Layer absorbs AM radio waves;
disappears at night
E Layer weakens at night
F Layer reflects AM radio waves

Composition of the Air
Uniform gases
Nitrogen (N
2
) 78%, (O
2
) 21%,
Argon (Ar) 1%, trace gases (Neon,
Helium, Methane (CH
4
), etc.)

Variable gases
Water Vapor (H
2
O
v
), O
3
, CO
2
Composition (ctd.)
Aerosols
Solid: Ice/salt crystals, soil particles,
volcanic dust
Condensation nuclei

Liquid: Water droplets (cloud, fog)



Origin of the Atmosphere
Volcanoes release H
2
, CO
2
, H
2
O
v
, N
2
, NH
3
, CH
4
No O
2
or O
3
, so no land organisms!
One-celled aquatic organisms release CO
2
to
atmosphere when breaking down food through
fermentation
Simple aquatic plants took in CO
2
and released O
2

to atmosphere via photosynthesis
O
3
formed from the O
2
Origin of Atmosphere (ctd)

CO
2
gets stored in shells and decaying
plants
N
2
builds up in atmosphere