Earth’s Atmosphere

An envelope of gases that surround the planet

Structure of Earth’s Atmosphere

Logrithmic scale

Dry, stable

Lapse Rate
= 7°C/km
Greenhouse
Earth’s Greenhouse Effect

Average T at Earth’s surface = +15°C

T without greenhouse gases would be -18°C
Without Greenhouse Effect, no life on Earth!
How and Why does Earth’s Atmosphere Circulate?
If Earth’s was flat, solar radiation would be the same everywhere…
But low latitudes get more solar radiation than high latitudes!
Earth’s Tilt also important for distribution of incoming radiation

Summer

Winter

Seasons caused by tilt of Earth’s axis

Albedo is fraction
of incoming solar
radiation reflected
back to space

Average ALBEDO for whole Earth ~30%

Why is the seasonal change so strong between 45 and 70°?
Low latitude
oceans absorb
more of
incoming
radiation
 Why does Earth’s Atmosphere Circulate?

Latitudinal gradient drives atmospheric circulation!

How does Earth’s Atmosphere Circulate?
 Saturation Vapor Pressure Curve

Warm air can hold much more water than Cold air!
AND: Wet air is less dense than dry air - RISES
 How does Earth’s Atmosphere Circulate?

If Earth didn’t spin, Circulation would be simple!

General Atmospheric Circulation

Rotation of Earth
complicates the picture
Coriolis Effect

Faster

Faster

Earth’s rotation causes points on Equator to move faster

Coriolis Effect

Deflection RIGHT in N. hemisphere, LEFT in S. Hemisphere

Surface flow of air
deflected like the rocket:
N. Hemisphere mid-
latitude winds deflected
right (EAST).
N. Hemisphere trades
deflected right(WEST)
Tricellular model of atmospheric
circulation explains large scale pattern of
deserts on Earth
Human
Influence on
Earth’s
Atmosphere ACID RAIN

SMOG

OZONE DEPLETION

GLOBAL WARMING
Composition
of Earth’s
Atmosphere

Water can be
0.3 to 4%

CO2, CH4, NO2 are important TRACE GASES

 Human influence on
atmospheric chemistry
• Atmospheric pollutants dispersed by circulation
– Residence time determines impact
• Short residence time, regional effects
– Sulfur dioxide (Acid rain), Nitrogen oxides (Smog)
• Long residence time, global effects
– Chlorofluorocarbons (Ozone depletion)
– CO2, CH4 - greenhouse warming
Global Effects
Mauna Loa CO2 record - The Keeling Curve
Synthesis of Northern Hemisphere Temperature Records

The “Hockey Stick”

Used in 2001 IPCC Report

Gradual cooling --> Unprecedented Warmth

Regional Effects

Acid Rain
• 2SO42-+2H2O --> 2H2SO4 + O2
• NOx+H2O --> HNO3

pH “normal rain” = 5 to 6
pH “acid rain” <5, low as 1.5
 Effects of Acid Rain on Forests

Nutrient leaching, release of toxic metals

Acid rain
attacks
limestone
buildings
and
monuments
Global Effects

Stratospheric Ozone
• Ozone in the Stratosphere is good ozone
– Ozone constantly produced/destroyed in
Stratosphere
– Provides UV shield (protects from skin cancer)

• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) destroy ozone

first Cl + O3 --> ClO + O2
then ClO + O --> Cl + O2
Ozone
Hole
Cl driven
O3 destruction
starts each
spring as
Stratosphere
warms TOMS
 Fixing Atmospheric Pollution
• CFCs banned by 13 industrial nations 1989
– Annual ozone hole getting smaller, not yet back
to pre-1950’s levels
• Scrubbers added to power plants
– SO2 converted to CaSO4 (gypsum)
• Reduction in CO2 emissions
– OR CO2 sequestration technologies