CHAPTER 10:

PLANETARY
ATMOSPHERES:
EARTH AND THE
OTHER
TERRESTRIAL
WORLDS
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 What is an atmosphere?

• An atmosphere is a layer of gas that Why can’t

surrounds a world. we see air?
• Usually thin layer
Something is
visible only if
it affects
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Thought Question
• On which object would a helium balloon float on?
A. On the International Space Station
B. On the Moon
C. On Mercury
D. On Mars
E. On none of the above

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 Earth's Atmosphere

• About 10 kilometers
thick
• Consists mostly of
molecular nitrogen
(N2), oxygen (O2),
water (H2O), and
carbon dioxide (CO2)

Fun Fact: 1060 mph-the

speed at which oxygen
molecules move around
at room temperature. 4
Pressure

Collisions of individual atoms or molecules in an

atmosphere create pressure.
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Why is atmospheric pressure less on
top of a mountain than at sea
level?
A. It is cooler in the mountains.
B. Denser air sinks to sea level; the air on mountains is lighter.
C. The pressure at every height in the atmosphere is due to the weight
of the air above it.
D. none of the above

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Atmospheric Pressure
• Pressure and density decrease
with altitude because the
weight of overlying layers is
less.
• Planetary atmospheres are in
balance between weight of
their gases and push of their
gas pressure
• Earth's pressure at sea level is:
• 1.03 kg per sq. meter
• 14.7 lb per sq. inch
• 1 bar

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Where does an
atmosphere end?

• The ‘edge of space’ - altitude of 100 km

• Some low density gas still exists here (as shown)
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Effects of Atmospheres
1. They create pressure that determines whether liquid water can
exist on surface.
2. They absorb and scatter light.
3. They create wind, weather, and climate.
4. They interact with the solar wind to create a magnetosphere.
5. They can make planetary surfaces warmer through the
greenhouse effect.

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 How does the greenhouse
effect work?
A. Greenhouse gases reflect light that reflects off the surface back
toward the surface.
B. Greenhouse gases absorb light that reflects off the surface.
C. Greenhouse gases reflect thermal radiation that is emitted by the
surface.
D. Greenhouse gases absorb thermal radiation that is emitted by the
surface.

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Greenhouse Effect
• Visible light passes
through the
atmosphere and
warms a planet's
surface.
• The atmosphere
absorbs infrared light
from the surface,
trapping heat.
• Greenhouse gases -
water vapor (H2O),
carbon dioxide (CO2),
and methane (CH4)
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If there were no greenhouse
effect, Earth would
A. be warmer than it is today.
B. have a thicker atmosphere.
C. be colder than freezing.
D. have no protection from ultraviolet radiation.

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"No Greenhouse"
Temperatures

• Venus would be 950°F

colder without
greenhouse effect.
• Earth would be 88°F
colder (below freezing
on average).

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Planetary Temperature
• A planet's surface temperature is determined by the balance
between energy from sunlight it absorbs and energy of outgoing
thermal radiation.
• A planet's distance from the Sun determines the total amount of
incoming sunlight.
• A planet's rotation rate affects the temperature differences
between day and night.

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Temperature and Reflectivity
• A planet's reflectivity (or
albedo) is the fraction of
incoming sunlight it reflects.
• Planets with low albedo
absorb more sunlight,
• Hotter temperatures.
• Earth’s surface reflects 31% of
the sunlight

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Question
What would happen to Earth's temperature if Earth were more
reflective?

A. It would go up.
B. It would go down.
C. It wouldn't change.

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Light's Effects on Atmosphere
• Ionization: removal of
an electron
• X-rays energetic enough
to ionize and are
absorbed
• Dissociation:
destruction of a
molecule
• UV photons
• Scattering: change in
photon's direction
• Absorption: photon's
energy is absorbed.
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Earth's Atmospheric Structure
• Troposphere: lowest layer of
Earth's atmosphere
• Temperature drops with
altitude.
• Warmed by infrared light
from surface and convection
• Greenhouse effect
• Only layer with storms

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Earth's Atmospheric Structure
• Stratosphere: layer above the
troposphere
• Temperature rises with
altitude in lower part, drops
with altitude in upper part.
• Warmed by absorption of
ultraviolet sunlight from
protective ozone.
• Earth is only planet with a
stratosphere because of UV-
absorbing ozone molecules
(O3).

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Earth's Atmospheric Structure
• Thermosphere: layer at about
100 kilometers altitude
• Temperature rises with
altitude.
• X rays and ultraviolet light
from the Sun heat and ionize
gases.
• Temperatures high but density
and pressure are low

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Earth's Atmospheric Structure
• Exosphere: highest layer
in which atmosphere
gradually fades into
space
• Temperature rises with
altitude
• Warmed by X rays and
UV light; atoms can
escape into space.
• Very low density
• Collisions between atoms
are rare

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Why the Sky Is Blue
• Atmosphere makes
sky bright
• No stars during day
• Shadows aren’t pitch
black
• Atmosphere scatters
blue light from Sun,
more effectively
• Sky is blue
• Sunsets are red
because sunlight
going through more
atmosphere
• Blue scattered away

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Earth's Magnetosphere

• Magnetic field of Earth's

atmosphere
(magnetosphere) protects
us from charged particles
streaming from Sun (the
solar wind).

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 Sun’s Effect: Aurorae

• Charged particles from solar wind trapped in the magnetosphere

near magnetic poles, causing an aurora.
• Particles with enough energy get in atmosphere, where they
collide with atmospheric atoms and molecules
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• Aurora borealis, aurora australis
Weather and Climate
• Weather is the ever-varying combination of wind, clouds,
temperature, and pressure.
• Local complexity of weather makes it difficult to predict.
• Climate is the long-term average of weather.
• Long-term stability of climate depends on global conditions and is
more predictable.

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 Global Wind Patterns on Earth
• Any planet with an atmosphere
can have weather
• Global winds blow in distinctive
patterns:
• Equatorial: E to W
• Mid-latitudes: W to E
• High latitudes: E to W
• Due to atmospheric heating
and planetary rotation

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 Coriolis Effect
• Conservation of angular
momentum causes the
apparent path of an
object to change due
to rotation.
• Outer parts move at a
faster speed than the
inner parts because
they have a greater
distance to travel
around the axis with
each rotation

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Coriolis Effect on Earth
• Moving air turns
to the right in the
Northern
Hemisphere
• Left in the
Southern
Hemisphere
• Storms circulate
in opposite
directions

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Prevailing Winds
• Equatorial regions receive
more heat than the polar
regions from the Sun
• Heated air rises at equator.
• Cooler air descends at poles.
• Prevailing surface winds at
mid-latitudes blow from W to
E because the Coriolis effect
deflects the S to N surface
flow of mid-latitude
circulation cells.

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Clouds and Precipitation

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Solar Brightening

• Sun is 30% brighter now than when solar system was young.
• Increases the amount of sunlight warming the planets.

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 Changes in Axis Tilt

• Small gravitational tugs from moons, planets, and the Sun

can change a planet’s axis tilt over thousands/millions of
years.
• Our’s has changed between 22 – 25 degrees
• Greater tilt creates more extreme seasons, while smaller
tilt keeps polar regions colder.
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Changes in Reflectivity

• Higher reflectivity tends to cool a planet, while lower reflectivity

leads to warming.
• Aerosols from volcanic eruptions can reflect sunlight and cool a
planet
• Ice caps growing, increasing cloud cover, smog cover

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Changes in Greenhouse Gases

• An increase in greenhouse gases (strengthens

greenhouse effect) leads to warming, while a
decrease leads to cooling.
• If planet warms enough, increased vaporization of
water may add gas to atmosphere, leading to
increase in atmospheric pressure
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Sources of Gas for an
Atmosphere

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How does an Atmosphere Lose Gas?

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 Thermal Escape of Gas Particles

• T = temperature (K)
• m=mass of gas
• k=constant=1.38 x 10-23 J/K
• Why does the Moon have no hydrogen but does
have sodium in exosphere? 38
Do the Moon and Mercury have any
Atmosphere?

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 Exospheres of the Moon and
Mercury

• Sensitive measurements show that the Moon and Mercury have

extremely thin atmospheres.
• Gas comes from impacts that eject surface atoms.

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Ice in Polar Craters

LCROSS, 2009, crashed MESSENGER

into crater near south pole. Mercury’s north pole has
Near the Moon’s poles, ice ice in permanently
exists in craters. shadowed craters 41
 Strange Seasons on Mars

• Tavg = -58° F.
• Mars's orbit makes seasons more extreme in the southern
hemisphere.
• Shorter, warmer summers and longer, colder winters
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Polar Ice Caps of Mars
• Residual ice of the
south polar cap
remaining during
summer
• water ice
• Pressure so low, liquid
water unstable
• Tpoles = -200° F
• Carbon dioxide (dry
ice) of polar cap
sublimates as summer
approaches and
condenses at
opposite pole.
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Dust Storms on Mars

• Strong winds associated with the cycling of CO2 gas

• Dust devils
• Dust in the atmosphere absorbs blue light, sometimes
making the sky look brownish-pink.

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Changing Axis Tilt

• Calculations suggest
Mars's axis tilt ranges
from 0° to 60 °.
• Jupiter’s effect
• Mars’ moons don’t
stabilize
• Climate changes.
• Layers of ice and dust
in polar regions reflect
these climate
changes.
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 Why did Mars change?

Mars has not had widespread surface water for 3 billion years.
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 Atmosphere of Venus
• Thick carbon
dioxide atmosphere
• Surface pressure 90
times that of Earth.
• Slow rotation
• Coriolis effect and
little weather. • High in clouds, very cold (750°F
• Weather always same colder than surface)
• Clouds contain droplets of sulphuric
• Temperature the acid (evaporate 30 km above surface).
same everywhere! • The upper atmosphere has fast winds?
• 4 days to circle planet

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Thought Question

What is the main reason why Venus is hotter than Earth?

A. Venus is closer to the Sun than Earth.

B. Venus is more reflective than Earth.
C. Greenhouse effect is much stronger on
Venus than on Earth.
D. Human activity has led to declining temperatures on Earth.

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Greenhouse Effect on Venus

• Total amount of water

is 10,000 times less
than on Earth
• Earth escapes this
fate because most of
its carbon and water
is in rocks and
oceans.

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Runaway Greenhouse Effect

• A runaway greenhouse effect would account for why Venus has

so little water.

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How did Earth's atmosphere end up so different?

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Four Important Questions
1. Why did Earth retain most of its outgassed water?
2. Why does Earth have so little atmospheric carbon
dioxide?
3. Why does Earth's atmosphere consist mostly of nitrogen
and oxygen?
4. Why does Earth have an ozone layer?

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 Earth's Water and CO2
• Earth's temperature
remained cool
enough for liquid
oceans to form.
• May have occurred as
early as 4.3-4.4 billion
years ago
• Oceans dissolve
atmospheric CO2,
enabling carbon to be
trapped in rocks.
• 60 times as in
atmosphere for oceans
• 170,000 times for rocks

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 Nitrogen and Oxygen
• Most of Earth's
carbon and oxygen
is in rocks, leaving a
mostly nitrogen
atmosphere (77%).
• Still have 21% of
oxygen in
atmosphere
• Highly reactive
• Plants release some
oxygen from CO2 into
atmosphere.

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 Ozone and the Stratosphere
• Ultraviolet light can
break up O2
molecules, allowing
ozone (O3) to form.
• Without plants to
release O2, there
would be no ozone
in stratosphere to
absorb ultraviolet
light.
• We are unique.

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 Carbon Dioxide Cycle
Why is Earth’s climate stay stable?
1. Atmospheric CO2 dissolves in
rainwater creating mild acid.
2. Acidic rain erodes minerals that
flow into ocean.
3. Minerals combine with carbon
to make rocks on ocean floor.
Dead animals, too 
4. Subduction carries carbonate
rock down into mantle.
5. Rock melts in mantle and CO2
is outgassed back into
atmosphere through
volcanoes.
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Would it be plausible for a planet that had an
Earth-like atmosphere with plentiful oxygen, but
no life of any kind to exist in another solar
system?

A. Plausible. Life requires far more than oxygen to exist.

B. Plausible. The oxygen may have been transported there by
cometary impacts.
C. Implausible. Oxygen is highly reactive and its presence in an
atmosphere suggests replenishment by a living organism of some
sort.
D. Implausible. Oxygen is essential to life.

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Earth's Thermostat

• Cooling allows CO2 to build up in atmosphere.

• Heating causes rain to reduce CO2 in atmosphere.

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 Long-Term Climate Change

• Changes in Earth's axis tilt might lead to ice ages.

• Widespread ice tends to lower global temperatures
• CO2 from outgassing will build up if oceans are
frozen, ultimately raising global temperatures again.
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 How is human activity changing
our planet?
• Human-made CFCs in the atmosphere destroy ozone, reducing
protection from ultraviolet radiation.
• Human activity is driving many species to extinction.
• Human use of fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases that can cause
global warming.

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• Earth's Tavg has
increased by 33°F in
past 50 years.
• CO2concentration
• Rise in greenhouse
gases
global warming.

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Modeling of Climate Change
• Complex models of
global warming
suggest that recent
temperature
increase is
consistent with
human production
of greenhouse
gases.

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 Consequences
• Storms more numerous and
intense
• Rising ocean levels; melting
glaciers
• Sea level has risen 20
centimeters in past century;
expected to rise another 30
centimeters by 2100.
• Uncertain effects on food
production, availability of
fresh water

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