Atmospheric Structure

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

Density decreases rapidly with height

Air: A mechanical mixture of gases and aerosols

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 atmosphere’s 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 atmosphere’s mass; all of its water

 Stratosphere (8-20 km up to about 50 km)

Ozone (O3) 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 (N2) 78%, (O2) 21%,
Argon (Ar) 1%, trace gases (Neon,
Helium, Methane (CH4), etc.)

 Variable gases
Water Vapor (H2Ov), O3, CO2
 Composition (ctd.)
 Aerosols
Solid: Ice/salt crystals, soil particles, volcanic dust
Condensation nuclei

Liquid: Water droplets (cloud, fog)

 Origin of the Atmosphere
 Volcanoes release H2, CO2, H2Ov, N2, NH3, CH4
No O2 or O3, so no land organisms!
 One-celled aquatic organisms release CO2 to
atmosphere when breaking down food through
fermentation
 Simple aquatic plants took in CO2 and released O2
to atmosphere via photosynthesis
O3 formed from the O2
Origin of Atmosphere (ctd)

 CO2 gets stored in shells and decaying

plants

 N2 builds up in atmosphere