ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS &

SOCIETIES
• The atmosphere is vital for life to exist, including our own survival
• The atmospheric system comprises of the gases that surround the earth’s surface and are retained
there by the earth’s gravitational field
• The atmosphere:
• Provides a shield from meteorites
• Protects us from harmful radiation from the sun
• Moderates and stabilizes our climate including temperature
• It is from where we obtain the oxygen we breathe and from where plants acquire CO2 they
require for photosynthesis
• The atmosphere is not isolated
• But is linked to the lithosphere (the crust and upper mantle), hydrosphere (all the waters on the
earth’s surface and sometimes clouds) and biosphere (the regions of the surface and atmosphere
of the earth occupied by living organisms) through biochemical cycles (e.g. carbon cycle)
• The composition of the atmosphere has changed dramatically since the creation of the earth
• Living organisms have contributed to this change which has led to an atmosphere which supports
a large variety of organisms today
• However us, humans, can cause negative changes to the composition of the atmosphere
• E.g. Increase in CO2 levels in the air through the combustion of fossil fuels
• This change in atmospheric composition can lead to a change in the climate
• The atmosphere is made of a number of layers that differ in pressure and temperature
• Within the most inner layer, heat from the sun warms the tropics more than the polar regions
• This results in a temperature difference – Drives the movement of air, creating air circulation
around the planet
• These atmospheric circulation system can transfer pollutants over large distances causing global
problems
• https://youtu.be/YtJzn8A725w
 HISTORY OF THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE
• The early volcanic earth:
• The earth was formed about 4.6 billion years ago
• Showered with debris from outer space
• Together with decay of radioactive elements and volcanic activity, lead to extreme temperatures and an environment
unsuitable for life
• This period from the formation of the earth to 4 billion years ago is referred to as the Hadean era
• The earth’s early atmosphere predominantly consisted of hydrogen and helium gases
• These low density gases escaped into space as a result of solar winds and a weak magnetic field within the earth
• Over time, volcanic emissions = atmosphere comprising of water vapor , CO2, methane, ammonia, and hydrogen sulphate
• Free oxygen was absent during this earlier period of the earth
 FORMATION OF OCEANS AND EARLY
FORMS OF LIFE
• As heat radiated into space the earth began to cool
• Water condensed to form great oceans
• This signaled the end of the Hadean era and the start of the Archean era
• Spanned from 4 billion to 2.5 billion years ago
• Life first appeared on earth about 3.8 billion years ago
• In the form of simple celled bacteria (prokaryotes)
• These were anaerobic and included methane producing bacteria that used CO2 and hydrogen
• Bacteria evolved and developed the ability to capture and use light energy
• Over time, this lead to the development of photosynthetic bacteria
• This produced oxygen as a by-product and included the group of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
• Responsible for increasing the levels of atmospheric oxygen from less than 1% to almost 21% today
• Any oxygen formed during Archean era quickly reacted with other gases and iron sulfide in the
oceans to form red iron oxide
• Which then precipitated out onto the seabed
• Over time this led to the formation of sedimentary rocks containing red bands of oxidized iron

Sedimentary rocks with bands of iron oxide

• During the Proterozoic era that followed the Archean era (2.5 billion to 542 million years ago),
levels of atmospheric oxygen continued to increase and:
• The levels of CO2 decreased
• Higher up in the atmosphere, oxygen molecules were split by sunlight energy into atomic oxygen
which led to the formation of ozone
• More complex single celled organisms (eukaryotes) appeared about 2 billion years ago
• Followed by multicellular organisms about 1 billion years ago
• Life was restricted to the oceans until the ozone layer had developed
• The first green plants appeared on land about 500 million years ago during the Phanerozoic era
(542 million years ago to present day)

https://youtu.be/Gyn754vw8ZQ - Summary of the changes that

have occurred to the earth’s atmosphere
Relationship between oxygen levels in the atmosphere over
time and key events
 COMPOSITION OF THE EARTH’S
ATMOSPHERE TODAY
• Nitrogen and oxygen are the main components of our atmosphere
• Smaller amounts of argon, neon, carbon dioxide, water vapor and other trace elements
• The atmosphere is a dynamic system with continuous inputs and outputs
• E.g. Hydrological and nutrient cycles influence levels of gases in the atmosphere
• Some components like CO2, water vapor, and ozone vary significantly from one location to
another and overtime are effected by human activities such as combustion of fossil fuels
Main gases present in the atmosphere by volume Composition of the atmosphere
 STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

• The atmosphere is maintained by the earth’s gravitational forces which creates air pressure
• Instrument used to measure air pressure is called a barometer
• At sea level it is about 760mm Hg (mercury) and declines with increasing altitude
• The lowest pressure on land is found at the highest peak of Mount Everest

Pressure decreases with altitude

 TROPOSPHERE
• This is the layer closest to the earth’s surface and includes where we live
• Extends up to about 10km above sea level
• It is where:
• The earth surface absorbs heat from the sun. The warm earth then heats the atmosphere through
conduction. It is warmest near the earth’s surface with temperature declining by around 6.5 degree
Celsius per km
• Wind speeds increase with height. The jet stream, that blows powerful winds towards the east, occurs
at the top of the troposphere
• Most of the atmospheric mass is found. This includes nearly all the water vapor, clouds and pollutants
• Most of our weather occurs
• Humans and other organisms have most interaction e.g. thru exchange of gases or intro of pollutants
• The GHG effect occurs and helps regulate the temperature of the earth
 THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

• Energy from the sun enters the earth’s atmosphere as short wave radiation
• Some of it is absorbed by the earth’s surface
• As the ground warms, heat energy is radiated back into the atmosphere in the form of long wave
radiation
• Long wave radiation is absorbed by gases called ghg
The greenhouse effect
• In the absence of GHGs, the heat would be radiated back into space potentially resulting in an
average global temperature of about -18 degree Celsius
• In the presence of GHGs, the long wave radiation is absorbed by the gases resulting in warming
of the atmosphere to an average global temperature of around 15 degree Celsius
• This is commonly referred to as the “natural greenhouse effect”
• Not all energy from the sun entering the earth’s atmosphere reaches the ground
• Some of it is reflected back into space by clouds, particles in the area and surfaces such as snow
and ice
• This reflection is known as the albedo effect
 MAIN GHGS AND THEIR SOURCES
Water vapor:
• The most abundant GHG
• A rise in temperature results in more water vapor leading to further warming which allows more water to
evaporate (positive feedback loop)
Carbon dioxide:
• CO2 concentrations are increased by the burning of fossil fuels, respiration, volcanic activity and
deforestation
Carbon sinks:
Methane:
• Arises from emissions from livestock, anaerobic decomposition of waste, rice cultivation and fossil fuels
Nitrous Oxide:
• Sources include fertilizers, combustion and industrial processes
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCc) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs):
• Have been used as liquid coolants (in refrigerators and air conditioning systems), in the
production of plastic foam and as industrial solvents
Perfluorocarbon:
• Is used in production of aluminum
Sulfur hexa-fluoride:
• Is used in production of magnesium