ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS

AND SOCIETY

INTRODUCTION TO THE
ATMOSPHERE
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The atmosphere is a dynamic system
which is essential to life on earth

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THE ATMOSPHERE AS A SYSTEM
The atmosphere has undergone changes through
geological time

1. Mostly hydrogen and helium

2. Volcanic gassing produced water vapour. Carbon
dioxide, methane, ammonia and other gases…clouds
and oceans formed absorbing CO2
3. Oxygen increased due to evolution of photosynthetic
organisms

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THE ATMOSPHERE AS A SYSTEM

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THE ATMOSPHERE AS A SYSTEM
The atmosphere is predominately a mixture of nitrogen and
oxygen with smaller amounts of carbon dioxide, argon, water
vapour and other trace gases

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THE ATMOSPHERE AS A SYSTEM
The atmosphere is a dynamic system with inputs, outputs, flows and
storages

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THE ATMOSPHERE AS A SYSTEM
The atmosphere is a dynamic system with inputs, outputs, flows and
storages

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 The behaviour, structure and composition of the
atmosphere influence variations in all ecosystems

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THE ATMOSPHERE
• Mass of air surrounding

the earth

• Extends over a vertical

distance of about 10,000

km

• 5 layers
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THE ATMOSPHERE – TEMPERATURE
AND PRESSURE
o Temperature
varies between
atmospheric
zones

o Air pressure
decreases with
increasing
altitude
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THE ATMOSPHERE – AIR PRESSURE
At sea level, you have the
weight of all the air above
pushing down on you.
Thus as you increase your
altitude, the air gets
thinner and there is less
air pushing down on you
(resulting in lower
atmospheric pressure) 11
 THE ATMOSPHERE AS A SYSTEM
The behaviour structure and composition of the atmosphere
influence variations in all ecosystems

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BEHAVIOUR OF THE ATMOSPHERE
• Amount of insolation varies at different latitudes
• Atmosphere circulation
• Horizontal and vertical heat energy transfers occur
within atmosphere

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COUPLING BETWEEN ATMOSPHERE
AND ECOSYSTEMS
The atmospheric heat budget (global heat budget) is the
balance between incoming solar radiation (insolation)
and outgoing terrestrial radiation

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COMPOSITION OF THE ATMOSPHERE
The greenhouse effect if the atmosphere is a natural
and necessary phenomenon maintaining suitable
temperature for living systems

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COMPOSITION OF THE ATMOSPHERE
The greenhouse gases (GHGs) don’t make up a large
percentage of the atmosphere. Main naturally occurring
GHGs:
• Carbon dioxide
• Water vapour
• Methane
• Nitrous oxide

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THE ATMOSPHERE – ALBEDO EFFECT
Most clouds form in the troposphere and play an
important role in the albedo effect for the planet

Clouds reflect sunlight contributing to the cooling

effect of albedo. They also contribute to warming
at the same time, because they consist of
condensed water vapour, which retains heat.
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THE ATMOSPHERE – ALBEDO EFFECT

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STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE
1. Troposphere
• Where we live
• Water vapour
• Weather

2. Stratosphere
• Ozone (O2) layer
• Absorbs UV light

3. Mesosphere
• Burns up meteors and asteroids

4. Thermosphere
• Helium, atomic nitrogen, atomic oxygen
• Aurora borealis or northern/southern lights
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HUMAN ACTIVITY
Human activities impact the atmosphere composition
through altering inputs and outputs of the system.
Changes in the concentrations of atmosphere gases such
as ozone, carbon dioxide and water vapour have
significant effects on ecosystems

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HUMAN ACTIVITY

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