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 atmospheres 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 atmospheres 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,
Condensation nuclei
Liquid: Water droplets (cloud, fog)

volcanic dust

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