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2. Chapter 1: The Earth’s Atmosphere
Overview of the Earth’s atmosphere
Vertical structure of the atmosphere
Weather and climate
Q: You can live for a few minutes only:
a) without air
b) without water
c) without food

3. Overview of the Earth’s Atmosphere
when the earth is scaled to the size
of an apple, 99% of atmosphere is
no thicker than the skin on an apple
Water vapor molecules are invisible:
clouds;
sink: condensation/deposition
source: evaporation/sublimation
transpiration
Fig.1.2

4. Composition of the Atmosphere
permanent gases
Nitrogen
source: decaying of plant and animal matter
sink: soil bacteria;
ocean plankton
Oxygen
source: plant photosynthesis (sun + CO2 + H2O
lead to sugar and O2)
sink: organic matter decay
breathing (take in O2, release CO2)

5. Q: which is the most important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere?
a) water vapor; b) carbon dioxide; c) methane, d) ozone
380 ppm = 380/106 = 380 * 10-4/102 = 0.038%
Table 1-1, p. 3

6. Composition of the Atmosphere
Carbon dioxide and the greenhouse gases
ozone
aerosols
pollutants
Ozone at high altitudes
(stratosphere) is “good”; ozone at low altitudes
(troposphere) is “bad.”
Fig. 1.4

7. Q: List three sources and two sinks of CO2 in the atmosphere
Stepped Art
Fig. 1-3, p. 4

8. The Early Atmosphere the first atmosphere: hydrogen, helium
outgassing and the second atmosphere
water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrogen
evolution of the atmosphere:
carbon dioxide and oxygen
The evolution of life and the atmosphere are closely linked.

9. Vertical Structure of the Earth’s Atmosphere
Radiosonde launched twice a
day to measure temperature,
humidity, wind, and pressure
of the lowest 30 km above
surface
Q: where is the balloon launched
in Tucson? a) airport;
b) Mt. Lemmon, c) UA campus

10. A Brief Look at Air Pressure and Air Density
air density: mass per unit volume
air pressure: air weight above a level
sea-level pressure
Surface pressure: 1013 mb = 1013 hPa = in.Hg
Q: Baseballs travel farther in higher-altitude air (Denver) than they do in lower-altitude air: true or false?

11. Figure 1.7: Both air pressure and air density decrease with increasing altitude.
Fig. 1-7, p. 8

12. b) 23% Q: what is the percentage of O2 at the top of Mt. Everest
compared with
sea level?
a) 13%
b) 23%
c) 33%
d) 43%
Figure 1.8: Atmospheric pressure decreases rapidly with height. Climbing to an altitude of only 5.5 km, where the pressure is 500 mb, would put you above one-half of the atmosphere’s molecules.
Fig. 1-8, p. 9

13. Layers of the Atmosphere
vertical temperature profile
Troposphere
lapse rate: 6.5degC/1km;
temperature inversion
Stratosphere
O3 absorption
mesosphere
Thermosphere
O2 absorption

14. The Ionosphere electrified regions of the atmosphere
D, E and F regions
radio waves
When the radio was invented by G. Marconi in the early 20th century, it was not known how radio waves traveled long distances through the atmosphere.

15. Figure 1.11: At night, the higher region of the ionosphere (F region) strongly reflects AM radio waves, allowing them to be sent over great distances. During the day, the lower D region strongly absorbs and weakens AM radio waves, preventing them from being picked up by distant receivers.
Fig. 1-11, p. 13

16. Weather and Climate Satellites Radar Radiosonde Aircraft
Weather station
See ATMO web site

17. Elements of Weather air temperature air pressure humidity clouds
precipitation
visibility
wind
Certain weather elements, like clouds, visibility and wind, are of particular interest to pilots.

18. Climate average weather extremes
Q: What is the difference between weather and climate?

19. A Satellite’s View of the Weather
geostationary satellites
Atmospheric observation from satellites was an important technological development in meteorology. Other important developments include computers, internet, and Doppler radar.

20. Storms of all Sizes midlatitude cyclonic storms
hurricanes and tropical storms
thunderstorms
tornadoes
Storms are very exciting, but they also play an important role in moving heat and moisture around throughout the atmosphere.

21. Figure 1.15: Doppler radar has the capacity of estimating rainfall intensity. In this composite image, the areas shaded green and blue indicate where light-to-moderate rain is falling. Yellow indicates heavier rainfall. The red-shaded area represents the heaviest rainfall and the possibility of intense thunderstorms. Notice that a thunderstorm is approaching Chicago from the west.
Fig. 1.17
Fig. 1.15

22. A Look at a Weather Map wind speed and direction
cyclones and anticyclones
fronts
Wind direction is defined in the opposite way as ocean currents: a southerly current means water is moving towards the south.

23. a) southerly, b) northerly, c) easterly, d) westerly
Figure 1.13: Simplified surface weather map that correlates with the satellite image shown in Fig The shaded green area represents precipitation. The numbers on the map represent air temperatures in °F.
Q: What is the wind direction in Chicago?
a) southerly, b) northerly, c) easterly, d) westerly
Fig. 1-13, p. 17

24. Weather and Climate in our Lives
wind chill, frostbite and hypothermia
heat exhaustion and heat stroke
cold spells, dry spells and heat waves
severe thunderstorms and flash floods
The mathematical formula for determining the wind chill temperature has recently been revised due to new experiments.

25. Figure 1.16: Ice storm near Oswego, New York, caused utility poles and power lines to be weighed down, forcing road closure.
Fig. 1-16, p. 19

26. Fig. 1.19
Figure 1.18: Flooding during April, 1997, inundates Grand Forks, North Dakota, as flood waters of the Red River extend over much of the city.
Fig. 1-18, p. 20