1. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Earth Atmosphere
Chapter 3
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

2. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Earth Atmosphere
Chapter 3
1) Composition of the atmosphere 2) Structure of the atmosphere -Principle layers 3) Air Pressure, Density, and Temperature Structure
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

3. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is a thin layer of gases that surround the Earth.
The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention and reducing temperature extremes between day and night.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

4. How did the atmosphere change?
Methane is made up carbon and hydrogen.
Ammonia, is composed of nitrogen and hydrogen.
Sunlight caused chemical reaction among the methane, ammonia and water in the air.
New materials, nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon dioxide, were formed as the methane and ammonia broke down.
Methane is an important gas in “global warming”
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

5. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Solid Particles
Tiny particles of dust, smoke dirt and salt float in the air.
Dust in the air comes from the eruption of volcanoes.
Dirt and smoke comes from people as they burn fuels and drive cars.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

6. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Today’s Atmosphere
600 million years ago the amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere began to level off.
Since that time, the composition of the atmosphere has remained fairly constant.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

7. Composition of Atmosphere
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

8. Layers of the Atmosphere
The atmosphere is divided into layers according to the major changes in its temperature. Layers with thinner particles can hold less heat.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

9. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Air Pressure
The layers of air that surround the Earth are held close to it by the force of gravity.
Because of gravity, the layers of air push down on the Earth’s surface. This is called air pressure.
The upper layers push down on the lower layers so the air pressure near the surface is greater than the air pressure further away.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

10. Structure of the atmosphere
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

11. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
The Troposphere
This is the layer closest to the Earth.
Weather occurs in this layer. Life occurs in the troposphere.
Temperature decreases with height because the troposphere is heated by the surface and not directly by sunlight.
80% of the atmosphere’s mass
This layer contains 99% of the water vapor.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

12. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
The Stratosphere
The stratosphere extends from the troposphere to an altitude of about 50 km.
temperature increases with height
The ozone layer, which protects against harmful UV radiations, is here.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

13. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
The Mesosphere
In the mesosphere, 50-90km above the earth, the temperature begins to decrease to –100 degrees C.
The upper region is the coldest. If water vapor is present thin clouds of ice form
Most meteors burn up in this layer
The mesosphere protects the Earth from meteoroids.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

14. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
The Thermosphere
The air is very thin. The density of the atmosphere and the air pressure are one ten-millionth of what they are at the Earth’s surface.
The temperature is very high in this layer because the rays from the sun are absorbed in this layer.
This layer contains the ionosphere, which causes the reflection of radio waves.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

15. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
The Exosphere
The upper thermosphere is called the exosphere.
The exosphere extends from 550 km above the surface for thousands of km. The air is very thin.
Artificial satellites orbit in the exosphere.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

16. Temperature in the Layers
The sun is the source of energy for Earth. As the sun’s light passes through the layers some layers contain gases that absorb the energy.
The troposphere is warmed mainly by heat from the ground.
The air temperature decreases 6.5º every kilometer you climb up.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

17. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Temperature of Layers
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

18. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Ozone Layer
Most of the ozone in the atmosphere is found between 16 km and 60 km about the surface of the Earth.
Ozone molecules absorb much of the het and Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun..
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

19. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Ozone Layer
The oxygen that was left behind joined together, in sets of three, to form a gas known as ozone.
The ozone layer absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from space.
O2 + hν → O + O
O + O2 + M → O3 + M
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

20. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Ionosphere
Within the mesosphere and the thermosphere is a layer of electrically charged particles called the Ionosphere. It allows radio waves to travel around the earth.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

21. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Hole in the Ozone Layer
The destruction of ozone molecules by CFCs seems to cause a seasonal reduction in ozone over Antarctica called the Ozone hole.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

22. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Atmospheric Layers
The layers are identified based on how temperature changes with height
Troposphere – temperature decreases with height
Stratosphere – temperature increases with height
Mesosphere – temperature decreases with height
Thermosphere – temperature increases with height
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

23. Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad
Layers of the Atmosphere
Layer
Temperature
Special Qualities
Troposphere
0 to 15 km
Decreases as you climb.
On average from 17oC to -52oC
Weather occurs in this layer, as does the greenhouse effect.
Contains 75% of the atmosphere by mass and 90% of the water vapor in the atmosphere.
Stratosphere
15 to 50 km
Increases as you climb.
The top of the layer is about
-3oC.
Planes cruise near the bottom of the stratosphere.
The ozone layer, which protects against harmful UV radiations, is here.
Contains 20% of the atmosphere by mass.
Mesosphere
50 to 85 km
Temperatures as low as -90oC.
Coldest layer.
Most meteors burn up in this layer.
Contains very few molecules of atmosphere.
Thermosphere
85 to 1,000 km
Increases as you go up.
Temperatures as high as 2,000oC!
This layer contains the ionosphere, which causes the northern lights and the reflection of radio waves.
Meteorology \ Dr. Mazin sherzad

24. 3) Air Pressure, Density, and Temperature Structure
4) Atmosphere Hazards