GEO 155 1st Edition Lecture 2 Composition Vertical Structure of the Atmosphere Atmosphere constructed of Gases Liquids Solids o Particulates dust water droplets smoke salt etc Constant Gases 99 83 of the atmosphere consists of Nitrogen 78 1 Oxygen O2 20 8 Argon 0 93 Trace Gases few parts per million ppm include Helium Hydrogen Variable Gases Water Vapor 3 ppm 4 Carbon Dioxide in 1750 280 ppm in December 2014 398 78 ppm Methane in 1750 0 7 0 9 ppm in 2012 1 8 ppm Ozone O3 0 1 10 ppm Vertical Compression Changes Torricelli Discovered that the weight of the atmosphere was only heavy enough to push water up through a pump s hose up to 10 meters into the ground Led to the discovery of the barometer more atmospheric pressure water rises higher Used mercury because it was denser so it rose to 29 9 inches Measured in millibars mb 1 mb 100 N m 2 At the surface 1013 mb These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute Note Atmosphere puts pressure on itself Thus it goes through half of the remaining atmosphere every 5 5 km As the altitude decreases pressure increases Vertical Temperature Changes Altitudes increase from the Troposphere to the Thermosphere layer of the atmosphere from 0 km to over 100 km 1 Troposphere first layer closest to the earth temperatures increase from the peak down to 0 km 2 Stratosphere second layer separated by the tropopause ozone layer temperatures decrease from its peak to its lowest point 3 Mesosphere third layer temperatures increase from its peak to its lowest point 4 Thermosphere last layer temperatures continue to rises exponentially from its lowest point Ozone absorbs UV radiation Solar Radiation Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo Violet Ultra Violet
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