Weather vs Climate 01 10 2013 WEATHER vs CLIMATE the day to day conditions the statistical properties of the atmosphere of the atmosphere including measures of the average conditions variability etc constantly changing slow longterm changes the state or condition of the a description of aggregate atmosphere at a particular weather conditions time and place Comprised of various factors a sum of the daily and air pressure air temperature seasonal weather events humidity clouds precipitation over decades of years wind visibility etc averages of these factors Meteorology the science that studies the atmosphere Climatology the study of long term atmospheric conditions ORIGIN OF THE ATMOSPHERE A B C D 4 5 bya 3 1 5 bya 5 bya A B Earth cooled and gases accumulate atmosphere comprised of carbon dioxide nitrogen and methane BUT NO oxygen or ozone C D green plants widespread atmosphere takes on present conditions ozone levels increase and spread Main process for increased oxygen levels is photosynthesis COMPOSITION OF THE ATMOSPHERE a mixture of discrete gases with solid and liquid particles suspended in it Some components are fairly stable while others vary spatially and temporally constant gases found in same proportions within lower atmosphere variable gases present in differing amounts spatially and or temporally Constant Gases 3 gases make up just under 100 of the atmosphere Nitrogen N 78 Oxygen O2 21 Argon Ar 9 Variable Gases 3 which influence weather and life systems Carbon dioxide CO2 Water vapor H2O Ozone O3 Carbon dioxide absorbs radiant energy emitted by earth Water vapor quite variable throughout the atmosphere 4 by volume in tropics to 1 in deserts source of clouds and precipitation absorbs radiant energy important in energy transfer water is only substance found in all 3 states solid liquid gas Ozone 00005 by volume of the atmosphere formation is by splitting an O2 molecule with shortwave solar radiation and the single O atoms combining with an O2 OZONE HOLE Thought to be caused by increased amounts of chlorofluorocarbons CFC s in the atmosphere 1 loss of O3 leads to a 2 increase in Ultra Violet UV radiation absorbed at the earth s surface Consequences of less ozone Increased amounts of UV at surface increased cases of skin cancer and cataracts increased damage to plants and animals VERTICAL STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE Air Pressure force exerted buy the weight of a column of air above a given point at sea level the average air pressure is 1000mb or 1 kg above every square cm 50 of atmosphere is below 5 6 km 3 36 mi 90 of the atmosphere is below 16 km 9 6 mi Temperature T measure of the degree of hotness or coldess of a substance average molecular motion of an object T deg may decrease or increase with increasing altitude in the Troposphere it normall decreases 6 5 DegC km if the T deg increases with altitude it s called in inversion a change in the T deg with a change in altitude is called the lapse rate or the Temperature lapse rate Layers of the Atmosphere 2 general regions Homosphere uniform chemical composition from surface to a height of 80 100 km 50 63 mi Heterosphere changing chemical composition from top of homosphere upwards 4 main layers Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere 01 10 2013 01 10 2013