GEOL 212 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Lapse Rate, Solar Wind, Thermosphere
26 Dec 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
On any planet, atmospheric pressure (density) decreases smoothly with increasing elevation. Temperature is more complex, and allows us to define distinct atmospheric layers: Troposphere: the zone of rapid temperature decrease with increasing height. Also the zone of atmospheric convection and, consequently, of weather - variable atmospheric conditions (e. g. of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind characteristics, and atmospheric pressure) in a particular regions at a specific times. The troposphere is warmed by infrared radiation from the planet"s surface (which has been directly illuminated by visible sunlight) with increasing elevation, heat from this source diminishes rapidly, causing rapid cooling. Mesosphere: becomes cooler with increasing altitude but at a much lower rate. Thermosphere: the air is so thin that it mixes with the solar wind, the flow of very hot charged particles from the sun, and is heated and, to various degrees ionized by it. With two notable exceptions, the atmospheres of the solar system conform to this schematic: venus, mars.
