ATOC 181 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Outgassing, Thin Film, Water Cycle
1 May 2016
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Atmosphere: gaseous part extends from surface to exosphere (fading into space) The systems interact with each other through many processes (hydrological cycle, carbon cycle, human activities) Nearly 150 million km separate the sun and earth, yet solar radiation drives the. Thin film of gases and tiny particles (aerosols) surrounding the earth. o. 99% of mass is confined to a layer of 0. 25% of earth"s diameter. Atmosphere is 100km deep (fading into space) but most of the weather is contained in the lowest layer, from the surface up to 10-16km. Planet earth was born 4. 6 billion years ago. o. First atmosphere consisted mainly of gaseous hydrogen (h2) and helium (he), which escaped into space due to high temperatures at the early times. outgassing of lava, ashes, gases from volcanoes supply water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. o. Mean global surface air temperature between 85-110 celsius (compared to 15 degrees celsius now. )
