ATM 103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Lapse Rate, Thermosphere, Tropopause

• School: Stony Brook University
• Department: Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies
• Course: ATM 103
• Professor: Kevin Reed

Document Summary

Vertical structure pressure and density decrease with height in the atmosphere. Lapse rate is rate of decrease in temperature with altitude. Hot air less dense, cold air more dense. Warm air decrease faster, cold air does not change that fast. Differences in surface temperature and vertical mixing cause variation in tropopause height. Ozone and the stratosphere: ozone is (cid:272)o(cid:374)(cid:272)e(cid:374)trated arou(cid:374)d 25k(cid:373) a(cid:271)ove earth"s surfa(cid:272)e, ozone molecules absorb dangerous kinds on sunlight (radiation), heating up the surrounding air. In 1985 it was discovered that ozone layer disappears in the spring over antarctica. The sun is never directly in the sky. The gradual change in day length accounts for some of the differences in the season. A change in angle of the sun (altitude) also cause a significant role. In september and march + 12housr of day spring and fall. Kinetic energy describes an object in motion: the faster the motion, the greater the energy.