GY 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Thermosphere
19 Feb 2018
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Chapter 1: the atmosphere: atmosphere gaseous portio(cid:374) of a pla(cid:374)et, the pla(cid:374)et"s e(cid:374)velope of air. Atmospheric composition: mostly mixture of gases, contains: gas and aerosols. Water vapor (variable gas: most important/abundant, greenhouse gas absorbs ir radiation, added or removed from atmosphere through the hydraulic cycle, 0% over deserts/polar regions, 4% over the tropics. Aerosols (variable gas: tiny solid/liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere, originate from many natural and human sources. Ozone (variable gas: chemical composition, most occurs between 10-50 km a(cid:271)ove the earth"s surfa(cid:272)e i(cid:374) the stratosphere, absorbs uv from the sun. Atmosphere thickness: top is undefined, thin layer when compared to solid earth. Layers of atmosphere: top: thermosphere, middle: mesosphere stratosphere, bottom: troposphere. Troposphere: heated fro(cid:373) earth"s surfa(cid:272)e, temperature decreased with height, thinnest layer contains 85% of atmospheric mass. Stratosphere: 12-50 km from earth, temperature increases with height, 15% of atmospheric mass, 90% of ozone, heated from the sun.
