The Atmosphere

(Composition, General characteristics and Stability)

 Atmosphere
is a layer of gases surrounding
a planet or other material body of
sufficient mass that is held in place by
the gravity of the body.
is more likely to be retained if the gravity
is high and the atmosphere's
temperature is low.
 Vertical Structure
Troposphere
Lowest layer of the atmosphere
Depth = 8 to 16 km (3.6 to 10 miles)

Stratosphere
- Second lowest layer of atmosphere
- Depth = Approx. 20km (12 miles)
 Mesosphere
Third layer in the atmosphere
Depth = approx. 80km (50 miles)

Thermosphere
Outermost layer of atmosphere
Depth = begins t 80 km
 Additions
Tropopause
Transition zone where the temperature ceases
to decrease

Stratopause
Top of stratopause, temperatures continue to
increase
 Mesopause
Very top of the mesosphere, continuing into the
thermosphere

Ionosphere
Extends from the upper mesosphere into the
thermosphere
 Exosphere
The upper part of thermosphere

Magnetosphere
The area around the earth that extends beyond
the atmosphere
 Composition of the Atmosphere
The atmosphere is composed of a mix of several different
gases in differing amounts. The permanent gases whose
percentages do not change from day to day are nitrogen,
oxygen and argon. Nitrogen accounts for 78% of the
atmosphere, oxygen 21% and argon 0.9%. Gases like carbon
dioxide, nitrous oxides, methane, and ozone are trace gases that
account for about a tenth of one percent of the
atmosphere. Water vapor is unique in that its concentration
varies from 0-4% of the atmosphere depending on where you
are and what time of the day it is. In the cold, dry artic regions
water vapor usually accounts for less than 1% of the
atmosphere, while in humid, tropical regions water vapor can
account for almost 4% of the atmosphere. Water vapor content
is very important in predicting weather.
P[[
 Homosphere
The lowest 80km of the atmosphere, which the
relative abundance of permanent gases is
constant.
Heterosphere
The high atmosphere where gases are not well
mixed but rather are stratified according to
weight
 Atmospheric stability
is a measure of the atmosphere's tendency to
encourage or deter vertical motion, and
vertical motion is directly correlated to
different types of weather systems and their
severity. In unstable conditions, a lifted
parcel of air will be warmer than the
surrounding air at altitude.
 Absolutely unstable : if the environmental
lapse rate is greater than 9.8 C per kilometer
(i.e. greater than the dry adiabatic rate), then
any rising parcel, saturated or not, will be
warmer than it's environment. The parcel will
be buoyant in this case, and so the
atmosphere is characterized as absolutely
unstable.
 Conditionally unstable : if the environmental
lapse rate lies in the range between 4 C per
kilometer and 9.8 C per kilometer, then the
atmosphere is characterized as conditionally
unstable. A rising parcel could become buoyant
if at some point it becomes saturated. Whether
it becomes saturated depends on the surface
temperature and humidity.
 Absolutely stable : if the environmental lapse
rate is less than 4 C per kilometer, then any
rising air parcel will be colder than the
environment, and will sink back down. The
atmosphere is characterized as absolutely
stable because no matter if the parcel is
saturated or not, it cannot become buoyant.