ATM OCN
(Meteorology)
100
PHYSICAL & CHEMICAL COMPOSITION of the EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
Summer 2000
Lecture #2-A Scheduled for:
13 JUN 2000 (T)
Recommended Readings from Moran and Morgan (1997):
pages 16-21; 25-28.
NOTE:
This lecture continues as
Atmospheric Pressure
Today's Lecture Objectives:
To locate the homosphere and the heterosphere and distinguish the features of each region.
To rank the major gaseous constituents found in the present earth's atmosphere according to their relative volumetric concentration.
To discuss the importance of the atmospheric components: major fixed gases, carbon dioxide, water vapor, ozone and dust.
To identify how the earth's atmospheric constituents have evolved by outlining the principal events in the evolution of the earth's atmosphere.
To explain how human activities could influence the composition of the present earth's atmosphere.
To identify the factors that determine the capability of a planet to maintain an atmosphere.
To locate the ionosphere and describe its origin and implications for radio transmission.
To locate the region of maximum auroral activity and explain its occurrence.
Outline:
A. PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
B. PRESENT EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
Background
Early Classical Greek Thought
Modern Chemistry Terminology (
Elements, Compounds, Mixtures
)
Vertical Variations of the Atmospheric Composition
HOMOSPHERE
HETEROSPHERE
Constituents of Air in the Homosphere
Principal Fixed Permanent Gases of Dry Air in the Homosphere
Principal Variable gases in the Homosphere
Anthropogenic Substances
Aerosols (Liquids or solids suspended in the Atmosphere)
Principal Gases in the Heterosphere
C. ORIGIN & EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
General History of the Atmosphere
Rationale for Current Composition
Effects of Human Intervention
D. ATMOSPHERES OF OTHER PLANETS - COMPARATIVE PLANETOLOGY
General Composition Considerations
Atmospheric Composition of the Planets
E. VARIATION OF CHARGED PARTICLES WITH HEIGHT
Composition (Ions)
Location
Ionosphere
Magnetosphere
Implications
Radio communications
Aurora Borealis (Australis)
The Reasons for the Ionosphere
NOTE:
This lecture continues as
Atmospheric Pressure
Links to Other References:
Additional information can be found on the Internet through the following sites:
NOAA's Space Weather Page
from Space Environment Center
The Aurora Page
From Michigan Tech
Aurora Borealis - The Northern Lights
Auroral activity maps from Univ. of Alaska-Fairbanks
Planetary information
from National Space Science Data Center (NASA in NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD).
NASA Lewis Participation in Mars Pathfinder
Last revision 9 June 2000 (1850 UTC)
Produced by Edward J. Hopkins, Ph.D.
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 53706
hopkins@meteor.wisc.edu
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