ESS124
Prof. Jin-Yi Yu
(from Understanding
Weather & Climate)
Troposphere (“overturning” sphere)
§ contains 80% of the mass
§ surface heated by solar radiation
§ strong vertical motion
§ where most weather events occur
Stratosphere (“layer” sphere)
§ weak vertical motions
§ dominated by radiative processes
§ heated by ozone absorption of solar
ultraviolet (UV) radiation
§ warmest (coldest) temperatures at
summer
(winter) pole
Mesosphere
§ heated by solar radiation at the base
§ heat dispersed upward by vertical motion
Thermosphere
§ very little mass
Standard Atmosphere
lapse rate = 6.5 C/km
Vertical Thermal Structure
middle
atmosphere