ENVIRON 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Tropospheric Ozone, Solar Wind, Atmospheric Circulation
4 May 2018
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January 15, 2015 Lecture Notes
Oceans, Atmosphere, and Case Studies
Ozone is harmful to lungs when it’s in the environment, but it’s good in the stratosphere because it
absorbs UV radiation
THE OCEANS
Heat capacity of water
o Regulates climate; currents move heat from equator to the poles
Enormous biological activity (esp. shallow waters near land)
o More light penetration
o Nutrient runoff from continents
Gyres driven by various factors
o Wind, spinning of earth, temperature and salinity
Why is ocean salty?
o Salt comes from rocks; water evaporates, leaving salt behind
Equatorial water heated and driven west
o Moves until the water crashes into a continent, split, and then move north or south
climate regulation
Currents move in 3D
o When water reaches equator, it pulls out pure water to form glaciers, water becomes
denser because of the salt left behind, and it sinks
o Upwelling of deep, cold water also contributes to nutrients in shallow waters
Oceanic and atmospheric circulation are coupled
o Westward movement of water at equator is, in part, driven by a atmospheric convective
loop
El Nino and La Nina
o El Nino – winds weaken, warm water sloshes to the east and prevents the cold upwelling
o La Nina – winds are strong and cold water spreads west (the opposite)
o Sustained differences in sea surface temperatures of greater than half a degree Celsius
▪ Less than 5 months: condition
▪ More than 5 months: episodes
▪ Occurs irregularly, particularly lasts 1-2 years
THE ATMOSPHERE
Magnetosphere: influence of Earth’s magnetic forces extend out tens of thousands of miles
o Shields Earth from solar wind
Thermosphere: Mostly elemental H, He, and O
o Very thin (where space shuttle flies)
o Temperature high but not much heat
▪ Not a lot of molecules to have that energy but molecules absorb a lot of energy
o Aurora
Mesosphere: Lots more nitrogen, water, oxygen, and ozone
o Much colder (to -100 degrees Celsius)
Stratosphere: Mixes layer of gases rich in ozone
o Shields troposphere and lower earth from UV radiation
Troposphere: where weather happens
o Tropopause: blocks mixing
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Ozone is harmful to lungs when it"s in the environment, but it"s good in the stratosphere because it absorbs uv radiation. Heat capacity of water: regulates climate; currents move heat from equator to the poles. Enormous biological activity (esp. shallow waters near land: more light penetration, nutrient runoff from continents. Gyres driven by various factors: wind, spinning of earth, temperature and salinity. Why is ocean salty: salt comes from rocks; water evaporates, leaving salt behind. Equatorial water heated and driven west: moves until the water crashes into a continent, split, and then move north or south climate regulation. Oceanic and atmospheric circulation are coupled: westward movement of water at equator is, in part, driven by a atmospheric convective. Magnetosphere: influence of earth"s magnetic forces extend out tens of thousands of miles. Mesosphere: lots more nitrogen, water, oxygen, and ozone: much colder (to -100 degrees celsius)
