GEOG 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Soot, Ozone Depletion, Particulates
Document Summary
Both beneficial and harmful to life on earth. Ozone near the surface of the earth what we don"t want. May vary from near 0%-4% of the atmosphere. Clouds can have either a warming or cooling effect on air temperature. Clouds reflect much solar radiation and may cool the surface; alternatively, clouds may absorb and re-emit terrestrial radiation warming the surface. Dust, soot, dirt, smoke, salt crystals, bacteria, plant spores and tiny particles of pollutants. From oceans when waves hit and evaporation occurs. Particulates diffuse sunlight reducing the amount and intensity of solar radiation reaching the earth"s surface. Particulates may decrease significant amounts of incoming solar radiation and can cause global temperatures to decrease. However, particulates can absorb longwave radiation emitted: temperature within the atmosphere by the earth. 90% of total mass of atmosphere and most of water vapor, clouds, air. Tropopause the upper limit of mixing derived from surface and the pollution upper limit of most water vapor.
