Atmosphere Evolution

• Atmosphere = The layer of gases that

surround the Earth
• Earth’s atmosphere traps the sun’s
energy to:
1.Keep Earth at a livable temperature
2.Allows water to exist as a liquid
• Why is this layer important?
• It provides all the necessary gases
(plus water) living things need to
survive.
 Atmosphere Evolution
• The Earth’s atmosphere has not always
been like it is today.
• Very first atmosphere:
 Composed of hydrogen and helium, trace
amounts of ammonia and methane, no O2.
 Left over from the solar system formation.
(Stars are mostly Hydrogen and Helium)
 As Earth formed, its gravity pulled the gases
close.
 Birth of sun/solar flare swept early
atmosphere away.
 Atmosphere Evolution

• 2nd Atmosphere formation:

• Gases from inside Earth escaped
through volcanoes and fissures in
Earth’s surface.
Atmosphere Evolution
 Atmosphere Evolution
• Second atmosphere
• Gases composed of 85% water
vapor, 10% carbon dioxide, & 5%
nitrogen.
• Still had no free oxygen.
• Very hot during this Precambrian
time. Why?
 Atmosphere Evolution
• Next stage:
• Free oxygen is
produced by
primitive plants
(stromatolites
and green algae)
by the process
of
photosynthesis.
 Atmosphere Evolution
• Free oxygen results in an ozone
(O3) forming in upper atmosphere.
 Atmosphere Evolution
• Ozone layer acts as a filter to
reduce amount of UV radiation
reaching Earth’s surface.
 Atmosphere Evolution
• Next:
• As Earth cools, water vapor
condensed to start forming oceans.
 Atmosphere Evolution
• Meteors and comets add water to
oceans. In some cases, one drop at
a time.
 Earth’s Atmosphere
Composition of Current Atmosphere:
• 78% Nitrogen
• 21% Oxygen
• 0.9% Argon
• Less than 0.1% total of Ne, He,
methane, and H2
• Variable (changing gases) include:
water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone,
sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.
 Structure of the Atmosphere

Troposphere:
• Lowest layer – between 8-16 Km
above the surface
• Thinnest layer, but contains 90% of
the atmosphere’s mass
• Almost all clouds and water vapor
• Top portion reaches -50º C
Structure of the Atmosphere
 Structure of the Atmosphere

Stratosphere:
• From 8-16 Km to 50 Km above Earth
• Radiation absorbed from ozone here
• Temps go from -50°C at the bottom of
this layer to 0º C at the top
Structure of the Atmosphere
 Structure of the Atmosphere

Mesosphere:
• From 50 Km to 80 Km above the
surface of the Earth
• 0° C at the bottom and -90º C at the
top
• Most meteors burn up in this layer
Structure of the Atmosphere
 Structure of the Atmosphere

Thermosphere:
• From 80 Km above the earth to
500 Km
• Very little air up here
• Auroras generally happen in this
layer or the upper mesosphere
Structure of the Atmosphere
 Structure of the Atmosphere

Ionosphere:
• Area within the upper mesosphere and
thermosphere
• Place with a large number of ions that
were stripped from O2 and N2 by high
frequency solar radiation
• Auroras or Northern Lights
37.2 Structure of the Atmosphere
 Structure of the Atmosphere

Exosphere:
• Above 500 Km above the Earth
• Thinning atmosphere turns into the
radiation belts and magnetic fields of
space
 Atmosphere Interaction
• The atmosphere interacts with the
geosphere (land) in 2 ways:
1. It protects the land from meteors that
usually burn up in the mesosphere.
2. It creates weather that leads to the
weathering, erosion , and deposition of
sediment.
• The Troposphere (lowest layer) is the
layer in which all weather occurs
 Atmosphere Interaction
• Weather – The condition of the Earth’s
atmosphere at particular time and place.
• Weather causes changes to the geosphere
(land) due to weathering and erosion.
• Hard rain and rapid temperature changes
can cause mechanical and chemical
weathering.
• Sediment is then moved (eroded) and
placed in a different location, altering the
geosphere
 Atmosphere Interaction
• The atmosphere interacts with the
hydrosphere(water) because it controls
how much heat is applied to different parts
of the Earth.
• How much heat is applied to a spot can
affect how much ocean evaporation or
glacial melting goes on. So, why do we
care?
 Atmosphere Interaction
• Extra evaporation increases the salinity of
the ocean.
• Extra glacial melting decreases the
salinity of the ocean.
• These salinity changes change the ocean
currents and what temperature water goes
where.
• This will then turn around and affect the
atmosphere and weather above or near
these ocean currents.