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Earth’s Modern Atmosphere
3Key Learning Concepts for Chapter 3
The following learning concepts help guide the
student’s reading and comprehension efforts.
The operative word is in italics. These are
included in each chapter of Geosystems. The
student is told: “after reading the chapter you
should be able to”:
• Draw a diagram showing three profiles of
atmospheric structure based on three criteria for
analysis—composition, temperature, and
function.
• List and describe the components of the
modern atmosphere, giving their relative
percentage contributions by volume.
• Describe conditions within the stratosphere;
specifically, review the function and status of
the ozonosphere, or ozone layer.
• Distinguish between natural and anthropogenic
pollutants in the lower atmosphere.
• Construct a simple diagram illustrating the
pollution from photochemical reactions in motor
vehicle exhaust, and describe the sources and
effects of industrial smog.
Overview
We examine the modern atmosphere using
the criteria of composition, temperature, and
function. Our look at the atmosphere also
includes the spatial impacts of both natural and
human-produced air pollution. We all interact
with the atmosphere with each breath we take,
the energy we consume, the travelling we do,
and the products we buy. Human activities cause
stratospheric ozone losses and the blight of acid
deposition on ecosystems. These matters are
essential to physical geography, for they are
influencing the atmospheric composition of the
future.
Earth’s atmosphere is a unique reservoir of
gases, the product of billions of years of
development. This chapter examines its structure,
function, and composition, starting from outer
space and descending through the various layers
and regions of the atmosphere to the surface of
Earth. A consideration of our modern
atmosphere must also include the spatial aspects
of human-induced problems that affect it, such as
air pollution, the stratospheric ozone
predicament, and the blight of acid deposition.
The modern atmosphere is an essential
medium for life processes. We feel its
significance during every space flight and
witness the equipment and safeguards needed
to protect humans when they venture outside
life-sustaining and protective cover of the
atmosphere.
An interesting thought exercise is to take the
idea of an astronaut doing a spacewalk (EVA).
Refer to the photo of astronaut Mark Lee in
Figure GN 3.1, or Felix Baumgartner in Figure
GN 3.3. If you were in charge of designing and
constructing the spacesuit, your design would
have to accomplish the protection shown in
Figure 3.4.
As before, a list of key learning concepts
begins the chapter and is used to organize the
Summary and Review section, with definitions,
key terms and page numbers, and review
questions grouped under each objective. At the
beginning of each chapter a section titled “In
This Chapter” introduces the chapter’s content
in a succinct statement.
Outline Headings and Key Terms
The first-, second-, and third-order headings that
divide Chapter 3 serve as an outline. The key
terms and concepts that appear boldface in the
text are listed here under their appropriate
heading in bold italics. All these highlighted
terms appear in the text glossary. Note the
check-off box () so you can mark class
progress. These terms should be in your
reading notes or used to prepare note cards.
The outline headings and terms for
Chapter 3:
Geosystems Now “Humans help define the
atmosphere”
Geosystems An Introduction to Physical Geography Updated Canadian 4th Edition Christopherson Solutions Manual
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Atmospheric Composition,
Temperature, and Function
 air
 exosphere
Atmospheric Profile
 air pressure
Atmospheric Composition
Criterion
Heterosphere
 heterosphere
Homosphere
 homosphere
Carbon Dioxide
Atmospheric Temperature
Criterion
Thermosphere
 thermosphere
 thermopause
 kinetic energy
Mesosphere
 mesosphere
 noctilucent clouds
Stratosphere
 stratosphere
Troposphere
 troposphere
 tropopause
 normal lapse rate
 environmental lapse
rate
Atmospheric Function Criterion
Ionosphere
 ionosphere
Ozonosphere
 ozonosphere
 ozone layer
UV Index Helps Save Your Skin
Pollutants in the Atmosphere
 pollutants
Natural Sources of Air Pollution
 aerosols
Anthropogenic Pollution
 carbon monoxide
(CO)
Photochemical Smog Pollution
 photochemical smog
 volotile organic
compounds (VOCs)
 nitrogen dioxide
(NO2)
 peroxyacetyl nitrates
(PAN)
 volatile organic
compounds (VOCs)
Industrial Smog and Sulfur
Oxides
 industrial smog
 sulfur dioxide (SO2)
 sulfate aerosols
Particulates/Aerosols
 particulate
matter (PM)
Natural Factors that Affect Air
Pollution
Winds
Local and Regional Landscapes
Temperature Inversion
 temperature
inversion
Benefits of the Clean Air Act
The Human Denominator 3 The Shared
Global Atmosphere
Geosystems Connection
A Quantitative Solution: Lapse Rates
Key Learning Concepts Review
Mastering Geography
Visual Analysis 3 The Atmosphere and
Inversion Layers
Focus Studies, Critical Thinking, Geo
Reports and Geosystems in Action
Focus Study 3.1 Stratospheric Ozone Losses:
A Continuing Health Hazard
Focus Study 3.2 Acid Deposition: Damaging to
Ecosystems
Critical Thinking 3.1: Where is your
tropopause?
Critical Thinking 3.2: Finding your local ozone
Critical Thinking 3.3: Evaluating costs and
benefits
Geo Report 3.1 Earth’s evolving atmosphere
Geo Report 3.2: Outside the airplane
Geo Report 3.3: Human sources of
atmospheric carbon dioxide
Geo Report 3.4: NASA’s Global Hawks make
scientific flights
Geo Report 3.5: Carbon monoxide—the
colourless, odorless pollutant
Geosystems in Action 3 Air Pollution
22
Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
URLs listed in Chapter 3
Baumgartner jump:
• www.redbullstratos.com
• vimeo.com/10992331
CO2 monitoring:
• ftp://ftp.cmdl.noaa.gov/ccg/co2/trends/
co2_mm_mlo.txt
• www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions
Noctilucent clouds:
• lasp.colorado.edu/science/atmospheric
Ionosphere:
• science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-
nasa/2008/30apr_4dionosphere_launch
Stratospheric ozone predicament:
• ozoneaq.gsfc.nasa.gov/ozone_overhead
_all_v8.md
• www.ec.gc.ca/uv/default_asp?lang=En&n=C
74058DD-1/
• www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html
• www.ec.gc.ca/ozone/
• ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/
• ozone.unep.org/new_site/en/index.php
• earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOf
Change/ozone.php
• earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/
view.php?id=49874
• www.aeryon.com/products/avs/aeryon-
skyranger.html
Air pollution observations and agreements:
• www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution
• www.lung.org
Acid deposition:
• www.hubbardbrook.org
Chapter Review Questions
• Draw a diagram showing three profiles of
atmospheric structure based on three criteria for
analysis—composition, temperature, and
function.
1. What is air? Where did the components in
Earth’s present atmosphere originate?
Earth’s atmosphere is a unique reservoir of
gases, the product of billions of years of
development. The modern atmosphere is
probably Earth’s fourth general atmosphere. The
principal substance of this atmosphere is air, the
medium of life as well as a major industrial and
chemical raw material. Air is a simple additive
mixture of gases that is naturally odorless,
colourless, tasteless, and formless, blended so
thoroughly that it behaves as if it were a single
gas.
This modern atmosphere is, in reality, a
gaseous mixture of ancient origins—the sum of
all the exhalations and inhalations of life on
Earth throughout time.
2. Characterise the various functions the
atmosphere performs that protect the
surface environment.
A membrane around a cell regulates the
interactions of the delicate inner workings of that
cell and the potentially disruptive outer environ-
ment. Each membrane is very selective as to
what it will and will not allow to pass. The modern
atmosphere acts as Earth’s protective membrane.
The atmosphere absorbs and interacts with
harmful wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation,
the streams of charged particles in the solar wind,
and natural and human-caused space debris—all
protecting the delicate aspects of the biosphere in
the lower troposphere. As critical as the
atmosphere is to us, it represents only a thin-
skinned envelope amounting to less than one-
millionth of the total mass of Earth.
3. What three distinct criteria are employed
in dividing the atmosphere for study?
The atmosphere is conveniently classified using
three criteria: composition, temperature, and
function. Based on chemical composition the
atmosphere is divided into two broad regions:
the heterosphere and the homosphere. Based
on temperature the atmosphere is divided into
four distinct zones: the thermosphere,
mesosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere.
Finally, two specific zones are identified on the
basis of function relative to their role of removing
most of the harmful wavelengths of solar
radiation—these are the ionosphere and the
ozonosphere, or ozone layer. See the right-hand
column in Figure 3.1.
4. Describe the overall temperature profile of
the atmosphere and list the four layers
defined by temperature.
The temperature profile in Figure 3.1 shows that
temperatures rise sharply in the thermosphere,
up to 1200°C and higher at the top of the
atmosphere. Individual molecules of nitrogen
and oxygen and atoms of oxygen are excited to
high levels of vibration from the intense radiation
present in this portion of the atmosphere. This
kinetic energy, the energy of motion, is the
vibrational energy stated as temperature,
although the density of the molecules is so low
23
Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
that little heat is produced. Heating in the lower
atmosphere closer to Earth differs because the
active molecules in the denser atmosphere
transmit their kinetic energy as sensible heat.
The mesosphere is the coldest portion of the
atmosphere, averaging –90°C, although that
temperature may vary by 25C° to 30C°.
Temperatures increase throughout the
stratosphere from –57°C at 20 km (tropopause),
warming to freezing at 50 km (stratopause). The
tropopause is defined by an average
temperature of –57°C, but its exact location
varies with the seasons of the year, latitude, and
sea level temperatures and pressures.
Tropospheric temperatures decrease with
increasing altitude at an average of 6.4C° per
km, a rate known as the normal lapse rate. The
actual lapse rate at any particular time and place
under local weather conditions is called the
environmental lapse rate, and may vary greatly
from the normal lapse rate.
5. Describe the two divisions of the
atmosphere on the basis of composition.
Heterosphere and homosphere—the former
organized in layers based on the weight of gases,
and the latter an even mixture of gases, “air.”
6. What are the two primary functional layers
of the atmosphere and what does each do?
Ionosphere (absorbs gamma rays, X-rays, and
all wavelengths shorter than ultraviolet); and the
ozonosphere (absorbs most wavelengths of
ultraviolet, letting only a small portion through to
the surface).
• List and describe the components of the
modern atmosphere, giving their relative
percentage contributions by volume.
7. Name the four most prevalent stable gases
in the homosphere. Where did each originate?
Is the amount of any of these changing at this
time?
Symbol % by Vol. Parts per million
N2 78.084 780,840
O2 20.946 209,460
Ar 0.934 9,340
CO2 0.0399 399
The atmosphere is a vast reservoir of
relatively inert nitrogen, principally originating
from volcanic sources. In the soil, nitrogen is
bound up by nitrogen-fixing bacteria and is
returned to the atmosphere by denitrifying
bacteria that remove it from organic materials.
Oxygen, a by-product of photosynthesis, is
essential for life processes. Along with other
elements, oxygen forms compounds that
compose about half of Earth’s crust. Argon is a
residue from the radioactive decay of a form of
potassium (
40
K). A slow process of
accumulation accounts for all that is present in
the modern atmosphere. Argon is completely
inert and as a noble gas is unusable in life
processes. Although it has increased over the
past 200 years, carbon dioxide is included in
this list of stable gases. It is a natural by-
product of life processes, and the implications of
its current increase are critical to society and
the future. The role of carbon dioxide in the
gradual warming of Earth is discussed in
Chapters 5 and 10.
• Describe conditions within the stratosphere;
specifically, review the function and status of
the ozonosphere, or ozone layer.
8. Why is stratospheric ozone (O3) so
important? Describe the effects created by
increases in ultraviolet light reaching the
surface.
Ozone absorbs wavelengths of ultraviolet light
and subsequently reradiates this energy at
longer wavelengths, as infrared energy. Through
this process, most harmful ultraviolet radiation is
converted, effectively “filtering” it and safeguarding
life at Earth’s surface. See Focus Study 3.1 for
greater discussion of the effects caused by ozone
depletion.
9. Summarize the ozone predicament and
describe treaties to protect the ozone layer.
See Focus Study 3.1. Environment Canada has
a scientific observatory to study the ozone layer
over Canada. This high-Arctic facility now is
operational at a remote weather station near
Eureka on Ellesmere Island, N.W.T., about 1000
km from the North Pole. The Arctic ozone
depletion affects concentrations at lower
latitudes and thus should draw the United States
into further cooperation.
10. Evaluate Crutzen, Rowland, and Molina’s
use of the scientific method in investigating
stratospheric ozone depletion and the public
reaction to their findings.
University of California, Irvine professors F.
Sherwood Rowland and Mario J. Molina first
24
Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
suggested the possible depletion of the ozone
layer by human activity during the summer of
1974. Rowland and Molina hypothesized that
the stable, large CFC molecules remained intact
in the atmosphere, eventually migrating upward
and working their way into the stratosphere.
CFCs do not dissolve in water and do not break
down biologically. The increased ultraviolet light
encountered by the CFC molecule in the
stratosphere dissociates, or splits, the CFC
molecules, releasing chlorine (Cl) atoms and
forming chlorine oxide (ClO) molecules. At
present, after much scientific evidence and
verification of actual depletion of stratospheric
ozone by chlorine atoms (1987–1990), even
industry has had to admit that the problem is
real.
The scientific method is discussed in
Chapter 1. Recall in the chapter when Dr.
Rowland stated his frustration: “What’s the use
of having developed a science well enough to
make predictions, if in the end all we are willing
to do is stand around and wait for them to come
true.... Unfortunately, this means that if there is a
disaster in the making in the stratosphere, we
are probably not going to avoid it.” (Roger B.
Barry, “The Annals of Chemistry,” The New
Yorker, 9 June 1986, p. 83.) The Nobel
Committee awarded these men, and Paul
Crutzen, the 1995 Nobel Prize for chemistry for
their important discovery and actions (see Focus
Study 3.1, p. 74).
In 1994 an international scientific consensus
confirmed previous assessments of the
anthropogenic (human-caused) disruption of the
ozone layer—in other words chlorine atoms and
chlorine monoxide molecules in the stratosphere
are of human origin. The report, Scientific
Assessment of Ozone Depletion, was prepared
by NASA, NOAA, the United Nations
Environment Programme, and the World
Meteorological Organization.
• Distinguish between natural and anthropogenic
pollutants in the lower atmosphere.
11. Describe two types of natural air
pollution. What regions of Earth commonly
experience this type of pollution?
Volcanic eruptions and wildfires have occurred
throughout human evolution on Earth. They are
relatively infrequent in timing, but their effects
can cover large areas. However, any attempt to
diminish the impact of human-made air pollution
through a comparison with natural sources is
irrelevant, for we have co-evolved and adapted
to the presence of certain natural ingredients in
the air. We have not evolved in relation to
the concentrations of anthropogenic (human-
caused) contaminants found in our metropolitan
areas.
Wildfires are common in large forested
areas like Canada’s Boreal and Montane forests
of British Columbia and the northern parts of
Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and
Quebec. Volcanic eruptions are associated with
subduction zones along the margins of tectonic
plates.
12. What are pollutants? What is the
relationship between air pollution and urban
areas?
Natural and human-caused gases, particles, and
other substances in amounts that are harmful to
humans or cause environmental damage are
atmospheric pollutants.
Anthropogenic air pollution is most prevalent
in urbanized regions. According to the World
Health Organization, urban outdoor air pollution
causes an estimated 1.3 million deaths
worldwide. As urban populations grow, human
exposure to air pollution increases. India, with
an urban population of 31%, has the worst air
quality out of 132 countries surveyed. Over half
the world’s population now lives in metropolitan
regions, some one-third with unhealthful levels
of air pollution. This represents a potentially
massive public-health issue in this century.
• Construct a simple diagram illustrating the
pollution from photochemical reactions in motor
vehicle exhaust, and describe the sources and
effects of industrial smog.
13. What is the difference between industrial
smog and photochemical smog?
The air pollution associated with coal-burning
industries is known as industrial smog. The term
smog was coined by a London physician at the
turn of the 20th century to describe the
combination of fog and smoke containing sulfur,
an impurity found in fossil fuels. The
combination of sulfur and moisture droplets
forms a sulfuric acid mist that is extremely
dangerous in high concentrations.
Photochemical smog is another type of
pollution that was not generally experienced in
the past but developed with the advent of the
automobile. Today, it is the major component of
anthropogenic air pollution. Photochemical smog
25
Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
results from the interaction of sunlight and the
products of automobile exhaust. Although the
term smog is a misnomer, it is generally used to
describe this phenomenon. Smog is responsible
for the hazy appearance of the sky and the
reduced intensity of sunlight in many of our
cities.
14. Describe the relationship between
automobiles and the production of ozone
and PANs in city air. What are the principal
negative impacts of these gases?
The nitrogen dioxide derived from automobiles,
and power plants to a lesser extent, is highly
reactive with ultraviolet light, which liberates
atomic oxygen (O) and a nitric oxide (NO)
molecule (Figure GIA 3.2). The free oxygen
atom combines with an oxygen molecule (O2) to
form the oxidant ozone (O3); the same gas that
is beneficial in the stratosphere is an air pollution
hazard at Earth’s surface. In addition to forming
O3, the nitric oxide (NO) molecule reacts with
hydrocarbons (HC) to produce a whole family of
chemicals generally called peroxyacetyl nitrates
(PANs). PANs produces no known health effects
in humans but are particularly damaging to
plants, which provided the clue for discovery of
these photochemical reactions.
15. How are sulfur impurities in fossil fuels
related to the formation of acid in the
atmosphere and acid deposition on the land?
Certain anthropogenic gases are converted in
the atmosphere into acids that are removed by
wet and dry deposition processes. Nitrogen and
sulfur oxides (NOX, and SOX) released in the
combustion of fossil fuel, can produce nitric acid
(HNO3) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) in the
atmosphere. Focus Study 3.2, Figure 3.2.2
depicts the improving pattern of sulfate wet
deposition in Canada and the United States
between two sets of dates. Precipitation as
acidic as pH 2.0 has fallen in the eastern United
States, Scandinavia, and Europe. By
comparison, vinegar and lemon juice register
slightly less than 3.0. Aquatic life perishes when
lakes drop below pH 4.8..
16. In what ways does a temperature
inversion worsen an air pollution episode?
Why?
A temperature inversion occurs when the normal
decrease of temperature with increasing altitude
reverses at any point from ground level up to
several thousand feet. Such an inversion most
often results from certain weather conditions, for
example when the air near the ground is
radiatively cooled on clear nights or when cold
air drains into valleys. The warm air inversion in
Figure 3.7 prevents the vertical mixing of
pollutants with other atmospheric gases. Thus,
instead of being carried away, the pollutants are
trapped below the inversion layer.
17. In summary, what are the results from the
first 20 years under Clean Air Act
regulations?
The Benefits of the Clean Air Act, 1970 to 1990
(Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, U. S.
EPA) calculated the following:
• The total direct cost to implement the Clean
Air Act for all federal, state, and local rules
from 1970 to 1990 was US$523 billion (in
1990-value dollars). This cost was borne by
businesses, consumers, and government
entities.
• The estimate of direct monetized benefits
from the Clean Air Act from 1970 to 1990
falls in a range from US$5.6 to $49.4
trillion, with a central mean of US$22.2
trillion. (The uncertainty of the assessment
is indicated by the range of benefit
estimates.)
• Therefore, the net financial benefit of the
Clean Air Act is US$21.7 trillion! “The
finding is overwhelming. The benefits far
exceed the costs of the CAA in the first 20
years,” said Richard Morgenstern,
associate administrator for policy planning
and evaluation at the EPA.
The benefits to society, directly and
indirectly, have been widespread across the
entire population: improved health and
environment, less lead to harm children, lowered
cancer rates, less acid deposition, an estimated
206,000 fewer deaths related to air pollution-
related deaths in 1990 alone, among many
benefits described. These benefits took place
during a period in which the U. S. population
grew by 22 percent and the economy expanded
by 70 percent.
Political forces seem to be moving to
weaken or unwind some of these financially and
healthful beneficial regulations. This is difficult to
understand logically unless a public is not aware
of the benefits identified in these published
studies. We think it important that this section
remain in Geosystems to get the word out to
people.
26
Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking 3.1
Where is Your Tropopause?
The tropopause is at a higher altitude in summer
due to surface heating and warming of the lower
atmosphere.
Critical thinking 3.2
Finding Your Local Ozone
Personal answers depending upon students'
location and season. An example is ozone
measured by OMI over 38.00 degrees latitude -
121.00 degrees longitude on 2013/12/01 is 249
Dobson units.
Critical thinking 3.3
Evaluating Costs and Benefits
Personal answers, but one might be: The public
is uninformed about the benefits of the CAA
because it is not in the financial interest of the
fossil-fuel industry for the public to be aware of
the true cost of fossil-fuels.
Similar patterns exist for the CWA, hazard
zoning, climate change, and the Endangerment
Finding by the EPA. These are all examples
where the profits of destructive actions go to the
company creating the damage, but the costs are
borne by all of us—an unacceptable and unfair
externality.
GIA Questions and GEOquiz
Analyze: Which pollutants could be reduced
by switching to low-sulfur coal and installing
scrubbers in smokestacks?
These actions would likely reduce the sulfur
oxides which would, in turn, lead to a decreas in
the production of sulfuric acid in the
environment.
Describe: List the steps in the process by
which vehicle exhause leads to the increased
ozone levels in smog.
Internal combustion engines produce nitrogen
dioxide. Ultraviolet radiation liberates atomic
oxygen and a nitric oxide molecule from this.
The free oxygen atom combines with an oxygen
molecule to form ozone. In the upper
atmosphere this ozone protects us from UV
radiation. At ground level, ozone is a reactive
gas that damages biological tissues and causes
a variety of detrimental health effects like lung
irritation, asthma, and leads to respiratory
illness.
1. Predict: In relation to a coal-fired power
plant, where might industrial smog and
serious air pollution problems occur? What
mitigation strategies exist? Explain.
Coal-fired power plants are the main source of
sulfur oxides. They also produce sulfate
aerosols, mercury, particulates, and carbon
dioxide. Industrial smog and air pollution would
result downwind of the plant, especially if there
are natural factors such as valleys or inversion
layers present.
Mitigation strategies include investing in
sustainable, renewable sources of energy like
wind and solar power.
2. Compare and Contrast: How are the
pollutants carbon monoxide and nitrogen
dioxide similar? How are they different?
Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are
both produced by combustion; however, CO is
odorless, colourless, and tasteless while NO2 is
a reddish-brown choking gas that leads to acid
deposition, inflames the respiratory system, and
destroys lung tissue. CO does have health
issues in that it replaces oxygen in hemoglobin,
which can lead to unconsciousness and death.
The MasteringGeography™ online homework and tutoring system delivers self-paced tutorials that
provide individualized coaching, focus on course objectives, and are responsive to each student’s
progress. Instructors can assign activities built around Geoscience Animations, Encounter “Google
Earth™ Explorations”, MapMaster interactive maps, Thinking Spatially and Data Analysis activities,
new GeoTutors on the most challenging topics in physical geography, end-of-chapter questions, and
more. Students also have access to a text-specific Study Area with study resources, including an
optional Pearson eText version of Geosystems, Geoscience Animations, MapMaster™ interactive
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maps, new videos, Satellite Loops, Author Notebooks, additional content to support materials for the
text, photo galleries, In the News RSS feeds, web links, career links, physical geography case
studies, flashcard glossary, quizzes, and more—all at www.masteringgeography.com.
Visual Analysis 3 The Atmosphere and Inversion Layers
1. During a temperature inversion, where is the layer of warm air relative to the layer of
cold air? Can you identify each layer in this photo?
Cooler air lies below a layer of warmer air. The cold air in the photo is the air containing the haze
and the warmer air sits above that layer, capping it
2. In what ways does a temperature inversion worsen an air pollution episode? What
human activities contribute to air pollution during the winter months?
Because colder air is heavier than warmer air, vertical mixing is prevented during an inversion.
This worsens air pollution episodes by trapping pollutants near the surface. During winter
months, extended idling of automobiles and trucks, home heating by burning natural gas, and
the generation of electricity by coal fired power plants all contribute pollutants to the atmosphere
that are trapped during temperature inversions.
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Geosystems An Introduction to Physical Geography Updated Canadian 4th Edition Christopherson Solutions Manual

  • 1. 20 Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. Earth’s Modern Atmosphere 3Key Learning Concepts for Chapter 3 The following learning concepts help guide the student’s reading and comprehension efforts. The operative word is in italics. These are included in each chapter of Geosystems. The student is told: “after reading the chapter you should be able to”: • Draw a diagram showing three profiles of atmospheric structure based on three criteria for analysis—composition, temperature, and function. • List and describe the components of the modern atmosphere, giving their relative percentage contributions by volume. • Describe conditions within the stratosphere; specifically, review the function and status of the ozonosphere, or ozone layer. • Distinguish between natural and anthropogenic pollutants in the lower atmosphere. • Construct a simple diagram illustrating the pollution from photochemical reactions in motor vehicle exhaust, and describe the sources and effects of industrial smog. Overview We examine the modern atmosphere using the criteria of composition, temperature, and function. Our look at the atmosphere also includes the spatial impacts of both natural and human-produced air pollution. We all interact with the atmosphere with each breath we take, the energy we consume, the travelling we do, and the products we buy. Human activities cause stratospheric ozone losses and the blight of acid deposition on ecosystems. These matters are essential to physical geography, for they are influencing the atmospheric composition of the future. Earth’s atmosphere is a unique reservoir of gases, the product of billions of years of development. This chapter examines its structure, function, and composition, starting from outer space and descending through the various layers and regions of the atmosphere to the surface of Earth. A consideration of our modern atmosphere must also include the spatial aspects of human-induced problems that affect it, such as air pollution, the stratospheric ozone predicament, and the blight of acid deposition. The modern atmosphere is an essential medium for life processes. We feel its significance during every space flight and witness the equipment and safeguards needed to protect humans when they venture outside life-sustaining and protective cover of the atmosphere. An interesting thought exercise is to take the idea of an astronaut doing a spacewalk (EVA). Refer to the photo of astronaut Mark Lee in Figure GN 3.1, or Felix Baumgartner in Figure GN 3.3. If you were in charge of designing and constructing the spacesuit, your design would have to accomplish the protection shown in Figure 3.4. As before, a list of key learning concepts begins the chapter and is used to organize the Summary and Review section, with definitions, key terms and page numbers, and review questions grouped under each objective. At the beginning of each chapter a section titled “In This Chapter” introduces the chapter’s content in a succinct statement. Outline Headings and Key Terms The first-, second-, and third-order headings that divide Chapter 3 serve as an outline. The key terms and concepts that appear boldface in the text are listed here under their appropriate heading in bold italics. All these highlighted terms appear in the text glossary. Note the check-off box () so you can mark class progress. These terms should be in your reading notes or used to prepare note cards. The outline headings and terms for Chapter 3: Geosystems Now “Humans help define the atmosphere” Geosystems An Introduction to Physical Geography Updated Canadian 4th Edition Christopherson Solutions Manual Full Download: https://alibabadownload.com/product/geosystems-an-introduction-to-physical-geography-updated-canadian-4th-ed This sample only, Download all chapters at: AlibabaDownload.com
  • 2. 21 Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. Atmospheric Composition, Temperature, and Function  air  exosphere Atmospheric Profile  air pressure Atmospheric Composition Criterion Heterosphere  heterosphere Homosphere  homosphere Carbon Dioxide Atmospheric Temperature Criterion Thermosphere  thermosphere  thermopause  kinetic energy Mesosphere  mesosphere  noctilucent clouds Stratosphere  stratosphere Troposphere  troposphere  tropopause  normal lapse rate  environmental lapse rate Atmospheric Function Criterion Ionosphere  ionosphere Ozonosphere  ozonosphere  ozone layer UV Index Helps Save Your Skin Pollutants in the Atmosphere  pollutants Natural Sources of Air Pollution  aerosols Anthropogenic Pollution  carbon monoxide (CO) Photochemical Smog Pollution  photochemical smog  volotile organic compounds (VOCs)  nitrogen dioxide (NO2)  peroxyacetyl nitrates (PAN)  volatile organic compounds (VOCs) Industrial Smog and Sulfur Oxides  industrial smog  sulfur dioxide (SO2)  sulfate aerosols Particulates/Aerosols  particulate matter (PM) Natural Factors that Affect Air Pollution Winds Local and Regional Landscapes Temperature Inversion  temperature inversion Benefits of the Clean Air Act The Human Denominator 3 The Shared Global Atmosphere Geosystems Connection A Quantitative Solution: Lapse Rates Key Learning Concepts Review Mastering Geography Visual Analysis 3 The Atmosphere and Inversion Layers Focus Studies, Critical Thinking, Geo Reports and Geosystems in Action Focus Study 3.1 Stratospheric Ozone Losses: A Continuing Health Hazard Focus Study 3.2 Acid Deposition: Damaging to Ecosystems Critical Thinking 3.1: Where is your tropopause? Critical Thinking 3.2: Finding your local ozone Critical Thinking 3.3: Evaluating costs and benefits Geo Report 3.1 Earth’s evolving atmosphere Geo Report 3.2: Outside the airplane Geo Report 3.3: Human sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide Geo Report 3.4: NASA’s Global Hawks make scientific flights Geo Report 3.5: Carbon monoxide—the colourless, odorless pollutant Geosystems in Action 3 Air Pollution
  • 3. 22 Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. URLs listed in Chapter 3 Baumgartner jump: • www.redbullstratos.com • vimeo.com/10992331 CO2 monitoring: • ftp://ftp.cmdl.noaa.gov/ccg/co2/trends/ co2_mm_mlo.txt • www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions Noctilucent clouds: • lasp.colorado.edu/science/atmospheric Ionosphere: • science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at- nasa/2008/30apr_4dionosphere_launch Stratospheric ozone predicament: • ozoneaq.gsfc.nasa.gov/ozone_overhead _all_v8.md • www.ec.gc.ca/uv/default_asp?lang=En&n=C 74058DD-1/ • www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html • www.ec.gc.ca/ozone/ • ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/ • ozone.unep.org/new_site/en/index.php • earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOf Change/ozone.php • earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/ view.php?id=49874 • www.aeryon.com/products/avs/aeryon- skyranger.html Air pollution observations and agreements: • www.cdc.gov/nceh/airpollution • www.lung.org Acid deposition: • www.hubbardbrook.org Chapter Review Questions • Draw a diagram showing three profiles of atmospheric structure based on three criteria for analysis—composition, temperature, and function. 1. What is air? Where did the components in Earth’s present atmosphere originate? Earth’s atmosphere is a unique reservoir of gases, the product of billions of years of development. The modern atmosphere is probably Earth’s fourth general atmosphere. The principal substance of this atmosphere is air, the medium of life as well as a major industrial and chemical raw material. Air is a simple additive mixture of gases that is naturally odorless, colourless, tasteless, and formless, blended so thoroughly that it behaves as if it were a single gas. This modern atmosphere is, in reality, a gaseous mixture of ancient origins—the sum of all the exhalations and inhalations of life on Earth throughout time. 2. Characterise the various functions the atmosphere performs that protect the surface environment. A membrane around a cell regulates the interactions of the delicate inner workings of that cell and the potentially disruptive outer environ- ment. Each membrane is very selective as to what it will and will not allow to pass. The modern atmosphere acts as Earth’s protective membrane. The atmosphere absorbs and interacts with harmful wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, the streams of charged particles in the solar wind, and natural and human-caused space debris—all protecting the delicate aspects of the biosphere in the lower troposphere. As critical as the atmosphere is to us, it represents only a thin- skinned envelope amounting to less than one- millionth of the total mass of Earth. 3. What three distinct criteria are employed in dividing the atmosphere for study? The atmosphere is conveniently classified using three criteria: composition, temperature, and function. Based on chemical composition the atmosphere is divided into two broad regions: the heterosphere and the homosphere. Based on temperature the atmosphere is divided into four distinct zones: the thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere. Finally, two specific zones are identified on the basis of function relative to their role of removing most of the harmful wavelengths of solar radiation—these are the ionosphere and the ozonosphere, or ozone layer. See the right-hand column in Figure 3.1. 4. Describe the overall temperature profile of the atmosphere and list the four layers defined by temperature. The temperature profile in Figure 3.1 shows that temperatures rise sharply in the thermosphere, up to 1200°C and higher at the top of the atmosphere. Individual molecules of nitrogen and oxygen and atoms of oxygen are excited to high levels of vibration from the intense radiation present in this portion of the atmosphere. This kinetic energy, the energy of motion, is the vibrational energy stated as temperature, although the density of the molecules is so low
  • 4. 23 Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. that little heat is produced. Heating in the lower atmosphere closer to Earth differs because the active molecules in the denser atmosphere transmit their kinetic energy as sensible heat. The mesosphere is the coldest portion of the atmosphere, averaging –90°C, although that temperature may vary by 25C° to 30C°. Temperatures increase throughout the stratosphere from –57°C at 20 km (tropopause), warming to freezing at 50 km (stratopause). The tropopause is defined by an average temperature of –57°C, but its exact location varies with the seasons of the year, latitude, and sea level temperatures and pressures. Tropospheric temperatures decrease with increasing altitude at an average of 6.4C° per km, a rate known as the normal lapse rate. The actual lapse rate at any particular time and place under local weather conditions is called the environmental lapse rate, and may vary greatly from the normal lapse rate. 5. Describe the two divisions of the atmosphere on the basis of composition. Heterosphere and homosphere—the former organized in layers based on the weight of gases, and the latter an even mixture of gases, “air.” 6. What are the two primary functional layers of the atmosphere and what does each do? Ionosphere (absorbs gamma rays, X-rays, and all wavelengths shorter than ultraviolet); and the ozonosphere (absorbs most wavelengths of ultraviolet, letting only a small portion through to the surface). • List and describe the components of the modern atmosphere, giving their relative percentage contributions by volume. 7. Name the four most prevalent stable gases in the homosphere. Where did each originate? Is the amount of any of these changing at this time? Symbol % by Vol. Parts per million N2 78.084 780,840 O2 20.946 209,460 Ar 0.934 9,340 CO2 0.0399 399 The atmosphere is a vast reservoir of relatively inert nitrogen, principally originating from volcanic sources. In the soil, nitrogen is bound up by nitrogen-fixing bacteria and is returned to the atmosphere by denitrifying bacteria that remove it from organic materials. Oxygen, a by-product of photosynthesis, is essential for life processes. Along with other elements, oxygen forms compounds that compose about half of Earth’s crust. Argon is a residue from the radioactive decay of a form of potassium ( 40 K). A slow process of accumulation accounts for all that is present in the modern atmosphere. Argon is completely inert and as a noble gas is unusable in life processes. Although it has increased over the past 200 years, carbon dioxide is included in this list of stable gases. It is a natural by- product of life processes, and the implications of its current increase are critical to society and the future. The role of carbon dioxide in the gradual warming of Earth is discussed in Chapters 5 and 10. • Describe conditions within the stratosphere; specifically, review the function and status of the ozonosphere, or ozone layer. 8. Why is stratospheric ozone (O3) so important? Describe the effects created by increases in ultraviolet light reaching the surface. Ozone absorbs wavelengths of ultraviolet light and subsequently reradiates this energy at longer wavelengths, as infrared energy. Through this process, most harmful ultraviolet radiation is converted, effectively “filtering” it and safeguarding life at Earth’s surface. See Focus Study 3.1 for greater discussion of the effects caused by ozone depletion. 9. Summarize the ozone predicament and describe treaties to protect the ozone layer. See Focus Study 3.1. Environment Canada has a scientific observatory to study the ozone layer over Canada. This high-Arctic facility now is operational at a remote weather station near Eureka on Ellesmere Island, N.W.T., about 1000 km from the North Pole. The Arctic ozone depletion affects concentrations at lower latitudes and thus should draw the United States into further cooperation. 10. Evaluate Crutzen, Rowland, and Molina’s use of the scientific method in investigating stratospheric ozone depletion and the public reaction to their findings. University of California, Irvine professors F. Sherwood Rowland and Mario J. Molina first
  • 5. 24 Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. suggested the possible depletion of the ozone layer by human activity during the summer of 1974. Rowland and Molina hypothesized that the stable, large CFC molecules remained intact in the atmosphere, eventually migrating upward and working their way into the stratosphere. CFCs do not dissolve in water and do not break down biologically. The increased ultraviolet light encountered by the CFC molecule in the stratosphere dissociates, or splits, the CFC molecules, releasing chlorine (Cl) atoms and forming chlorine oxide (ClO) molecules. At present, after much scientific evidence and verification of actual depletion of stratospheric ozone by chlorine atoms (1987–1990), even industry has had to admit that the problem is real. The scientific method is discussed in Chapter 1. Recall in the chapter when Dr. Rowland stated his frustration: “What’s the use of having developed a science well enough to make predictions, if in the end all we are willing to do is stand around and wait for them to come true.... Unfortunately, this means that if there is a disaster in the making in the stratosphere, we are probably not going to avoid it.” (Roger B. Barry, “The Annals of Chemistry,” The New Yorker, 9 June 1986, p. 83.) The Nobel Committee awarded these men, and Paul Crutzen, the 1995 Nobel Prize for chemistry for their important discovery and actions (see Focus Study 3.1, p. 74). In 1994 an international scientific consensus confirmed previous assessments of the anthropogenic (human-caused) disruption of the ozone layer—in other words chlorine atoms and chlorine monoxide molecules in the stratosphere are of human origin. The report, Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion, was prepared by NASA, NOAA, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the World Meteorological Organization. • Distinguish between natural and anthropogenic pollutants in the lower atmosphere. 11. Describe two types of natural air pollution. What regions of Earth commonly experience this type of pollution? Volcanic eruptions and wildfires have occurred throughout human evolution on Earth. They are relatively infrequent in timing, but their effects can cover large areas. However, any attempt to diminish the impact of human-made air pollution through a comparison with natural sources is irrelevant, for we have co-evolved and adapted to the presence of certain natural ingredients in the air. We have not evolved in relation to the concentrations of anthropogenic (human- caused) contaminants found in our metropolitan areas. Wildfires are common in large forested areas like Canada’s Boreal and Montane forests of British Columbia and the northern parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. Volcanic eruptions are associated with subduction zones along the margins of tectonic plates. 12. What are pollutants? What is the relationship between air pollution and urban areas? Natural and human-caused gases, particles, and other substances in amounts that are harmful to humans or cause environmental damage are atmospheric pollutants. Anthropogenic air pollution is most prevalent in urbanized regions. According to the World Health Organization, urban outdoor air pollution causes an estimated 1.3 million deaths worldwide. As urban populations grow, human exposure to air pollution increases. India, with an urban population of 31%, has the worst air quality out of 132 countries surveyed. Over half the world’s population now lives in metropolitan regions, some one-third with unhealthful levels of air pollution. This represents a potentially massive public-health issue in this century. • Construct a simple diagram illustrating the pollution from photochemical reactions in motor vehicle exhaust, and describe the sources and effects of industrial smog. 13. What is the difference between industrial smog and photochemical smog? The air pollution associated with coal-burning industries is known as industrial smog. The term smog was coined by a London physician at the turn of the 20th century to describe the combination of fog and smoke containing sulfur, an impurity found in fossil fuels. The combination of sulfur and moisture droplets forms a sulfuric acid mist that is extremely dangerous in high concentrations. Photochemical smog is another type of pollution that was not generally experienced in the past but developed with the advent of the automobile. Today, it is the major component of anthropogenic air pollution. Photochemical smog
  • 6. 25 Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. results from the interaction of sunlight and the products of automobile exhaust. Although the term smog is a misnomer, it is generally used to describe this phenomenon. Smog is responsible for the hazy appearance of the sky and the reduced intensity of sunlight in many of our cities. 14. Describe the relationship between automobiles and the production of ozone and PANs in city air. What are the principal negative impacts of these gases? The nitrogen dioxide derived from automobiles, and power plants to a lesser extent, is highly reactive with ultraviolet light, which liberates atomic oxygen (O) and a nitric oxide (NO) molecule (Figure GIA 3.2). The free oxygen atom combines with an oxygen molecule (O2) to form the oxidant ozone (O3); the same gas that is beneficial in the stratosphere is an air pollution hazard at Earth’s surface. In addition to forming O3, the nitric oxide (NO) molecule reacts with hydrocarbons (HC) to produce a whole family of chemicals generally called peroxyacetyl nitrates (PANs). PANs produces no known health effects in humans but are particularly damaging to plants, which provided the clue for discovery of these photochemical reactions. 15. How are sulfur impurities in fossil fuels related to the formation of acid in the atmosphere and acid deposition on the land? Certain anthropogenic gases are converted in the atmosphere into acids that are removed by wet and dry deposition processes. Nitrogen and sulfur oxides (NOX, and SOX) released in the combustion of fossil fuel, can produce nitric acid (HNO3) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) in the atmosphere. Focus Study 3.2, Figure 3.2.2 depicts the improving pattern of sulfate wet deposition in Canada and the United States between two sets of dates. Precipitation as acidic as pH 2.0 has fallen in the eastern United States, Scandinavia, and Europe. By comparison, vinegar and lemon juice register slightly less than 3.0. Aquatic life perishes when lakes drop below pH 4.8.. 16. In what ways does a temperature inversion worsen an air pollution episode? Why? A temperature inversion occurs when the normal decrease of temperature with increasing altitude reverses at any point from ground level up to several thousand feet. Such an inversion most often results from certain weather conditions, for example when the air near the ground is radiatively cooled on clear nights or when cold air drains into valleys. The warm air inversion in Figure 3.7 prevents the vertical mixing of pollutants with other atmospheric gases. Thus, instead of being carried away, the pollutants are trapped below the inversion layer. 17. In summary, what are the results from the first 20 years under Clean Air Act regulations? The Benefits of the Clean Air Act, 1970 to 1990 (Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, U. S. EPA) calculated the following: • The total direct cost to implement the Clean Air Act for all federal, state, and local rules from 1970 to 1990 was US$523 billion (in 1990-value dollars). This cost was borne by businesses, consumers, and government entities. • The estimate of direct monetized benefits from the Clean Air Act from 1970 to 1990 falls in a range from US$5.6 to $49.4 trillion, with a central mean of US$22.2 trillion. (The uncertainty of the assessment is indicated by the range of benefit estimates.) • Therefore, the net financial benefit of the Clean Air Act is US$21.7 trillion! “The finding is overwhelming. The benefits far exceed the costs of the CAA in the first 20 years,” said Richard Morgenstern, associate administrator for policy planning and evaluation at the EPA. The benefits to society, directly and indirectly, have been widespread across the entire population: improved health and environment, less lead to harm children, lowered cancer rates, less acid deposition, an estimated 206,000 fewer deaths related to air pollution- related deaths in 1990 alone, among many benefits described. These benefits took place during a period in which the U. S. population grew by 22 percent and the economy expanded by 70 percent. Political forces seem to be moving to weaken or unwind some of these financially and healthful beneficial regulations. This is difficult to understand logically unless a public is not aware of the benefits identified in these published studies. We think it important that this section remain in Geosystems to get the word out to people.
  • 7. 26 Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. Critical Thinking Critical thinking 3.1 Where is Your Tropopause? The tropopause is at a higher altitude in summer due to surface heating and warming of the lower atmosphere. Critical thinking 3.2 Finding Your Local Ozone Personal answers depending upon students' location and season. An example is ozone measured by OMI over 38.00 degrees latitude - 121.00 degrees longitude on 2013/12/01 is 249 Dobson units. Critical thinking 3.3 Evaluating Costs and Benefits Personal answers, but one might be: The public is uninformed about the benefits of the CAA because it is not in the financial interest of the fossil-fuel industry for the public to be aware of the true cost of fossil-fuels. Similar patterns exist for the CWA, hazard zoning, climate change, and the Endangerment Finding by the EPA. These are all examples where the profits of destructive actions go to the company creating the damage, but the costs are borne by all of us—an unacceptable and unfair externality. GIA Questions and GEOquiz Analyze: Which pollutants could be reduced by switching to low-sulfur coal and installing scrubbers in smokestacks? These actions would likely reduce the sulfur oxides which would, in turn, lead to a decreas in the production of sulfuric acid in the environment. Describe: List the steps in the process by which vehicle exhause leads to the increased ozone levels in smog. Internal combustion engines produce nitrogen dioxide. Ultraviolet radiation liberates atomic oxygen and a nitric oxide molecule from this. The free oxygen atom combines with an oxygen molecule to form ozone. In the upper atmosphere this ozone protects us from UV radiation. At ground level, ozone is a reactive gas that damages biological tissues and causes a variety of detrimental health effects like lung irritation, asthma, and leads to respiratory illness. 1. Predict: In relation to a coal-fired power plant, where might industrial smog and serious air pollution problems occur? What mitigation strategies exist? Explain. Coal-fired power plants are the main source of sulfur oxides. They also produce sulfate aerosols, mercury, particulates, and carbon dioxide. Industrial smog and air pollution would result downwind of the plant, especially if there are natural factors such as valleys or inversion layers present. Mitigation strategies include investing in sustainable, renewable sources of energy like wind and solar power. 2. Compare and Contrast: How are the pollutants carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide similar? How are they different? Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are both produced by combustion; however, CO is odorless, colourless, and tasteless while NO2 is a reddish-brown choking gas that leads to acid deposition, inflames the respiratory system, and destroys lung tissue. CO does have health issues in that it replaces oxygen in hemoglobin, which can lead to unconsciousness and death. The MasteringGeography™ online homework and tutoring system delivers self-paced tutorials that provide individualized coaching, focus on course objectives, and are responsive to each student’s progress. Instructors can assign activities built around Geoscience Animations, Encounter “Google Earth™ Explorations”, MapMaster interactive maps, Thinking Spatially and Data Analysis activities, new GeoTutors on the most challenging topics in physical geography, end-of-chapter questions, and more. Students also have access to a text-specific Study Area with study resources, including an optional Pearson eText version of Geosystems, Geoscience Animations, MapMaster™ interactive
  • 8. 27 Copyright © 2016 Pearson Education, Inc. maps, new videos, Satellite Loops, Author Notebooks, additional content to support materials for the text, photo galleries, In the News RSS feeds, web links, career links, physical geography case studies, flashcard glossary, quizzes, and more—all at www.masteringgeography.com. Visual Analysis 3 The Atmosphere and Inversion Layers 1. During a temperature inversion, where is the layer of warm air relative to the layer of cold air? Can you identify each layer in this photo? Cooler air lies below a layer of warmer air. The cold air in the photo is the air containing the haze and the warmer air sits above that layer, capping it 2. In what ways does a temperature inversion worsen an air pollution episode? What human activities contribute to air pollution during the winter months? Because colder air is heavier than warmer air, vertical mixing is prevented during an inversion. This worsens air pollution episodes by trapping pollutants near the surface. During winter months, extended idling of automobiles and trucks, home heating by burning natural gas, and the generation of electricity by coal fired power plants all contribute pollutants to the atmosphere that are trapped during temperature inversions. Geosystems An Introduction to Physical Geography Updated Canadian 4th Edition Christopherson Solutions Manual Full Download: https://alibabadownload.com/product/geosystems-an-introduction-to-physical-geography-updated-canadian-4th-ed This sample only, Download all chapters at: AlibabaDownload.com