Atmospheric physics is the application of physics to the study of the atmosphere. Atmospheric physicists attempt to model Earth's atmosphere and the atmospheres of the other planets using fluid flow equations, chemical models, radiation balancing, and energy transfer processes in the atmosphere (as well as how these tie in to other systems such as the oceans). In order to model weather systems, atmospheric physicists employ elements of scattering theory, wave propagation models, cloud physics, statistical mechanics and spatial statistics which are highly mathematical and related to physics. It has close links to meteorology and climatology and also covers the design and construction of instruments for studying the atmosphere and the interpretation of the data they provide, including remote sensing instruments. Atmospheric sciences is an umbrella term for the study of the atmosphere, its processes, the effects other systems have on the atmosphere, and the effects of the atmosphere on these other systems. ... // Meteorology (from Greek: μετέωρον, meteoron, high in the sky; and λόγος, logos, knowledge) is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting. ... For the geological process, see Weathering or Erosion. ... Cyclone Catarina, a rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone viewed from the International Space Station on March 26, 2004 Hurricane and Typhoon redirect here. ... Climatology is the study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of time,[1] and is a branch of the atmospheric sciences. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 450,000 years For current global climate change, see Global warming. ... This is a discussion of a present category of science. ... “Air” redirects here. ... “Air” redirects here. ... The eight planets and three dwarf planets of the Solar System. ... Fluid dynamics is the sub-discipline of fluid mechanics dealing with fluids (liquids and gases) in motion. ... For other uses, see Chemistry (disambiguation). ... Cloud physics describes the area of study of physical processes that lead to the formation, growth and precipitation of clouds. ... Statistical mechanics is the application of probability theory, which includes mathematical tools for dealing with large populations, to the field of mechanics, which is concerned with the motion of particles or objects when subjected to a force. ... In statistics, spatial analysis or spatial statistics includes any of the formal techniques used in various fields of research which study entities using their topological, geometric, or geographic properties. ... For the purported psychic ability to sense remotely, see Remote viewing right Synthetic aperture radar image of Death Valley colored using polarimetry In the broadest sense, remote sensing is the short or large-scale acquisition of information of an object or phenomenon, by the use of either recording or real...

Radiation

See also: Radiation and Effect of sun angle on climate

The sun emits radiation as a variety of wavelengths. Visible light has wavelengths between 0.4 and 0.7 micrometers. Shorter wavelengths are known as the ultraviolet (UV) part of the spectrum, while longer wavelengths are grouped into the infrared portion of the spectrum. Ozone is most effective in absorbing radiation around 0.25 micrometers, where UV-c rays lie in the spectrum. This increases the temperature of the nearby stratosphere. Snow reflects 85% of UV rays, while sand reflects 12%, and water reflects only 5% of incoming UV radiation. The more glancing the angle is between the atmosphere and the sun's rays, the more likely that energy will be reflected or absorbed by the atmosphere.^[1] This is a diagram of seasons that I made using Micrografx Designer software. ... A wave that loses amplitude is said to dissipate. ... “Air” redirects here. ... Radiation as used in physics, is energy in the form of waves or moving subatomic particles. ... Figure 1 This is a diagram of the seasons. ... For other uses, see Ultraviolet (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Infrared (disambiguation). ... Atmosphere diagram showing stratosphere. ... Sol redirects here. ... For other uses, see Atmosphere (disambiguation). ...

Cloud physics

Main article: Cloud physics

Cloud physics is the study of the physical processes that lead to the formation, growth and precipitation of clouds. Clouds are compsed of microscopic droplets of water (warm clouds), tiny crystals of ice, or both (mixed phase clouds). Under suitable conditions, the droplets combine to form precipitation, where they may fall to the earth. The precise mechanics of how a cloud forms and grows is not completely understood, but scientists have developed theories explaining the structure of clouds by studying the microphysics of individual droplets. Advances in radar and satellite technology have also allowed the precise study of clouds on a large scale. Cloud physics describes the area of study of physical processes that lead to the formation, growth and precipitation of clouds. ... hello--~~~~fake <gallery> poos[[kill]] </gallery> For other uses, see Cloud (disambiguation). ...

Atmospheric electricity

Cloud to ground Lightning in the global atmospheric electrical circuit.

Main article: Atmospheric electricity

Atmospheric electricity is the regular diurnal variations of the Earth's atmospheric electromagnetic network (or, more broadly, any planet's electrical system in its layer of gases). The Earth’s surface, the ionosphere, and the atmosphere is known as the global atmospheric electrical circuit. Lightning discharges 30,000 amperes, at up to 100 million volts, and emits light, radio waves, x-rays and even gamma rays.^[2] Plasma temperatures in lightning can approach 28,000 kelvins and electron densities may exceed 10²⁴/m³. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x3072, 3589 KB) This is a rotated version of Lightning over Oradea Romania. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x3072, 3589 KB) This is a rotated version of Lightning over Oradea Romania. ... For information on lightning precautions, see Lightning safety. ... Cloud to ground Lightning in the global atmospheric electrical circuit. ... In telecommunication, diurnal phase shift is the phase shift of electromagnetic signals associated with daily changes in the ionosphere. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... “Air” redirects here. ... Electromagnetism is the physics of the electromagnetic field: a field which exerts a force on particles that possess the property of electric charge, and is in turn affected by the presence and motion of those particles. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The eight planets and three dwarf planets of the Solar System. ... Atmosphere is the general name for a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass. ... Animated, colour-coded map showing the various continents. ... Relationship of the atmosphere and ionosphere The ionosphere is the uppermost part of the atmosphere, distinguished because it is ionized by solar radiation. ... Current can be measured by a galvanometer, via the deflection of a magnetic needle in the magnetic field created by the current. ... Josephson junction array chip developed by NIST as a standard volt. ... In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz... This article is about electromagnetic radiation. ... The kelvin (symbol: K) is a unit increment of temperature and is one of the seven SI base units. ... For other uses, see Electron (disambiguation). ...

Atmospheric tide

Main article: Atmospheric tide

The largest-amplitude atmospheric tides are mostly generated in the troposphere and stratosphere when the atmosphere is periodically heated as water vapour and ozone absorb solar radiation during the day. The tides generated are then able to propagate away from these source regions and ascend into the mesosphere and thermosphere. Atmospheric tides can be measured as regular fluctuations in wind, temperature, density and pressure. Although atmospheric tides share much in common with ocean tides they have two key distinguishing features: Atmospheric tides (sometimes known as air tides or atmospheric oscillations) are global-scale periodic atmospheric oscillations. ... Atmosphere diagram showing the mesosphere and other layers. ... Atmosphere diagram showing stratosphere. ... The mesosphere (from the Greek words mesos = middle and sphaira = ball) is the layer of the Earths atmosphere that is directly above the stratosphere and directly below the thermosphere. ... The thermosphere is the layer of the earths atmosphere directly above the mesosphere and directly below the exosphere. ...

i) Atmospheric tides are primarily excited by the Sun's heating of the atmosphere whereas ocean tides are primarily excited by the Moon's gravitational field. This means that most atmospheric tides have periods of oscillation related to the 24-hour length of the solar day whereas ocean tides have longer periods of oscillation related to the lunar day (time between successive lunar transits) of about 24 hours 51 minutes.

ii) Atmospheric tides propagate in an atmosphere where density varies significantly with height. A consequence of this is that their amplitudes naturally increase exponentially as the tide ascends into progressively more rarefied regions of the atmosphere (for an explantion of this phenomenon, see below). In contrast, the density of the oceans varies only slighthly with depth and so there the tides do not necessarily vary in amplitude with depth.

Note that although solar heating is responsible for the largest-amplitude atmospheric tides, the gravitational fields of the Sun and Moon also raise tides in the atmosphere. As with the oceans, the lunar gravitational atmospheric tides are significantly larger than the solar gravitational atmospheric tides (in fact, the latter may be regarded as being negligible).

At ground level, atmospheric tides can be detected as regular but small oscillations in surface pressure with periods of 24 and 12 hours. However, at greater heights the amplitudes of the tides can become very large. In the mesosphere (heights of ~ 50 - 100 km) atmospheric tides can reach amplitudes of more than 50 m/s and are often the most significant part of the motion of the atmosphere. The mesosphere (from the Greek words mesos = middle and sphaira = ball) is the layer of the Earths atmosphere that is directly above the stratosphere and directly below the thermosphere. ...

Centers of research

In the UK, atmospheric studies are underpinned by the Met Office, the Natural Environment Research Council and the Science and Technology Facilities Council. Divisions of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) oversee research projects and weather modeling involving atmospheric physics. The US National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center also carries out studies of the high atmosphere. The new building on the edge of Exeter The Met Office (originally an abbreviation for Meteorological Office, but now the official name in itself), which has its headquarters at Exeter in Devon, is the United Kingdoms national weather service. ... NERC logo The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is a British research council. ... Science and Technology Facilities Council Logo The Science and Technology Facilities Council (or Scitech) is a UK government body that carries out civil research in science and engineering, and funds UK research in areas including particle physics, nuclear physics, space science and astronomy. ... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere. ... For the geological process, see Weathering or Erosion. ... The Arecibo Observatory is located approximately 9 miles south-southwest from Arecibo, Puerto Rico (near the extreme southwestern corner of Arecibo pueblo). ...

See also

The adiabatic lapse rate is the rate of temperature change that occurs in an atmosphere as a function of elevation, assuming that air behaves adiabatically. ... In the physical sciences, atmospheric thermodynamics is the study of heat and energy transformations in the earth’s atmospheric system. ... Baroclinic Instability is a fluid dynamic instability which helps to understand some important features of the so-called large scale waves in the mid-latitude atmosphere. ... A simplified form of the vorticity equation for an inviscid, divergence-free flow, the barotropic vorticity equation can simply be stated as where is the material derivative and is absolute vorticity, with being relative vorticity, defined as the vertical component of the curl of the fluid velocity and f is... Sir David Bates, FRS (born 18 November 1916) was an Irish mathematician and physicist. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... In the inertial frame of reference (upper part of the picture), the black object moves in a straight line. ... In fluid dynamics, the Euler equations govern the compressible, Inviscid flow. ... The geostrophic wind is defined as the wind resulting from the balance between the Coriolis force and the pressure gradient force. ... Ocean wave Wave clouds over Theresa, Wisconsin, USA Atmospheric gravity waves as seen from space. ... The hydrostatic balance is a balance between the pressure gradient force and the force of gravity in the earths atmosphere. ... A KHI on the planet Saturn, formed at the interaction of two bands of the planets atmosphere Kelvin-Helmholtz instability can occur when velocity shear is present within a continuous fluid or when there is sufficient velocity difference across the interface between two fluids. ... 5-day running mean of MJO. Note how it moves eastward with time. ... In fluid dynamics, the Navier-Stokes equations, named after Claude-Louis Navier and George Gabriel Stokes are a set of nonlinear partial differential equations that describe the flow of fluids such as liquids and gases. ... Potential vorticity (PV) is a quantity which is proportional to the product of vorticity and stratification that, following a parcel of air or water, can only be changed by diabatic or frictional processes. ... The pressure gradient force is the force that is usually responsible for accelerating a parcel of air from a high atmospheric pressure region to a low pressure region, resulting in wind. ... The primitive equations are a version of the Navier-Stokes equations that describe hydrodynamical flow on the sphere under the assumptions that vertical motion is much smaller than horizontal motion (hydrostasis) and that the fluid layer depth is small compared to the radius of the sphere. ... The Rossby number, named for Carl-Gustav Arvid Rossby, is a dimensionless number used in describing fluid flow, usually in geophysical phenomena in the oceans and atmosphere. ... In atmospheric dynamics and oceanography, the Rossby radius of deformation is the length scale at which rotational effects become as important as bouyancy effects in the evolution of the flow about some disturbance. ... Aurora australis observed by Discovery, May 1991. ... The thermal wind is not actually a wind, but a wind difference between two pressure levels and , with . ... The vorticity equation is an important prognostic equation in the atmospheric sciences. ...

References