Exploring the Atmosphere, Weather, and Climate Zones

Posted on Sep 7, 2024 in Geology

1. The Atmosphere and Weather

The atmosphere is a layer of gases that surrounds the Earth and protects it from solar radiation. The atmosphere makes life on Earth possible because it contains gases, it has the ozone layer that filters ultraviolet rays, it regulates the temperature of the Earth, and it minimizes the impact of meteorites.

Layers:

  • Exosphere: High temperature, satellites.
  • Ionosphere: High temperature, meteorites.
  • Mesosphere: Very dense layer.
  • Stratosphere: Has the ozone layer that absorbs ultraviolet rays.
  • Troposphere: Has meteorological phenomena.

Weather:

Is the condition of the atmosphere at a given time and place. Meteorology is the science that studies the weather. Air masses have different characteristics depending on the region where they come from. These differences relate to:
  • Pressure: High and low-pressure systems.
  • Temperature: Currents are cold when the air comes from the poles and warm if it comes from tropical areas.
  • Humidity: Currents are humid if they come from the sea and dry if they come from continents.

The Climate

The climate is the average state of the atmosphere in a region during a long time. Climatology is the science that studies the climate.

Elements of a climate:

Temperature, precipitation, air pressure, wind.

Factors that influence climate:

Latitude, altitude, and distance from the sea.

Temperature:

Is the degree of warmth in the air. Measured with a thermometer. Expressed in degrees. Temperatures depend on:
  • Latitude: Temperatures decrease as we move from the equator.
  • Altitude: Temperature falls 0.64 ºC for every 100-meter increase in height.
  • Distance from the sea: The sea moderates the temperature.

Precipitation:

Is the water that falls from the clouds to the surface. Measured with a pluviometer and expressed in mm.

Types of precipitation:

  • Rain: When water vapor condenses and forms drops.
  • Snow: Water vapor forms ice crystals.
  • Hail: Water vapor forms balls of ice.

Atmospheric pressure:

Is the weight of the air on the earth. Measured with a barometer in millibars.

Anticyclones:

Areas where the pressure is higher than 1013 millibars.

Depressions:

Areas where the pressure is lower than 1013 millibars.

Atmospheric pressure depends on:

  • Altitude: Pressure decreases the higher the altitude.
  • Air temperature: Warm air rises and causes low pressures, and cold air descends and forms anticyclones.

Climate, Soil, and Living Things

Climate zones:

Different types of climate.
  • Warm zone: Between the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn. Equatorial, Tropical, and Hot Desert.
  • Two temperate zones: Between the tropics and the polar circles. Climates: Oceanic, Continental, or Mediterranean.
  • Two cold zones: Polar circles and mountains higher than 2500m, temperatures are cold, and there is no summer.

Wind:

Is the air in horizontal movement. It is measured with an anemometer and expressed in km/h. Caused by the difference in pressure, the wind blows from a high-pressure area to a low one. The greater the difference in pressure, the harder the wind blows. The wind takes warm air into cold areas and cold air into warm areas.

Cyclone:

Has a nucleus called the Eye with rings of clouds that rotate around the eye and form an ascending whirl.

Tornado:

Is a column shape that descends from the base of a stormy cloud to the ground; it is surrounded by winds that rotate very fast.

Natural Environment in Warm Zones

These are found between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn; the temperatures are always above 18ºC, and there is a variation in precipitation. When the warm tropical air masses and cold polar air masses collide and mix in the temperate zone, they form a storm front in constant movement. Climatic zones group all climates.

Different types:

Equatorial, Tropical, Desert.

Vegetation:

Is the variety of plants in a territory.
  • Forest: Areas with trees.
  • Scrubland: Area with plants that are not very tall.
  • Grassland: Area of grasses with no trees.

The equatorial environment:

Is 10º north and south parallel to the equator.

Climate:

Is warm and humid, with average temperatures between 24º and 27ºC, and only one warm season.

Precipitation:

Abundant, no dry month.

Rivers:

Largest in the world, most regular flow: Amazon, Congo.

Flora:

Very dense vegetation, jungle, poor soil, a lot of bacteria.

Tropical environment:

Is in both hemispheres; the climate is warm; the average temperatures are never below 18ºC; precipitation is abundant, between 750 and 1500 mm, irregular, and with a dry season in summer and a wet season in winter.

Wet tropical climate:

Three dry months.

Dry tropical climate:

More than three dry months. Tropical rivers have variations in their flows between the dry and wet seasons.

Flora:

In areas of dry tropical climate: savanna, and in humid tropical climate: tropical forest.

Desert environment:

In both hemispheres.

Annual temperature:

Above 18ºC, suffers oscillations.

Precipitation:

Infrequent, irregular.

Rivers:

Only have water when it rains.

Flora:

In hot deserts, it is small: cacti and shrubs, in an oasis: palm trees.

Fauna:

Scarce and little variety.

Soil:

Poor and suffers from wind erosion.