Atmosphere and human activities

7.1 The structure and composition of the atmosphere

The composition of atmosphere Table 7.1

The structure: (fig 7.1)

Atmosphere is made up of different layers based on change of temperature.

-Mainly atmospheric pressure decreases, which results in high wind in higher layers.

Generally the temperature of each layer depends on:

The distance from the sun.

The components of the layer.

The troposphere:

Temperature decreases with height (conversion), in this layer the source of heat not the sun, but the
earth surface as we getting away from earth surface (height)we getting away from the source of
heat .Tropopause is isothermal( temperature doesn’t change with height)

The stratosphere:

50 km above, the temperature increases with height ( inversion), due to the presence of ozone.
(which absorbs U.V radiation), stratosphere is isothermal.

The mesosphere:

50 – 80 km (conversion zone), because there is no presence of particles ( water vapor, ozone, dust)
to absorb energy of solar radiation. Mesopause (isothermal).

The thermosphere:

80-100 km inversion zone ( 1500 C ),because it is close to the sun, more oxygen atom absorb
energy.

The natural green house effect:

Earth receives solar radiation as short-wave length radiation (high energy).

32% is reflected by earth surface and clouds.

18% is absorbed by atmosphere.

As the earth is warmed up and long wave radiation is emitted back to the atmosphere(less energy)

Green house gases ( act like blanket) trap and deflect these radiation to the surface, and warm up
the atmosphere.

Green houses include:

Carbon dioxide, methane, CFCs, Nitrous oxides, water vapor, and ozone. Table 7.2

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Pollution occurs when pollutants ( gases and substances)exist in harmful amounts.

They either:

Primary pollutant: produced directly from the source and causes pollution.

Secondary pollutant: a pollutant that produced from chemical reaction between 2 or more primary
pollutants.

A. Smog (Smoke and fog)

Burning of fossil fuel produces (smoke) which mixes with condensed water vapor ( during the
winter) forming smog.

Photochemical smog:

Chemical reaction between certain pollutants ( PM,VOCs,No) in sunny conditions results in forming
harmful substances (ground level ozone).

PM: mixture of very small particles and liquid droplets suspended in the air. like soot.

VOCs: organic vapors that suspend in the atmosphere (incomplete burning of fossil fuel, leakage of
fuel, tankers.

Certain physical conditions may results temperature inversion at troposphere and leads into
accumulation of smog, which becomes thick enough to block sun light (dust bin lid effect)these
conditions are:

-High air pressure (anticyclones), air sinks downward.

-Calm conditions (wind disperses smog).

-Valleys surrounds steep hills ( tarps the smog).

This results in tropospheric inversion

B. Acid rain:

Is a precipitation of low pH (less than 6).

Burning of fossil fuel releases (No, and So), they dissolve into clouds (atmosphere), to from nitric
and Sulfuric acid in clouds.

Acid rain is an international problem, toxic gases are produced in a country , carried by the wind to
another country.

C. Ozone deletion:

Ozone is a layer at stratosphere which absorbs UV radiation, which causes:

Mutations, cancer, high temperature, affects plant productivity, caractus.

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CFCs are high stabilized compounds, they escape to reach to the ozone layer, UV breaks down CFCs
and release chlorine which reacts with ozone and cause damage to it.( deplete).

D. The enhanced greenhouse effect:

The effect is caused by number of gases (green house gases).

Table 7.4 the sources of green houses gases.

The problems related to atmospheric pollution can be classified into 3 categories:

Local ( smog) , international (acid rain) or global ( ozone depletion and climate change).

7.3 The impacts of atmospheric pollution table 7.4

7.4 Managing atmospheric pollution

A-International agreements:

International co-operation is required to solve atmospheric pollution, by international agreements.

However Finding solution for international problems is not easy to achieve because:

Some LEDCs want to develop their industries without cutting emissions.

LEDCs have no strategies to reduce pollution, no money for finding alternatives to fossil fuel.

B. Role of government:

Acid rain:

Use of low sulfur coal (crush and wash with water before use to remove sulfur).

Flu gas desulfurization (scrubbers to remove SO, lining chimneys with lime, catalytic convertors for
vehicles).

Low sulfur fuel

Ozone depletion:

Banning use of CFCs.

Finding alternatives such as HCFCs.

Safe disposal of old items.

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-Development of public transport.

-Developing specific routes for cyclists, pedestrians.

-Using of renewable (alternatives).

-Fuel taxation.

-Reforestation.

-Laws and regulations.

-Subsidies and grants for high efficiency devices.

C. Role of individuals:

-Use of public transport, car sharing and cycling

- reuse, reduce, and recycling.

- Using of insulators, and high efficient devices and engines.

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