Cooling of Atmosphere

Conduction

Conduction is the term used to describe the process by which heat is transported from one object to another. Conduction is the mechanism through which heat from the Earth is transferred to the atmosphere. However, the atmosphere is a poor heat conductor compared with other elements in the environment. Only a few millimetres of the air is warmed by the hot ground when the weather conditions are calm. The temperature of the air above your head can be as much as 50 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the temperature of the air at your feet. Considering how inefficient the environment is at transferring thermal energy, a variety of strategies must be employed to compensate.

Convection

Convection is the outcome of the movement of a fluid’s bulk, which results in heat transmission (such as water and air). This phenomenon occurs more frequently in gases and liquid. The atmosphere is heated and cooled in a variety of ways. The sun’s rays cause a rise in the Earth’s temperature. The heat is then transmitted to the lower layers of the atmosphere by means of long-waveform radiation. Slowly, the air that comes into contact with the ground warms up. In addition, the lower layers of the atmosphere heat the upper layers of the atmosphere. 

Three distinct processes are primarily responsible for the heating and cooling of the Earth’s atmosphere, namely conduction, convection, and advection are three critical processes.

Fluids than in solids, owing to the freedom of movement. Cooler air is drawn in to replace the rising air, and heat is transferred upward and outward away from the source of the heat transmission. Although convection may be responsible for local storms in the summer, convection is a worldwide phenomenon that occurs all year round.

Advection

The wind has the ability to transfer the temperature of one location to another. People who live near the path of warm air currents will experience a significant increase in temperature.

The temperature will drop if the site is in the path of a brisk breeze.

Advection is the term used to describe the horizontal transfer of heat caused by the wind.

Radiation

Radiation is the final step in the transfer of heat around the globe. The sun’s energy comes in a variety of wavelengths. A wavelength is a distance from one crest to the next along with a wave of energy. The more energy there is, the shorter the wavelength must be. When sunlight strikes our planet, it passes through our atmosphere unheated. All objects that receive radiation from the sun radiate some of that energy back into space in a weaker form. Longwave radiation, which is typically perceived as heat, results from this weaker energy. All living things, including humans, emit longwave radiation. Energy absorbed from the sun is radiated back to space in the form of longwave radiation or Earthlight.

Latent heat

Latent heat can be a formidable force when it comes to the weather. A phase change occurs when water moves from a gaseous state to a liquid or solid state. To describe the heat required for a phase change, we use latent heat. Energy/heat must be obtained from outside the system, such as the surrounding atmosphere, for water to go from liquid to gas. As a result, water evaporation is a cooling process since it uses heat from the ambient air to do so. The evaporation and condensation cycle is a major heat transfer mechanism. Storms release enough energy to detonate an atomic bomb, which is why they are called “thunderstorms.” There is enough heat and energy in a hurricane to power the United States for more than a year.

Greenhouse effect

Greenhouse gases are to blame for the anomaly in Earth’s temperature, which keeps it from being in equilibrium. But first, let’s talk about what greenhouse gases do in the atmosphere. Rather than releasing heat into the atmosphere, greenhouse gases trap it. The troposphere traps some of the heat radiation that radiates from the Earth’s surface because of greenhouse gases. Insulation for the planet is provided by greenhouse gas emissions. The greenhouse effect refers to the warming of the atmosphere as a result of the insulation provided by greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases regulate the Earth’s temperature in the atmosphere.

All of the below-mentioned gases are greenhouse gases: CO2, H2O, methane, nitrous oxides (NO and NO2), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and so on. On the other hand, CFCs are not a natural part of the atmosphere.

Conclusion

The atmosphere can be heated and cooled in a variety of ways. After being warmed by insulation, the Earth radiates heat in a long waveform to the upper atmosphere.

There are three processes for heating and cooling the atmosphere:

The upper layers of the atmosphere, which are in direct contact with the lower layers, gradually heat up. Conduction is the term used to describe this action.

In convection, heat is transferred from the atmosphere to the air in contact with the Earth via vertical upwelling caused by heating in the form of currents.

Advection is the process by which heat is transported by moving air in a horizontal direction.