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Importance of ozone layer essay
Importance of ozone layer essay
Essay on the role played by ozone layer
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Orbiting above the Earth, an astronaut can look down on our home and see the thin blue ribbon that rims our planet. That transparent blanket -- our atmosphere -- makes life possible. It provides the air we breathe and regulates our global temperature. And it contains a special ingredient called ozone that filters deadly solar radiation.
The Atmosphere
The gaseous area surrounding the planet is divided into several spherical strata separated by narrow transition zones which is the atmosphere. (Graedel 1998) The upper boundary at which gases disperse into space lies at an altitude of approximately 1000 kilometers above sea level. (Graedel 1998) More than 99% of the total atmospheric mass is concentrated in the first 40 km from Earth's surface. (Graedel 1998) Atmospheric layers are characterized in chemical compositions that produce variations in temperature. (Graedel 1998)
Here is a graph of the different layers in the atmosphere:
Troposphere
The troposphere is the atmospheric layer closest to the planet and contains the largest percentage of the mass of the total atmosphere. (Garcia 1994) It is characterized by the density of its air and an average vertical temperature change of 6 degrees Celsius (C) per kilometer. (Graedel 1998)
Temperature and water vapor content in the troposphere decrease rapidly with altitude. Water vapor plays a major role in regulating air temperature because it absorbs solar energy and thermal radiation from the planet's surface. (Graedel 1998) The troposphere contains 99 % of the water vapor in the atmosphere. Water vapor concentrations vary with latitudinal position. They are greatest above the tropics, where they may be as high as 3 %, and decrease toward the Polar Regions.
All weather phen...
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...wide. However, how much of the loss is the result of human activity, and how much is the result of fluctuations in natural cycles, still need to be determined. To understand global atmospheric changes, we need to understand the composition and chemistry of Earth's atmosphere and how they are affected by human activity. To create accurate models, scientists must account for all of the factors affecting ozone creation and destruction, and conduct simultaneous, global studies over the course of many years. (EPA 2000)
Conclusion
The ozone layer must continue to be protected and we, as individuals, need to take the right steps into preserving our atmosphere and environment by finding new ways to prevent the ongoing destruction that has been done to it. If everyone does his or her part to help, no matter how big or small, we can ensure that this problem will be solved.
the earth that allow the world to be inhabitable. This layer of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases works
Merriam Webster dictionary defines atmosphere as a) "the whole mass of air surrounding the earth" and b) "the overall aesthetic effect of a work of art." Kate Chopin integrates these two definitions together effortlessly in her short story "The Storm." The meteorological atmosphere parallels the literary atmosphere with the building tension, the culmination, and the aftermath.
I’d first like to discuss the four closest planets to the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, also known as terrestrial planets. These planets are different from Jovian planets, mostly because of their solid surfaces. However, these are not the only explanations for the distinctions between the Jovian and Terrestrial planets. Terrestrial planets have few moons, no rings surrounding the planets, high densities, and usually slow rotations. These planets are special because of their heavy metal core, which explains their high densities. When it comes to topography, these planets are known for having valleys and craters, which make them different from the gaseous Jovian planets. The atmospheres of the four terrestrial planets range from very thick atmospheres to very thing atmospheres. Throughout this paper, I will go more in-depth into each of these planets and what makes each one of them
As the twenty-first century progresses, it has become increasingly apparent just how many challenges the world faces. Prominent among these concerns are environmental issues, in particular, ozone depletion and climate change. While the international community has been exceptionally successful in its struggle to reduce the production and consumption of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), the organic compounds that contribute to the ozone issue, its efforts to tackle climate change have yielded considerably fewer advancements. A number of factors that helped the proceedings of the ozone regime, or campaign, are not applicable to the climate change regime. The issue of limiting CFCs was much less politically and economically charged than that of reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs), which cause the greenhouse effect and the consequent warming of the planet. Climate change has been referred to as the ultimate “tragedy of the commons”, an important metaphor in economics that helps explain why this subject is still at the centre of much heated debate and has yet to be resolved in a manner similar to that of the ozone problem.
The rising of temperatures is caused by factors called climate forcing or “forcing mechanisms”. This includes processes such as variations in solar radiation, variations in the Earth’s orbit, mountain-building and continental drift, and changes in greenhouse gas concentration. Solar radiation gets trapped by gases, which are created on earth, in the atmosphere. The radiation comes from the sun towards earth and bounces off the earth’s surface. However much of the radiation gets trapped by the gases remaining behind which warms our planet instead of going back into space like previously. This is known as the greenhouse effect. Some of the major contributing gases are; water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and our ozone layer. According to sources at Real Climate, 36-85% of the greenhouse effect is due to water vapor (including clouds), followed by carbon dioxide at 9-26%, and last all the minor greenhouse gas absorbers at 7-8%. Humans contribute to the greenhouse effect by deforestation, land use changes, and burning fo...
Stratospheric ozone absorbs 97-99% of ultraviolet radiation. As this protective layer continues to dissentigrate, human health will suffer. One American dies every hour from skin cancer, a direct result of ozone depletion by anthropogenic chemicals, primarily CFCs, which damage the ozone layer. Alternate chemicals are now being used in the place of CFCs that will not damage statospheric ozone, and there is international recognition of the importance of developing these chemicals. The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty which limits the production of ozone depleting substances. Still, human health is at risk from the deletion of ozone, and the risk factor will continue to rise unless people and industries become more aware of the implications connected with everyday use of chemicals which destroy stratospheric ozone.
Most climate scientists agree that the main cause of global climate change is the human expansion of the greenhouse effect. This is the global warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space (climate.nasa.gov). The main gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons (climate.nasa.gov). Human activities are changing the natural greenhouse effect. The burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (climate.nasa.gov). Carbon dioxide levels have increased from 280 parts per million to 379 parts per million in the last 150 years due to human act...
Ocean currents have been known to change direction or slow down. The heat that escapes from the oceans is in the form of water vapor, the most abundant greenhouse gas on Earth. Yet, water vapor also contributes to the formation of clouds and has a net cooling effect.
...depletion of the ozone layer, biodiversity and stress on food producing systems(IPCC 2013). Therefore, climate change is highly risky and the appropriate international steps should be taken in order to stop more climate change and its negative and severe consequences.
First is a description of the greenhouse effect. The earth’s atmosphere has four layers, or zones, with each having distinct differences in temperature. The troposphere is the first layer surrounding the earth. Within this layer air is continually circulating and moving heat and moisture around the earth. The troposphere is denser than the other layers due to the fact that gravity keeps the majority of air molecules near the earth. This is about 75 percent of all the atmospheric mass. It is also the warmest layer (Cunningham & Cunningham, ...
Atmosphere: The Earth has one of the most versatile atmospheres because of the way the solar system here picks up water and carries it around the Earth for redistribution. We have a thick atmosphere that consists mostly of oxygen and nitrogen that helps plants and animals survive so well here on Earth. We also have a "greenhouse effect" that warms our atmosphere and it's surface.
Earth’s climate is determined by the physics and chemistry of its atmosphere. Earth’s atmosphere consists of four layers; troposphere which is closest to earth, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. Hardy says, “During the past 100 years we humans, as a result of burning coal, oil, and gas and clearing forests, have greatly changed the chemical composition of the thin atmospheric layer.” There is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to burning fossil fuels. The atmosphere is made up of many gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and argon. It also consists of trace gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, chlorofluorocarbons and, ozone. The trace gases have the greatest effect on our climate (Hardy 5). Up to a certain level, these gases help to keep the planet warm by absorbing certain infrared wavelengths, so that there can be life on the planet. Thus, they trap heat in the troposphere and stop it from escaping to space (Hardy 7). Therefore, the greater amount of greenhouse gases, the more heat trapped in the atmosphere. Earth’s temperature is increasing due to increased levels of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide released into the air from burning fossil fuels. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2001 report projects “global average surface temperature increases ranging from 1.4 to 5.8 degrees
Climate change is evidenced through shifts in the weather patterns such as winds, humidity and temperatures over certain durations. Natural climate changes occur less frequently and they are triggered by factors related to geographical aspects as well as solar radiation. The earth’s movement on the orbit triggers changes in climate, causing some areas to have higher temperatures than usual, while others are significantly cold depending on the position of the earth on the orbit. The heat from the sun causes changes in the stratospheric ozone and it increases the amount of greenhouse gases. Heat from the oceanic crust also contributes to warming as a result of episodic hydrothermal venting (Liao & Sandeberg, 2012).
The atmosphere is an open system that consists of a gaseous mixture enveloping a planet (Answers.com). These gasses, known as air, include O2, N2 and H2O. The atmosphere is also composed of water, ice and dust particles. Atmosphere functions like a blanket, keeping Earth's heat from escaping into space (Lenkeit). It has also been compared to a greenhouse: like glass it lets short wave insulation inside, but keeps most of long wave ground radiation from going out (Lenkeit).
Climate changes occur in our earth's atmosphere due to a buildup of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases can occur naturally as well as a result of human activities. The greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. “Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere when solid waste, fossil fuels, and wood are burned.” (2) The gases help to warm the surface of the Earth. Each greenhouse gas absorbs heat differently. If natural gases did not occur, the temperature of the earth would be considerably cooler. “Problems can occur when higher concentrations of greenhouse gases are present in our atmosphere because they have enhanced our earth's heat trapping capability.” (3)