Earth's Atmosphere

The atmosphere is a mixture of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and other gases (1%) that surrounds Earth. High above the planet, the atmosphere becomes thinner until it gradually reaches space. It is divided into five layers. Most of the weather and clouds are found in the first layer.

The atmosphere is an important part of what makes Earth livable. It blocks some of the Sun's dangerous rays from reaching Earth. It traps heat, making Earth a comfortable temperature. And the oxygen within our atmosphere is essential for life.

Over the past century, greenhouse gases and other air pollutants released into the atmosphere have been causing big changes like global warming, ozone holes, and acid rain.

<a href="/earth/Atmosphere/tstorm/tstorm_lightning.html&edu=high">Lightning</a> is the most spectacular element of a <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/tstorm.html&edu=high">thunderstorm</a>. A single stroke of lightning can <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/temperature.html&edu=high">heat</a> the air around it to 30,000 degrees Celsius (54,000 degrees Fahrenheit)! This extreme heating causes the air to expand explosively. The expansion creates a shock wave that turns into a booming <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/tstorm/lightning_thunder.html&edu=high">sound wave</a>, better known as thunder.<p><small><em> Image Courtesy of University Corporation for Atmospheric Research/Carlye Calvin</em></small></p><a href="/earth/Atmosphere/NLC.html&edu=high">Noctilucent</a> clouds are the highest clouds in the sky, but they are not associated with weather like the <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/clouds/cloud_types.html&edu=high">other clouds</a> we regularly see in the sky. Noctilucent clouds form very high in the <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/overview.html&edu=high">atmosphere</a>, in the <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/mesosphere.html&edu=high">mesosphere</a>. They are best seen from Earth at sunset. This image was taken on June 15, 2007, in Budapest, Hungary. Normally seen from locations near the <a href="/earth/polar/polar.html&edu=high">poles</a> of the Earth, in recent years they have also been seen at much lower-latitude locations.<p><small><em> Image Courtesy of NASA/Veres Viktor</em></small></p>Does Earth science matter? The power outage experienced by residents in New York City on 10/30/2012 due to Hurricane Sandy demonstrates the interconnectedness of our society, and the power of the Earth system. Every person should have an understanding of how the Earth system works so they can live better lives, protect those they love, and make wise choices. Earth science education is critical!<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Hybirdd, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.</em></small></p>On November 7, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda in the Philippines) made landfall, with imated wind speeds of ~315 km/hr - the strongest <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/hurricane/intensity.html&edu=high">tropical cyclone</a> to make landfall in recorded history. As Haiyan moved across the Philippines before reaching Vietnam and China, its <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/wind.html&edu=high">winds</a> and <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/hurricane/surge.html&edu=high">storm surge</a> left devastation in its wake, leading to massive loss of life, destruction of homes, and hundreds of thousands of displaced inhabitants. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/09/world/iyw-how-to-help-typhoon-haiyan/index.html">How to Help</a><p><small><em>Image courtesy of COMS-1, SSEC, University of Wisconsin-Madison</em></small></p>How did life evolve on <a href="/earth/earth.html&edu=high">Earth</a> during the <a href="/earth/past/Archean.html&edu=high">Archean</a>, when the <a href="/sun/sun.html&edu=high">Sun</a> was about 25% weaker than today? The Earth should have been <a href="/earth/polar/cryosphere_glacier1.html&edu=high">glaciated</a>, if <a href="/earth/climate/earth_greenhouse.html&edu=high">greenhouse</a> gas concentration was the same as today. <a href="http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=10798">Researchers</a> studying the <a href="/physical_science/physics/atom_particle/isotope.html&edu=high">isotopic</a> signatures of Earth's early atmosphere in <a href="/earth/geology/rocks_intro.html&edu=high">rocks</a> from Northern Australia have ruled out high levels of <a href="/physical_science/chemistry/nitrogen_molecular.html&edu=high">nitrogen</a> as a possible way to increase warming from <a href="/earth/Atmosphere/overview.html&edu=high">atmospheric</a> <a href="/physical_science/chemistry/carbon_dioxide.html&edu=high">carbon dioxide</a>.<p><small><em>Image courtesy of Manchester University</em></small></p>Anti-crepuscular rays are beams of sunlight that appear to converge on a point opposite the sun. They are similar to crepuscular rays, but are seen opposite the sun in the sky. Anti-crepuscular rays are most frequently visible near sunrise or sunset. This photo of anti-crepuscular rays was taken at sunset in Boulder, Colorado. Crepuscular rays are usually much brighter than anti-crepuscular rays.<p><small><em> Image Courtesy of Carlye Calvin</em></small></p>

Explore Earth's Atmosphere

Layers of the Atmosphere

The atmosphere is divided into five layers. It is thickest near the surface and thins out with ...Read more

Weather

Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place. Most weather takes place ...Read more

Climate

Warm near the equator and cold at the poles, our planet is able to support a variety of living ...Read more

The Polar Atmosphere

Phenomena in the Polar Atmosphere There are some unique phenomena that happen in the atmosphere ...Read more

Atmospheric Optics

Have you ever seen clouds in the sky that looked different than "normal" clouds? Or have you ...Read more

Air Pollution

What do smog, acid rain, carbon monoxide, fossil fuel exhausts, and tropospheric ozone have ...Read more

Ozone Holes

The Ozone Hole is a major "thinning" of the ozone layer in Earth's atmosphere. It ...Read more

Modeling the Atmosphere

Clouds are an important part of Earth's weather and climate. Scientists use computer models ...Read more

Arts and Culture About Clouds, Weather, and Climate

Whether it is how an artist paints the shapes of clouds or how a poet describes a gloomy weather ...Read more

Atmosphere News

Read about current science, happenings and discoveries related to Earth's atmosphere! ...Read more

More about Earth's Atmosphere

Historical Events

Full Earth and Space Science    History Calendar (Members only)

Teacher Opportunities

Full Teacher Events Calendar (Educator Members only)

Did you know?

Did you know that most of the Earth's clouds and weather are found in lowest level of the Earth’s atmosphere?

Did you know that the ionosphere makes radio communication possible?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Adiabatic
xAdiabatic : An adiabatic process happens without any heat transfer with the environment.

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Caribbean Coral Reef Protection Efforts Miss the Mark

Conservation efforts aimed at protecting endangered Caribbean corals may be overlooking regions where corals are best equipped to evolve in response to global warming and other climate challenges. That's...Read more


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