Structure & Dynamics of the Atmosphere

Atmospheric scientists study the atmosphere's physical characteristics, motions, and processes, and the way in which these factors affect the rest of our environment. Knowledge of the atmosphere, its chemistry, structure and behavior is becoming increasingly relevant to the development of a safe and secure society.

Structure of the Atmosphere:

Ionosphere   Plasmasphere 

Nick Strobel on Atmosphere

Earth's atmosphere stretches out past the Moon      

Troposphere    Stratosphere    Mesosphere    Thermosphere    Exosphere   

Processes within the Atmosphere:

Convection

Atmospheric gravity waves

Dispersion    Turbulence    Radiation   

Baroclinic    Barotropic    Earth wind map

Atmosphere agitated by breaking waves

Tropical convection (CONTRAST program) 

The cloud dynamics of convective storm systems

Scientists begin to unravel summer jet stream mystery 

Study explores wave-particle interaction in atmosphere 

Surprising waves in the Antarctic atmosphere discovered

Atmospheric chemistry:

Atmospheric Chemistry

The future of atmospheric chemistry research

Major enigma solved in atmospheric chemistry

Atmosperic chemists should tackle risks to society

The effect of halogens on global tropospheric ozone 

Elusive matter found to be abundant far above Earth

New way to gauge lightning's role in ozone formation

Researchers discover particle which could ‘cool the planet

Summer storms to create new ozone holes as Earth warms

On the surface impact of stratospheric Arctic ozone extremes

Count of new CFCs in the atmosphere rises from four to seven

Team spots elusive intermediate compound in atmospheric chemistry

Researchers discover hot hydrogen atoms in earth's upper atmosphere

Sunlit snow triggers atmospheric cleaning, ozone depletion in the Arctic

Warming atmosphere's heat engine: atmospheric energetics with higher greenhouse gas concentrations

Top of the atmosphere (Thermosphere-Ionosphere TI system):

Initial observations by the GOLD mission

NCAR's stratospheric circulation simulation

How heavy oxygen ions escape Earth's gravity

The curious case of the Earth's leaking atmosphere

Focus on high-energy particles and atmospheric processes

Humans accidentally created a protective bubble around Earth

Cosmic ray modulation of infra-red radiation in the atmosphere

Atmospheric ionizing radiation from galactic and solar cosmic rays

Scientists solve a decades-old mystery in the Earth's upper atmosphere

Are there persistent physical atmospheric responses to galactic cosmic rays?

Assessing and understanding the impact of stratospheric dynamics and variability on the Earth System

Early atmospheres:

Fractal Haze Could Solve Weak-Sun Mystery for Early Earth

Key to Origin of Earth's First Breathable Atmosphere discovered

Amber provides new insights into the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere

Setting the stage for life: scientists make key discovery about the atmosphere of early Earth

Today's atmosphere:

Like a giant elevator to the stratosphere

Stratospheric contraction caused by increasing GHGs

Ten successful years of mapping the middle atmosphere

Vertcal fingerprint of human activity on atmospheric temperatures

Upper-tropospehric moistening in response to anthropogenic warming

Continuous rise of the tropopause in the Northern Hemisphere over 1980-2020

Water vapour in the atmosphere:

Water vapoiur as a global warming amplifier

A cleansing rain falls; a soil-filled mist arises

Water vapor in stratosphere has role in Earth's climate

Water vapor over the oceans - NASA/NOAA animations

Atmospheric rivers:

Atmospheric rivers in a changing climate

Atmospheric electricity:

THEMIS satellite sees a great electron escape

Van Allen probes reveal behaviour of Earth's ring current

Climate model used to better understand electricity in the air

Observations of the atmospheric electric field during two case studies of boundary layer processes

Radiation in the atmosphere: 

Cosmic ray modulation of infra-red radiation in the atmosphere

Climate change and the atmosphere:

NSF on Climate Change

Expert credibility in climate change

Middle atmosphere in sync with the ocean

A new technique to simulate climate change

What science is telling us about climate change

Stratosphere targets deep sea to shape climate

Air travel and climate: a potential new feedback?

Climate scientists find elusive tropospheric hot spot

Atmospheric composition, irreversible climate change, and mitigation policy    

New atmospheric compound tied to climate change and human health issues discovered   

Biota in the atmosphere: 

Bugs in the atmosphere

Frequent-flyer microbes ride hurricanes and live in the clouds

Microbiome of the upper troposphere: species composiion and prevalence, effects of tropical storms

Cleaning the atmosphere:

How the detergent of the atmosphere is regenerated

How NASA keeps tabs on air pollution from space - AURA

Key reaction for producing 'atmospher's detergent observed

Special Topics:

Edward Lorenz: chaos at fifty

Deterministic nonperiodic flow 

Atmospheric mysteries unraveling 

Grand challenges in atmospheric sciences

A question of atmospheres: on Earth and beyond

Studying soil to predict the future of Earth's atmosphere