Origin and distribution of the polyatomic molecules in the atmosphere
Of those gases which occur in the upper atmosphere and have strong absorption bands in the infra-red part of the spectrum and which must, therefore, be considered when calculating the absorption and radiation of heat in the atmosphere, only carbon dioxide is uniformly mixed with the air at all heig...
Published in: | Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
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Language: | English |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1956.0127 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspa.1956.0127 |
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rspa.1956.0127 2024-06-23T07:55:24+00:00 Origin and distribution of the polyatomic molecules in the atmosphere 1956 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1956.0127 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspa.1956.0127 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences volume 236, issue 1205, page 187-193 ISSN 0080-4630 2053-9169 journal-article 1956 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1956.0127 2024-06-10T04:15:15Z Of those gases which occur in the upper atmosphere and have strong absorption bands in the infra-red part of the spectrum and which must, therefore, be considered when calculating the absorption and radiation of heat in the atmosphere, only carbon dioxide is uniformly mixed with the air at all heights which we are likely to be dealing with; it will not be considered further here. The vertical distributions of water vapour and ozone are of great interest, particularly when considered together. Water vapour, originating at ground level, usually decreases rather rapidly with increasing height, particularly in the lower stratosphere. This leads to extremely low concentrations at a height of about 15 km. On the other hand, ozone, being formed by the action of solar ultra-violet radiation at a height of 30 km or more, decreases in concentration downwards. We find, therefore, ozone diffusing downwards and water vapour diffusing upwards through the same region of the atmosphere, but, as we shall see, with very different lapse rates. Water vapour The standard hygrometers which are used to measure the humidity from free balloons are only satisfactory at temperatures above about 235°K, and our knowledge of the humidity at high levels in the atmosphere is almost entirely dependent on measurements made with frost-point hygrometers carried on aircraft. The work of the Meteorological Research Flight of the British Meteorological Office is notable for the very large number of measurements made from Mosquito aircraft to a height of about 12 km and more recently from Canberra aircraft to 15 km. Most unfortunately, hardly any measurements having similar accuracy have been made in other parts of the world. However, at the present time Dr A. W. Brewer is in north Norway making such measurements with the kind co-operation of the Norwegian Air Force and I had hoped that some results might have been available in time to report them at this Discussion (see note at end of paper). Article in Journal/Newspaper North Norway The Royal Society Norway Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences 236 1205 187 193 |
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Open Polar |
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The Royal Society |
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crroyalsociety |
language |
English |
description |
Of those gases which occur in the upper atmosphere and have strong absorption bands in the infra-red part of the spectrum and which must, therefore, be considered when calculating the absorption and radiation of heat in the atmosphere, only carbon dioxide is uniformly mixed with the air at all heights which we are likely to be dealing with; it will not be considered further here. The vertical distributions of water vapour and ozone are of great interest, particularly when considered together. Water vapour, originating at ground level, usually decreases rather rapidly with increasing height, particularly in the lower stratosphere. This leads to extremely low concentrations at a height of about 15 km. On the other hand, ozone, being formed by the action of solar ultra-violet radiation at a height of 30 km or more, decreases in concentration downwards. We find, therefore, ozone diffusing downwards and water vapour diffusing upwards through the same region of the atmosphere, but, as we shall see, with very different lapse rates. Water vapour The standard hygrometers which are used to measure the humidity from free balloons are only satisfactory at temperatures above about 235°K, and our knowledge of the humidity at high levels in the atmosphere is almost entirely dependent on measurements made with frost-point hygrometers carried on aircraft. The work of the Meteorological Research Flight of the British Meteorological Office is notable for the very large number of measurements made from Mosquito aircraft to a height of about 12 km and more recently from Canberra aircraft to 15 km. Most unfortunately, hardly any measurements having similar accuracy have been made in other parts of the world. However, at the present time Dr A. W. Brewer is in north Norway making such measurements with the kind co-operation of the Norwegian Air Force and I had hoped that some results might have been available in time to report them at this Discussion (see note at end of paper). |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
title |
Origin and distribution of the polyatomic molecules in the atmosphere |
spellingShingle |
Origin and distribution of the polyatomic molecules in the atmosphere |
title_short |
Origin and distribution of the polyatomic molecules in the atmosphere |
title_full |
Origin and distribution of the polyatomic molecules in the atmosphere |
title_fullStr |
Origin and distribution of the polyatomic molecules in the atmosphere |
title_full_unstemmed |
Origin and distribution of the polyatomic molecules in the atmosphere |
title_sort |
origin and distribution of the polyatomic molecules in the atmosphere |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
1956 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1956.0127 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspa.1956.0127 |
geographic |
Norway |
geographic_facet |
Norway |
genre |
North Norway |
genre_facet |
North Norway |
op_source |
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences volume 236, issue 1205, page 187-193 ISSN 0080-4630 2053-9169 |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1956.0127 |
container_title |
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
container_volume |
236 |
container_issue |
1205 |
container_start_page |
187 |
op_container_end_page |
193 |
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1802647991887069184 |