Physical Properties

1 . Generally , atmosphere layers are hot if they contain gases that absorb some of the light that penetrates to that depth . Transparent layers are cool . The temperature of a layer is generally found by the balance between absorption of solar radiation (heating ) and the emission of radiation (cooling . A planet reaches a temperature at which there is a balance between absorption of solar radiation and the emission of infrared radiation by the planet 's surface

The material in the atmosphere , which absorbs solar radiation most actively in ozone . Ozone absorbs electromagnetic waves

in the ultra-violet wavelength band . It mainly resides in the stratosphere Nevertheless , emission and absorption of terrestrial radiation occur at any levels , and the amounts are larger as temperature is higher Absorption of solar radiation , on the other hand , is mostly limited to the ozone layer . Therefore , resulting equilibrium temperature is high in the ozone layer and low elsewhere . The part of solar radiation that transmit through the ozone layer , though somewhat absorbed in atmospheric constituents and clouds , mostly arrives at the surface (of sea and land ) and is absorbed there . In the troposphere , the atmosphere tend to lose energy by radiation alone , but it is compensated by the energy transfer from the surface by means of vertical motion of air (i .e . by convection , and relatively high temperature is maintained . The vertical distribution of temperature in the troposphere is essentially determined as the result of convection

The atmosphere emits terrestrial radiation downward as well as upward Therefore , terrestrial radiation from the atmosphere arrives at the surface in addition to solar radiation transmitted through the atmosphere . The atmosphere , containing water vapor and carbon dioxide also absorbs a large part of terrestrial radiation emitted by the surface . The surface air temperature in reality (approximately 287 K ) is significantly higher than the temperature of the radiation emitted by the earth to space (255 K , because of the effect of the atmosphere absorbing and re-emitting terrestrial radiation . Stratospheric cooling and tropospheric warming are intimately connected , not only through radiative processes , but also through dynamical processes , such as the formation , propagation and absorption of planetary waves . At present not all causes of the observed stratospheric cooling are completely understood

2 . The Earth 's rotational axis is inclined 23 .5 degrees from the perpendicular to the plane of the Earth 's orbit . The orientation of the Earth 's axis relative to the Sun and its rays changes continuously as our planet speeds along its orbital path . Twice a year the Earth 's axis is positioned perpendicular to the Sun 's rays , when all places on Earth except the poles experience equal periods of daylight and darkness These times are the equinoxes , the first days of spring and fall , and they occur on or about March 21 and September 23 , respectively . The Earth 's rotational axis is positioned at the greatest angle from its perpendicular equinox orientation to the Sun 's rays on the solstices - on or about June 21 and December 21

As...