Higher Atmosphere

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Unit 1:
Dynamics of the stratosphere and aviation

The layering of the stratosphere is very stable and the exchange with the troposphere is slow compared to the different streams and turbulence occuring in the troposphere itself. However there is for each hemisphere of the Earth a slow transport of air masses, which includes the stratosphere as well. This and the exchange between troposphere and stratosphere will be described in the first text.

A second text addresses the emissions from aviation and their development. Air planes are flying in the uppermost layer of the troposphere, the tropospause, and also touch the lower stratosphere. Since this region is very sensible to emissions of any kind, pollution from growing aviation is more important than it could be assumed from the sheer amount.

About this page:

author: Elmar Uherek - Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz
last published: 2004-04-20