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In meteorology, an inversion is a deviation from the normal change of an atmospheric property with altitude. It almost always refers to a temperature inversion, i.e., an increase in temperature with height, or to the layer (inversion layer) within which such an increase occurs.
An inversion can lead to pollution such as smog being trapped close to the ground, with possible adverse effects on health. An inversion can also suppress convection by acting as a "cap". If this cap is broken for any of several reasons, convection of any moisture present can then erupt into violent thunderstroms. Temperature inversion can notoriously result in freezing rain in cold climates.
Normal atmospheric conditions
Usually, within the lower atmosphere (the troposphere) the air near the surface of the Earth is warmer than the air above it, largely because the atmosphere is heated from below as solar radiation warms the Earth's surface, which in turn then warms the layer of the atmosphere directly above it e.g. by thermals (convective heat transfer).
How and why inversions occur
Height (y-axis) versus Temperature (x-axis) under normal atmospheric conditions (black line). When the layer from 6-8 kilometers (designated A-B) is descended dry adiabatically, the result is the inversion seen near the ground at 1-2 kilometers (C-D).
Under certain conditions, the normal vertical temperature gradient is inverted such that the air is colder near the surface of the Earth. This can occur when, for example, a warmer, less dense air mass moves over a cooler, denser air mass. This type of inversion occurs in the vicinity of warm fronts, and also in areas of oceanic upwelling such as along the California coast. With sufficient humidity in the cooler layer, fog is typically present below the inversion cap. An inversion is also produced whenever radiation from the surface of the earth exceeds the amount of radiation received from the sun, which commonly occurs at night, or during the winter when the angle of the sun is very low in the sky. This effect is virtually confined to land regions as the ocean retains heat far longer. In the polar regions during winter, inversions are nearly always present over land.
A warmer air mass moving over a cooler one can "shut off" any convection which may be present in the cooler air mass. This is known as a capping inversion. However, if this cap is broken, either by extreme convection overcoming the cap, or by the lifting effect of a front or a mountain range, the sudden release of bottled-up convective energy - like the bursting of a balloon - can result in severe thunderstorms. Such capping inversions typically precede the development of tornadoes in the midwestern United States. In this instance, the "cooler" layer is actually quite warm, but is still denser and usually cooler than the lower part of the inversion layer capping it.
Subsidence inversion
An inversion can develop aloft as a result of air gradually sinking over a wide area and being warmed by adiabatic compression, usually associated with subtropical high pressure areas. A stable marine layer may then develop over the ocean as a result. As this layer moves over progressively warmer waters, however, turbulence within the marine layer can gradually lift the inversion layer to higher altitudes, and eventually, even pierce it, producing thunderstorms, and under the right circumstances, leading to tropical cyclones. The accumulated smog and dust under the inversion quickly taints the sky reddish, easily seen on sunny days.
Consequences of a thermal inversion
Fata Morgana of a ship is due to an inversion
Winter smoke in Shanghai with a clear border-layer for the vertical air-spread.
Temperature inversion in Bratislava, viewing the top of Nový Most bridge
With the ceasing of convection, which is normally present in the atmosphere, a number of phenomena are associated with a temperature inversion. The air becomes stiller, hence the air becomes murky because dust and pollutants are no longer lifted from the surface.
This can become a problem in cities where many pollutants exist. Inversion effects occur frequently in big cities such as Mumbai, India; Los Angeles, California; Mexico City; São Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; and Tehran, Iran but also in smaller cities like Oslo, Norway; Salt Lake City, Utah; Logan, Utah; Vancouver, British Columbia; Chiang Mai and Boise, Idaho which are closely surrounded by hills and mountains that together with the inversion effect bottle-caps the air in the city. During a severe inversion, trapped air pollutants form a brownish haze that can cause respiratory problems. The Great Smog of 1952, one of the most serious examples of such an inversion, occurred in London and was blamed for thousands of deaths.
Sometimes the inversion layer is higher so that the cumulus clouds can condense but then they spread out under the inversion layer. This cuts out sunlight to the ground and prevents new thermals from forming. A period of cloudiness is followed by sunny weather as the clouds disperse. This cycle can occur more than once in a day.
The index of refraction of air decreases as the air temperature increases, a side effect of hotter air being less dense. Normally this results in distant objects being shortened vertically, an effect that is easy to see at sunset (where the sun is "squished" into an oval). In an inversion the normal pattern is reversed, and distant objects are instead stretched out or appear to be above the horizon. This leads to the interesting optical effects of Fata Morgana or mirage.
Electromagnetic Radiation (Radio-TV)
Similarly, very-high frequency (VHF - 30 to 300 MHz) radio waves (being part of the electromagnetic spectrum, like light) can be refracted by such inversions. This is why it is possible to sometimes hear FM radio (or watch VHF-LO band TV) broadcasts from otherwise impossible distances as far as a few hundred miles on foggy nights. The signal, still powerful enough to be received even at hundreds or rarely, thousands, of miles, would normally be refracted up and away from the ground-based antenna, is instead refracted down towards the earth by the temperature-inversion boundary layer. This phenomenon is called tropospheric ducting. It is also referred to as skip by small radio operators and ham radio operators. Along coast lines during Autumn and Spring many FM radio stations are plagued by severe signal degradation causing them to sound like "scrambled eggs".
Inversions can magnify the so called "green flash": a phenomenon occurring at sunrise/sunset, usually visible for a few seconds, in which the sun's green light is isolated due to dispersion - the shorter wavelength is refracted most, so it is the first/last light from the upper rim of the solar disc to be seen.
Sound
In addition, when an inversion layer is present (for example early in the morning when ground-level air temperatures are cool, and high-level air temperatures are warmer), if a sound or explosion occurs at ground level, the sound wave can get totally reflected from the warmer upper layer (in which the sound travel faster, i.e. the air has lower acoustic refractive index, so the sound can undergo total internal reflection) and return back to ground level; the sound is therefore heard much further than normal. The shock wave from an explosion can be reflected by an inversion layer in much the same way as it bounces off the ground in an air-burst and can cause additional damage as a result. This phenomenon killed three people in the Russian RDS-37 nuclear test when a building collapsed.
In an inversion, vertical motion in the atmosphere is suppressed because the atmosphere is stable. Hence vertical heat transport by eddies is suppressed; this reduced (downwards) heat transport leads to further cooling of the lower surface. This can lead to an effective decoupling of the atmosphere from the surface in extreme conditions, such as may be found in Antarctica during the polar night, where inversions greater than 25 °C commonly occur.When it happens the sky is a reddish color.
What else can I help you with?
Why is basement cooler than other rooms?
The basement is underground so the sun's heat does not reach it, but probably its just that above ground is warmer rather than below ground is cooler.
Temperature below freezing means snow?
Snow does occur when temperature is below freezing because snow is just frozen rain . Lets say it rains , and the temperature is below freezing , that rain would become snow . So temperature below freezing means having snow is true .
What do you call it when you can see your breath in the cold?
Well sometimes it is cold because it show a sign that its a cold night this not supersitus or a joke this is the answer.... It alcuttly is too cold to see your breath for degress it i s under 40 degress so it is too cold.
Is the stiffer mantle above or below the melting point?
is the temperature if the stiffer mantle above or below its melting point
What is below room temperature?
It's the temperature of your room -1 degree. The average room temperature is 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
What occurs during temperature inversion?
A temperature inversion occurs when air temperature at the upper layer are much warmer than the lower layer of air..
How is temperature inversion like the tempuatures of the stratosphere and troposphere?
Temperature inversion occurs when the normal temperature gradient in the atmosphere is reversed, leading to warmer air trapping cooler air below. In the troposphere, temperature generally decreases with altitude, while in the stratosphere, it increases with altitude due to the absorption of ultraviolet radiation by ozone. This inversion can lead to stable atmospheric conditions, preventing vertical mixing and often resulting in increased air pollution. Essentially, temperature inversion disrupts the typical behavior of temperature in these atmospheric layers.
The primary cause of a radiation inversion is?
The primary cause of a radiation inversion is when the Earth's surface loses heat rapidly at night, causing the air near the surface to cool and become denser. This denser air forms a layer close to the ground, trapping cooler air below and warmer air above, resulting in an inversion layer.
What is it called when a layer of warm air is above and traps a layer of cold air below?
It is called a temperature inversion, which occurs when warm air lies above cooler air and acts as a lid, trapping pollutants and impacting air quality. Temperature inversions can lead to smog and other atmospheric effects.
What is a temperature in version?
A temperature inversion is when a warm layer of something is below a cool layer of the same material. It happens in both gases (the air) and liquids (lakes), and generally isn't stable because cooler materials tend to be denser.
What happens to the temperature of the water in the zone beneath the thermocline?
The temperature in the zone beneath the thermocline remains relatively stable as it experiences minimal mixing with the warmer water above and the cooler water below. This results in a sharp temperature gradient between the layers above and below the thermocline.
What forms when cool air descends from the mountain peaks?
When cool air descends from mountain peaks, it often leads to the formation of a temperature inversion, where the cooler air traps warmer air below. This can create a stable atmosphere that inhibits cloud formation and precipitation. Additionally, the descending air can warm adiabatically, leading to the development of clear skies and dry conditions in the valleys below, a phenomenon known as a rain shadow effect.
What does the the temperature increase in the stratosphere?
The temperature in the stratosphere increases with altitude, a phenomenon known as temperature inversion. This occurs due to the absorption of ultraviolet (UV) radiation by ozone, which warms the stratosphere. As a result, the stratosphere is characterized by warmer temperatures at higher altitudes, differing from the troposphere below it, where temperature generally decreases with altitude. This temperature structure plays a crucial role in atmospheric dynamics and weather patterns.
What happens to the temperature normally in the stratosphere?
In the stratosphere, temperature generally increases with altitude. This is due to the absorption of ultraviolet (UV) radiation by the ozone layer, which warms the air in this region. As a result, while the troposphere (the layer below) experiences a decrease in temperature with height, the stratosphere exhibits a temperature inversion, where higher altitudes are warmer than lower ones. This temperature gradient contributes to the stability of the stratosphere.
What is the earth's temperature 18 feet below ground?
The temperature 18 feet below ground typically remains relatively stable and is usually around 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 15 degrees Celsius), depending on the geographical location and local climate. This consistent temperature is a result of the insulating properties of the soil and the minimal influence of seasonal temperature changes at that depth. In colder climates, the ground temperature may be slightly warmer, while in warmer regions, it may be cooler.
Where does hot air normally stays in the room?
Hot air typically rises and accumulates near the ceiling of a room because it is less dense than cooler air, which tends to settle closer to the floor. This phenomenon creates a temperature gradient, with warmer air at the top and cooler air below. As a result, rooms can often feel warmer at the ceiling level and cooler at the ground level, especially in poorly ventilated spaces.
What are four indicators of a stable air mass?
Four indicators of a stable air mass include a temperature inversion, where warmer air traps cooler air below; minimal vertical movement, resulting in limited cloud formation; low humidity, which leads to clear skies; and weak wind patterns that prevent disturbances. These characteristics contribute to the air mass's ability to resist upward motion, maintaining stability.
