Earth Systems and Atmospheric Science Review

Flashcards covering Earth's geosphere, soil properties, atmospheric layers, greenhouse effect, and ENSO cycles.

Accretion Formation

The process of meteor impacts during the early formation of the solar system that created a largely molten Earth due to impact energy.

Core

The center of the Earth, consisting of liquid and solid portions, mostly composed of Nickel and Iron; it serves as the planet's heat source.

Mantle

The semi-melted center region of the Earth located between the crust and the core, mostly comprised of Magnesium and Iron.

Crust

The rigid and cool outer region of the Earth, largely comprised of Oxygen and Silica.

Granite

The dominant intrusive igneous rock of continental crust, typically forming when lava plumes cool slowly within the crust; primary minerals include $30\%$ Quartz, $65\%$ Potassium Feldspar, and $5\%$ Biotite.

Basalt

A dark-colored, fine-grained extrusive igneous rock that makes up most of the oceanic crust; primary minerals include $45\%$ Olivine, $45\%$ Hornblende, and $10\%$ Quartz.

Volcanic Outgassing

The process that formed the early atmosphere and ocean waters as the Earth cooled over time.

Convection Cycles

Processes occurring in the mantle that drag tectonic plates, leading to their movement.

Tectonic Plates

Large pieces of the Earth's brittle surface; there are seven major plates: African, Antarctic, Eurasian, North American, South American, India-Australian, and Pacific.

Divergent Boundary

A plate boundary where plates move away from each other, creating landforms like Mid-Ocean Ridges.

Convergent Boundary

A plate boundary where plates move towards each other; can result in volcanoes, trenches, mountains, or volcanic island arcs.

Transform Boundary

A plate boundary where two plates move past each other, forming landforms like fault lines and causing earthquakes.

Mantle Hotspot

An area where a tectonic plate moves over a heat source in the mantle, forming volcanoes that are not at plate boundaries.

Mechanical Weathering

The physical breakdown of parent rock into soil via processes like ice wedging, abrasion, and plant or animal activity.

Chemical Weathering

The breakdown of rock through chemical changes, including oxidation, hydrolysis, and carbonation.

O Horizon

The soil layer consisting of humus on the ground surface, comprised of recently dead organic matter.

A Horizon

Topsoil that is rich in organic matter and decomposers.

B Horizon

Subsoil containing very little organic matter, often high in nutrients due to leaching.

C Horizon

The soil layer experiencing little weathering, mostly consisting of parent rock.

Porosity

A measure of the air space between soil grains, which determines permeability and water holding capacity.

Permeability

The ability of soil to allow water to flow through it.

Soil Texture

The physical property of soil defined by the relative percentages of Sand (largest), Silt (medium), and Clay (smallest) particles.

Troposphere

The lowest layer of the atmosphere ($0-15\,km$) where all weather and life occurs; it holds $75\%$ of atmospheric air molecules.

Stratosphere

The atmospheric layer ($15-50\,km$) containing the ozone layer ($O_3$) which filters harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Mesosphere

The layer ($50-90\,km$) that acts as a meteor barrier, causes a rapid drop in temperature, and exhibits a drop-off in air density.

Thermosphere

The layer ($90-800\,km$) where Auroras occur; temperatures range from very cold to hot due to varying solar radiation protection.

Exosphere

The outermost and thinnest layer of the atmosphere ($800-3000\,km$) where space shuttles and satellites are located.

CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons)

Anthropogenic pollutants that release chlorine atoms when struck by UV radiation, leading to the depletion of the ozone layer.

Greenhouse Gases

Atmospheric gases including Carbon Dioxide ($CO_2$), Methane ($CH_4$), Nitrous Oxide ($N_2O$), and Water Vapor ($H_2O$) that absorb and reflect longwave infrared radiation.

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

A measurement of the ability of a gas to trap heat in the lower atmosphere, with $CO_2$ serving as the baseline.

Upwelling

The process where surface winds push water away, allowing deeper, colder, and nutrient-rich water to rise to the surface.

El Niño

A climate event occurring every 2 to 7 years where trade winds weaken, causing warm water to move east and decreasing upwelling near South America.

La Niña

The opposite of El Niño, characterized by strengthened trade winds, wetter conditions, and increased upwelling.