Temperature Inversions

A detailed Summary of Temperature Inversions

Large-scale temperature inversions occur in the lower atmosphere when warm air overlies cooler air. These widespread inversions are caused by a variety of factors. The four primary types of inversions are the marine inversions, regional subsidence inversions, high-pressure inversions, and radiation inversions.

Marine inversions occur near the coast, mainly near the western side of continents where marine air is blown inland by prevailing winds. The ocean is cool compared to the land therefore the air right above the ocean is also cool. The prevailing winds blow this cool air toward the land. Meanwhile, the land is warm due to solar radiation. The warm air rises and circulates above the cooler air creating a temperature inversion. At night, the land cools quickly. This causes a rev

A high-pressure inversion can form when a stationary high-pressure system settles over a region. This is a common occurrence in the southern California coastal zone. Inside the high-pressure system, dry air slowly descends as it circulates. The subsidence causes the air to pressurize and warm. The warm air then traps the cooler coastal air and a temperature inversion is created.

A radiation inversion occurs when heat is rapidly lost from the surface by thermal radiation. The ground, and the layer of air which comes into contact with ground, cool rapidly at night. However, the air higher up remains warm. This occurs because the ground is a good heat radiator while air conducts heat poorly. This type of inversion is able to occur at night because most convection dies away with the

Some common words found in the essay are:
, warm air, cooler air, temperature inversions, temperature inversion, inversions occur, night land cools, regional subsidence inversions, inversions marine inversions, land cools, inversions marine, night land, cool air, radiation inversions,

Approximate Word count = 528
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Science

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Temperature Inversions

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