Climatology: Intro

To help me structure (and show off) what I think I know of the world, specifically on the dynamics of the Earth I thought I'd do a series of blog posts, which incorporate what I know and vent my frustrations at how beautiful and yet incredulously complex our home planet is. I'll start off by describing the world in 1D (one dimension), which can be visualised as a line that takes us on a journey from the furthest reaches of the atmosphere to the very core of the Earth.

These are zones, or regions, or spaces with specific processes taking place within them. Some of them, particularly within the atmosphere are charachterized by their actual size and position, whereas others, particularly in the terrestrial (ground) layer are mixed- the biosphere, for example, incorporates the space taken up by all biological life which using ducks as an example includes their flying, diving and waddling activities!

Next time I'll draw a visual representation(s) of the below and outline what is actually meant by climate.

Atmosphere- Above Ground

• (Magnetosphere -  The region in outer space that the Earth's magnetic field has an influence on charged particles, particularly those which are ejected from the sun, called the solar wind. This makes it a similar shape in outline to that of a comet and it's streaks. )
  
• Exosphere - The transition zone between outer space and Earth's atmosphere, if a particle has enough velocity to get out of the exosphere it will no longer be dragged back to Earth by gravity.
• Thermosphere -From between 800 and 350 km up depending on solar activity. Temperature increases in height to a max. of 1500 °C, where the ISS orbits!
• Mesosphere -  Temperature decreases with height, from 80 ish km up and the layer where most space debris burns up.
• Stratosphere - Temperature increases with height below 51km up.
• Troposphere - approx.17-7km above the surface and roughly 80% of the atmospheres mass, warmed by surface energy fluxes, temperature decreases with height.

Terrestrial - Ground

• Biosphere - All life above, below and in the ground and oceans
• Anthroposphere - The space influenced by Humans - not only including life, but also our Industrial exploitations
  
• Cryosphere - Areas defined by glacial or icy activity
• Hydrosphere - Water- the streams (including those from melting glaciers), lakes, oceans, seas, groundwater

Sedimental - Below Ground

• Pedosphere - The soil regions
• Rhizosphere - The soil regions where roots are found
  
• Lithosphere -  This includes the crust (continental and oceanic) as well as the top and more rigid part of the mantle which acts elastically.
• Aesthenosphere -  The weaker, hotter and deeper area of the mantle which undergoes more deformation than the lithosphere and is more viscous in nature.
  
• Mesosphere - Yes there are two of them! This one is below the Earth's surface and above the core.
• THE CORE! - Hot as Hell?

With lots of help from these wiki pages: Atmos , Magneto, Bio, Hydro, Pedo, Litho
And as I'm sure you'll see, it's very easy to disagree with me.