Atmospheric Science

Atmospheric scientists consider problems that are both scientifically challenging and critical for the health and well-being of modern society. Atmospheric science is an interdisciplinary field that touches upon mathematics, chemistry, computer science, and physics.  It includes areas as diverse as weather forecasting, global warming, air quality, climate change, marine weather, and the weather of other planets. An atmospheric scientist studies the dynamics and chemistry of the gas layers surrounding Earth, as well as other planets and their moons. This encompasses the interactions between various parts of the atmosphere and interactions with the ocean and freshwater systems, the biosphere, and human activities.[1]

Atmospheric science is traditionally divided into three topical areas – meteorology, climatology, and aeronomy.

Meteorology

Meteorology is concerned with the physical, dynamical, and chemical state of Earth’s atmosphere (and those of the planets). It is also concerned with the interactions between Earth’s atmosphere and the underlying surface.[2] Meteorology deals with weather phenomena and weather changes over a short timescale (hours, days, weeks). Within meteorology itself, there are several specialized fields, including severe storms and tornadoes, tropical cyclones, hydrology, and agriculture. A career as a meteorologist can involve research, teaching, consulting, and forecasting. Meteorologists are employed by universities, private companies, and governments.[3] But it is very important to understand that a meteorologist is different from a weathercaster (although many weathercasters are also meteorologists). A weathercaster reports the weather and does not need any formal education in atmospheric science. A meteorologist, however, is a scientist with specialized education who uses scientific principles to explain, understand, observe and forecast Earth’s atmospheric phenomena and how that atmosphere affects Earth and life on the planet.[4]

Climatology

Climate affects nearly every aspect of our lives, from our food sources to our transportation infrastructure, from what clothes we wear, to where we go on vacation. It has a significant effect on our livelihoods, our health, and our future.[5]  Climatology is the study of the atmosphere’s behavior and changes in temperature, pressure, and other atmospheric factors over time. The primary goal of climatology is to study the unique characteristics of the “atmosphere in controlling the global climate, origin, types of climates, causes, and processes influencing the climatic variations, elements of weather, and the impact of climate on humans or vice-versa.”[6]

In contrast to meteorology, which studies short-term weather systems lasting from a few hours to a few weeks, climatology examines the frequency and trends of those systems over years (typically a 30-year cycle). Climatologists also study changes in long-term average weather patterns in relation to atmospheric conditions. Climatologists study both the nature of climates – local, regional or global – and the natural or human-induced factors that cause climates to change. Climatologists look at the past to help predict future climate change. Areas of interest to climatologists include the atmospheric boundary layer, circulation patterns, heat transfer, interactions between the atmosphere and the ocean and land surface, and the chemical and physical composition of the atmosphere.[7]

Climatology is actually one of the more adventurous areas of science. One day you might be drilling holes in arctic ice, the next traveling to the bottom of the ocean, and the next journeying to the top of a mountain to gather data from remote weather stations. You might be working with marine animals and fitting them with sensors or maintaining sensor buoys out in the middle of the ocean. You might also be writing computer programs to model changes in climate or develop new ways of taking Earth’s temperature.[8] And you might be contributing to international discussions on the world and climate change through bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Aeronomy

Aeronomy is a relatively new field of atmospheric science that only became officially recognized in 1954. Aeronomy is the scientific study of the upper atmospheric regions of Earth and other solar system bodies, including the distribution of temperature, density, and chemical constituents and the chemical reactions that occur.[9] The different atmospheric phenomena that may be studied in aeronomy are ozone holes, the greenhouse effect, aerosols due to volcanic eruptions, radio wave propagation in the ionosphere, magnetic storms which disturb telecommunications, radiation belts which can be dangerous for astronauts and damage satellite electronics, and the decay of artificial satellites.[10]

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Citations

1. Atmospheric Science, Nature Portfolio.
2. Atmospheric Science, Encyclopædia Britannica.
3. Careers Opportunities in Meteorology, National Weather Service.
4. What is a Meteorologist? A Professional Guideline, American Meteorological Society.
5. Why Is Climate Important?, National Centre for Atmospheric Science.
6. What are the 3 branches of climatology?
7. Atmospheric Science, Planetary Sciences, Inc.
8. Climatologist, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
9. Aerology, Encyclopædia Britannica.
10. Aeronomy, atmosphere science, what is it?, Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy.