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Inversion (meteorology)

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514: 198: 522: 494: 190: 250: 706: 462: 218: 1071: 478: 38: 260:, 2019. During morning and evening hours, dense smoke often settles in low-lying areas and becomes trapped due to temperature inversions—when a layer within the lower atmosphere acts as a lid and prevents vertical mixing of the air. Steep canyon walls act as a horizontal barrier, concentrating the smoke within the deepest parts of the canyon and increasing the strength of the inversion. 234: 357: 377: 140: 542:
and have higher thermal masses than rural areas, resulting in more frequent inversions with higher concentrations of pollutants. The effects are even more pronounced when a city is surrounded by hills or mountains since they form an additional barrier to air circulation. During a severe inversion, trapped air pollutants form a brownish
421:. 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 670:
by the temperature gradient (which affects sound speed) and returns to the ground. The sound, therefore, travels much better than normal. This is noticeable in areas around airports, where the sound of aircraft taking off and landing often can be heard at greater distances around dawn than at other
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of air decreases, 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 when the sun is visible as an oval. In an inversion, the normal pattern is reversed, and distant objects are instead stretched
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Temperature inversions stop atmospheric convection (which is normally present) from happening in the affected area and can lead to high concentrations of atmospheric pollutants. Cities especially suffer from the effects of temperature inversions because they both produce more atmospheric pollutants
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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 sun is very low in the sky. This effect is virtually
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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,
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Under the right conditions, the normal vertical temperature gradient is inverted so 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
646:. Along coastlines during Autumn and Spring, due to multiple stations being simultaneously present because of reduced propagation losses, many FM radio stations are plagued by severe signal degradation disrupting reception. In higher frequencies such as 602:"—a phenomenon occurring at sunrise or 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, with the blue component of sunlight "completely scattered out by 331:
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
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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 two people in the
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where smoke that was emitted from an oil palm mill stayed close to the ground. The wind carried the smoke in the direction of the nearby settlement to the middle-right of the photo (August 2023).
340:). Air temperature also decreases with an increase in altitude because higher air is at lower pressure, and lower pressure results in a lower temperature, following the 158: 778: 671:
times of day, and inversion thunder which is significantly louder and travels further than when it is produced by lightning strikes under normal conditions.
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User's guide for the Sound Intensity Prediction System (SIPS) as installed at the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (Naveodtechdiv)
55: 425:. In this instance, the "cooler" layer is quite warm but is still denser and usually cooler than the lower part of the inversion layer capping it. 831: 1098: 642:
up and away into space, is instead refracted down towards the earth by the temperature-inversion boundary layer. This phenomenon is called
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can condense but can only spread out under the inversion layer. This decreases the amount of sunlight reaching the ground and prevents new
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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
1093: 869: 176: 121: 102: 74: 368:) under normal atmospheric conditions (black line). When the layer from 6–8 kilometres (4–5 miles) (designated A-B) descends dry 554:, England, is one of the most serious examples of such an inversion. It was blamed for an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 deaths. 81: 59: 748: 729: 565:
from forming. As the clouds disperse, sunny weather replaces cloudiness in a cycle that can occur more than once a day.
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Nagle, Garrett, and Paul Guinness. Cambridge International A and AS Level Geography. Hodder Education, 2011. 41. Print.
88: 521: 493: 865:"A Retrospective Assessment of Mortality from the London Smog Episode of 1952: The Role of Influenza and Pollution" 337: 197: 70: 782: 453:. The accumulated smog and dust under the inversion quickly taints the sky reddish, easily seen on sunny days. 422: 1075: 277: 189: 48: 756: 296: 249: 433:
An inversion can develop aloft as a result of air gradually sinking over a wide area and being warmed by
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When an inversion layer is present, if a sound or explosion occurs at ground level, the sound wave is
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by acting as a "cap". If this cap is broken for any of several reasons, convection of any
217: 606:", making green the first or last light from the upper rim of the solar disc to be seen. 1064: 891: 864: 711: 1070: 372:, the result is the inversion seen near the ground at 1–2 kilometres (1–1 mile) (C-D). 1087: 985: 939: 558: 411: 341: 312: 308: 288: 210: 202: 724: 691: 685: 445: 304: 506: 17: 623: 599: 477: 441: 438: 324: 276:) is a phenomenon in which a layer of warmer air overlies cooler air. Normally, 265: 37: 1006: 977: 931: 233: 701: 680: 667: 584: 498: 394: 356: 242: 222: 960:
ben Aroush, Tomer; Boulahjar, Saber; Lipson, Stephen G (December 13, 2017).
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ben Aroush, Tomer; Boulahjar, Saber; Lipson, Stephen G (December 13, 2017).
647: 434: 398: 385: 900: 823: 384:) in December 2015: on Mount Goritschnigkogel there is a distinct inverse 627: 534: 502: 482: 300: 281: 226: 27:
Deviation from the normal change of an atmospheric property with altitude
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confined to land regions as the ocean retains heat far longer. In the
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Wallace and Hobbs (2006) Atmospheric Science: An Introductory Survey
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in the United States. With sufficient humidity in the cooler layer,
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Oke, Tim; Mills, Gerald; Christen, Andrea; Voogt, James (2017).
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Sometimes the inversion layer is at a high enough altitude that
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during winter, inversions are nearly always present over land.
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increases, but this relationship is reversed in an inversion.
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can be refracted by inversions, making it possible to hear
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Temperature inversion phenomenon in the early morning near
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out or appear to be above the horizon, leading to the
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may be too technical for most readers to understand
62:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 295:, near the ground. An inversion can also suppress 517:Inversion-created smog in Nowa Ruda, Poland, 2017 863:Bell, M.L.; Davis, D.L.; Fletcher, T. (2004). 962:"Observing the green flash in the laboratory" 916:"Observing the green flash in the laboratory" 193:Temperature inversion in an urban environment 8: 1009:. Systems Department February 2000. DTIC.mil 638:nights. The signal, which would normally be 473:) of a ship is due to an inversion (2008). 323:Usually, within the lower atmosphere (the 890: 578:As the temperature of air increases, the 546:that can cause respiratory problems. The 177:Learn how and when to remove this message 161:, without removing the technical details. 122:Learn how and when to remove this message 460: 1065:'Fire inversions' lock smoke in valleys 1005:Dean A. Pollet and Micheal M. Kordich, 740: 598:Inversions can magnify the so-called " 437:compression, usually associated with 159:make it understandable to non-experts 7: 60:adding citations to reliable sources 1042:"RDS-37: The Soviet Hydrogen Bomb" 327:) the air near the surface of the 307:. Temperature inversion can cause 25: 1069: 704: 138: 36: 749:"Smoke Filled Canyons, Arizona" 397:, and also in areas of oceanic 245:during a temperature inversion. 47:needs additional citations for 237:Smog trapped over the city of 1: 1074:The dictionary definition of 730:Index of meteorology articles 319:Normal atmospheric conditions 201:Temperature inversion in the 303:can then erupt into violent 71:"Inversion" meteorology 1099:Radio frequency propagation 1021:"RDS-37 Nuclear Test, 1955" 966:European Journal of Physics 920:European Journal of Physics 694:when a building collapsed. 497:A temperature inversion in 1115: 1094:Atmospheric thermodynamics 613: 753:earthobservatory.nasa.gov 650:, such refraction causes 978:10.1088/1361-6404/aa90f5 932:10.1088/1361-6404/aa90f5 783:National Weather Service 457:Atmospheric consequences 423:Midwestern United States 338:convective heat transfer 253:Smoke-filled canyons in 870:Environ Health Perspect 280:gradually decreases as 1019:Johnston, Wm. Robert. 757:NASA Earth Observatory 538: 518: 510: 490: 474: 389: 373: 364:) versus temperature ( 261: 246: 230: 214: 194: 1077:temperature inversion 824:10.1017/9781139016476 652:multipath propagation 524: 516: 505:, viewing the top of 496: 480: 464: 380:Klagenfurter Becken ( 379: 359: 274:temperature inversion 252: 236: 220: 211:clouds at a low level 200: 192: 775:forecast.weather.gov 644:tropospheric ducting 429:Subsidence inversion 346:adiabatic lapse rate 56:improve this article 877:(1, January): 6–8. 621:Very high frequency 604:Rayleigh scattering 580:index of refraction 442:high-pressure areas 287:An inversion traps 548:Great Smog of 1952 539: 519: 511: 491: 475: 401:such as along the 390: 374: 262: 247: 231: 215: 213:under clearer air. 195: 833:978-0-521-84950-0 451:tropical cyclones 419:capping inversion 187: 186: 179: 132: 131: 124: 106: 18:Weather inversion 16:(Redirected from 1106: 1073: 1053: 1052: 1050: 1048: 1038: 1032: 1031: 1029: 1027: 1016: 1010: 1003: 997: 996: 994: 992: 957: 951: 950: 948: 946: 911: 905: 904: 894: 883:10.1289/ehp.6539 860: 854: 851: 845: 844: 842: 840: 809: 803: 800: 794: 793: 791: 789: 767: 761: 760: 745: 714: 709: 708: 616:Super refraction 569:Wave propagation 481:Winter smoke in 403:California coast 221:Smoke rising in 182: 175: 171: 168: 162: 142: 141: 134: 127: 120: 116: 113: 107: 105: 64: 40: 32: 21: 1114: 1113: 1109: 1108: 1107: 1105: 1104: 1103: 1084: 1083: 1061: 1056: 1046: 1044: 1040: 1039: 1035: 1025: 1023: 1018: 1017: 1013: 1004: 1000: 990: 988: 959: 958: 954: 944: 942: 913: 912: 908: 862: 861: 857: 852: 848: 838: 836: 834: 811: 810: 806: 801: 797: 787: 785: 769: 768: 764: 747: 746: 742: 738: 710: 703: 700: 677: 664: 618: 612: 576: 571: 459: 431: 354: 321: 278:air temperature 183: 172: 166: 163: 155:help improve it 152: 143: 139: 128: 117: 111: 108: 65: 63: 53: 41: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1112: 1110: 1102: 1101: 1096: 1086: 1085: 1082: 1081: 1067: 1060: 1059:External links 1057: 1055: 1054: 1033: 1011: 998: 952: 906: 855: 846: 832: 815:Urban Climates 804: 795: 762: 739: 737: 734: 733: 732: 727: 722: 716: 715: 712:Weather portal 699: 696: 676: 673: 663: 660: 614:Main article: 611: 608: 575: 572: 570: 567: 559:cumulus clouds 458: 455: 430: 427: 353: 350: 320: 317: 185: 184: 146: 144: 137: 130: 129: 44: 42: 35: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1111: 1100: 1097: 1095: 1092: 1091: 1089: 1080:at Wiktionary 1079: 1078: 1072: 1068: 1066: 1063: 1062: 1058: 1043: 1037: 1034: 1022: 1015: 1012: 1008: 1002: 999: 987: 983: 979: 975: 971: 967: 963: 956: 953: 941: 937: 933: 929: 925: 921: 917: 910: 907: 902: 898: 893: 888: 884: 880: 876: 872: 871: 866: 859: 856: 850: 847: 835: 829: 825: 821: 817: 816: 808: 805: 799: 796: 784: 780: 776: 772: 766: 763: 758: 754: 750: 744: 741: 735: 731: 728: 726: 723: 721: 718: 717: 713: 707: 702: 697: 695: 693: 690: 687: 682: 674: 672: 669: 661: 659: 657: 653: 649: 645: 641: 637: 633: 629: 625: 622: 617: 609: 607: 605: 601: 596: 594: 590: 586: 581: 573: 568: 566: 564: 560: 555: 553: 549: 545: 536: 532: 528: 523: 515: 508: 504: 500: 495: 488: 484: 479: 472: 468: 463: 456: 454: 452: 447: 443: 440: 436: 428: 426: 424: 420: 415: 413: 412:polar regions 408: 404: 400: 396: 387: 383: 378: 371: 370:adiabatically 367: 363: 358: 351: 349: 347: 343: 342:ideal gas law 339: 335: 330: 326: 318: 316: 314: 313:cold climates 310: 309:freezing rain 306: 305:thunderstorms 302: 298: 294: 290: 289:air pollution 285: 283: 279: 275: 271: 267: 259: 256: 251: 244: 240: 235: 228: 224: 219: 212: 208: 204: 203:Lake District 199: 191: 181: 178: 170: 160: 156: 150: 147:This article 145: 136: 135: 126: 123: 115: 104: 101: 97: 94: 90: 87: 83: 80: 76: 73: â€“  72: 68: 67:Find sources: 61: 57: 51: 50: 45:This article 43: 39: 34: 33: 30: 19: 1076: 1047:December 26, 1045:. Retrieved 1036: 1024:. Retrieved 1014: 1001: 989:. Retrieved 969: 965: 955: 943:. Retrieved 923: 919: 909: 874: 868: 858: 849: 837:. Retrieved 814: 807: 798: 786:. Retrieved 774: 765: 752: 743: 725:Particulates 692:nuclear test 678: 665: 619: 597: 589:Fata Morgana 577: 556: 540: 467:Fata Morgana 446:marine layer 432: 416: 391: 322: 286: 273: 269: 263: 173: 164: 148: 118: 109: 99: 92: 85: 78: 66: 54:Please help 49:verification 46: 29: 675:Shock waves 624:radio waves 610:Radio waves 600:green flash 587:known as a 444:. A stable 439:subtropical 395:warm fronts 352:Description 325:troposphere 266:meteorology 1088:Categories 771:"Glossary" 736:References 681:shock wave 648:microwaves 585:phenomenon 499:Bratislava 297:convection 291:, such as 243:Kazakhstan 223:Lochcarron 82:newspapers 1026:April 11, 986:125714499 940:125714499 668:refracted 640:refracted 630:or watch 507:NovĂ˝ Most 435:adiabatic 399:upwelling 386:hoarfrost 270:inversion 167:July 2022 991:June 21, 972:(1): 2. 945:June 21, 926:(1): 2. 901:14698923 839:June 21, 788:July 30, 698:See also 628:FM radio 563:thermals 535:Malaysia 503:Slovakia 483:Shanghai 360:Height ( 334:thermals 301:humidity 282:altitude 255:northern 227:Scotland 209:, forms 112:May 2020 892:1241789 720:Aerosol 632:VHF low 509:(2005). 388:margin. 382:Austria 258:Arizona 207:England 153:Please 96:scholar 984:  938:  899:  889:  830:  689:RDS-37 686:Soviet 656:fading 593:mirage 552:London 471:mirage 366:x-axis 362:y-axis 239:Almaty 98:  91:  84:  77:  69:  982:S2CID 936:S2CID 662:Sound 636:foggy 574:Light 531:Sabah 527:Tawau 487:China 329:Earth 268:, an 103:JSTOR 89:books 1049:2015 1028:2014 993:2022 947:2022 897:PMID 841:2022 828:ISBN 790:2024 779:NOAA 679:The 654:and 544:haze 469:(or 344:and 293:smog 272:(or 75:news 974:doi 928:doi 887:PMC 879:doi 875:112 820:doi 781:'s 591:or 550:in 407:fog 311:in 264:In 157:to 58:by 1090:: 980:. 970:39 968:. 964:. 934:. 924:39 922:. 918:. 895:. 885:. 873:. 867:. 826:. 777:. 773:. 755:. 751:. 658:. 595:. 533:, 529:, 501:, 485:, 465:A 348:. 315:. 241:, 225:, 205:, 1051:. 1030:. 995:. 976:: 949:. 930:: 903:. 881:: 843:. 822:: 792:. 759:. 336:( 180:) 174:( 169:) 165:( 151:. 125:) 119:( 114:) 110:( 100:· 93:· 86:· 79:· 52:. 20:)

Index

Weather inversion

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"Inversion" meteorology
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Temperature inversion in the Lake District
Lake District
England
clouds at a low level

Lochcarron
Scotland

Almaty
Kazakhstan

northern
Arizona
meteorology

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