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Atmosphere, evolution of

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Climatology

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Science ((EESS))

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History of the Atmosphere

The record of prehistoric climates is read from the rocks (including that easily melted metamorphic rock, ice). Therefore, study of the evolution of the atmosphere is properly a specialty within the field of geology.

The Earth's atmosphere is unique. Of the twenty-odd planetary bodies in our solar system, only the Earth has an oxygen-rich atmosphere. Beyond our solar system, we have no observational data on planets or their atmospheres.

The very earliest part of the history of the Earth's atmosphere must be inferred. Beginning with the early accretion of those materials that were incorporated into the proto-Earth nearly five billion years ago, there must have been a contribution of gaseous matter such as hydrogen and helium. However, no record remains of that early atmosphere. Perhaps it was much like the atmosphere of Jupiter today, where gravitational attraction is much stronger and the escape of even light molecules is unlikely.

The Earth's atmosphere at...

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Authors
  1. William F. Tanner
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© 1987 Van Nostrand Reinhold

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Tanner, W.F. (1987). Atmosphere, evolution of . In: Climatology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30749-4_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-30749-4_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-87933-009-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-30749-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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