The Environmental Dynamic System

Abstract

The environment is a dynamic system which comprises the atmosphere, the ocean, the land surface, the cryosphere, the continental hydrosphere and the terrestrial biosphere. Here, we will focus on that part of the atmosphere consisting mainly the troposphere and the lower part of the stratosphere, and on the land surface including the soil layer down to depth of some 50 to 100 m. This system has several fundamental features. First, a wide range of physical, chemical and biological processes take place on a spectrum of temporal and spatial scales. Second, while the individual components of the system may follow different laws, they are inter-dependent and their evolution cannot be understood fully when considered in isolation. Third, the system is open. The openness lies primarily in the fact that the Earth receives its incoming energy from the solar radiation, 90% of which is in the wavelength range of 0.3 to 3μm, but which releases energy in a much longer wavelength radiation (90% in 3 to 30 μm). This openness results in the continuous adjustment and complex interactions among the components within the system. Finally, the interactions between the motions on different scales and those between the different components are mostly non-linear. Figure 2.1 is a schematic illustration of the environment and the major interactions between its key components.