Traditional View Point on Atmosphere

Definition of the Atmosphere:

The vast expanse of air which envelopes the earth all round is called the Atmosphere. 

The atmosphere is a thin layer of gas held to the earth by gravitational attraction – F.J.Monkhouse

The atmosphere is a deep blanket of gases which entirely envelopes the earth – H.J.Critchfield

The Air of the Atmosphere:It is colourless, odourless and tasteless.  We cannot feel the presence of the air unless it blows as wind.  We cannot feel the presence of the air unless it blows as wind.

The thickness of the Atmosphere:  Previously, the scientists thought that the thickness of the atmosphere was just 800km. around the Earth.  But, now, the latest discoveries hint at the atmosphere of 32,000 km. thickness,around the Earth.

COMPOSITION OF THE ATMOSPHERE

Gas/Other Elements	% by volume	Extension Alt.in KM.s.	Details
Nitrogen	78.03	128	Atmospheric pressure, force of winds and reflection of light are affected by this. It avoids quick burning. It generates protein in the plants.
Oxygen	20.99	16	It is essential for breathing.  It is the life-giver. It helps in burning the fuel.
Carbon Dioxide	00.03	Lower layers	It is the heaviest gas.  It is Essential for the growth of the vegetation.  It is transparent to the incoming solar radiation and opaque to the terrestrial radiation.  Along with the water vapour, it is largely responsible for the greenhouse effect.
Hydrogen	00.01	1100	It is a very light gas.
Ozone	0.000001	10 - 50	It saves the Earth from the ultraviolet radiation of the Sun.
Water vapour	2	2	It decreases with the altitude. It decreases from the equator towards the poles. It absorbs the part of the insolation of the Sun.
Dust Particles			It is the mixture of sea salts, fine soil, ash, pollen, dust, and disintegrated particles of the meteors.  These help the water vapour condense and form clouds.

STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE:

The Atmosphere consists of almost concentric layers of air from bottom to its highest limit.  These layers differ from one another with respect to density and temperature.  Our atmosphere can be broadly divided into five layers.

Name of the Sphere/Layer	Extension In K.M.s	Temperature With increasing Altitudes/height	Other Details
Troposphere	8 – 18	Decreases @ 1oC for every 165meters. (@ 6.4o C for every KM.)	Lowermost layer of the atmosphere. 8 Kms high @ the poles. 18 Kms high @ the equator. Contains 90% of the water vapour. Temperature @ 8 KMs: -45o C Temperature @ 18 KMs: -80o C
Stratosphere	Upto 50	Increases	Thicker @ poles. Thinner @ equator. Temperature @ 50 KMs:0o C Contains Ozone gas. Ultra-violet rays of the Sun are absorbed here. No clouds, No thunderings, No lightenings, Ignorable amount of water vapours and dust particles.
Mesosphere	50 - 80	Decreases	Temperature @ 80 KMs: -100o C
Ionosphere	80 - 400	Increases	It contains ions.  Ions are electrically charged particles.  Radio waves transmitted from the Earth are reflected back by this layer. Temperature @ 400 KMs: 1000o C
Exosphere	Above 400	-	It has no defined upper border. It gradually thins out until no air molecules are left in the space as the altitude increases.

Air in Indian Tradition

General properties of the Air are described by the Indians like this:

*Air is that which is colourless,and possessing touch.

*It is of two sorts: eternal and non-eternal;

The first (eternal) is atomic and the second (non-eternal) is a product.

*The Air is again divided into three sorts:

a) Bodyb) Organof sense c) Gross matter.

a) The airy body is in the Vayuloka,

b) The organ of senseis the organ of touch in the shape of an airy cuticle, extending over the whole surface of our bodies.

c) Gross matter is in the form of wind that blows andshakes the trees etc.

*Breath is the Air, moving in the interior of our bodies.

Though it is one; it has different names accordingto the different parts of the body it travels over andthe different functions it performs.These are called Pancha Pranas:

1) Prana is situated in thebreast.

2) Apana is situated in the rectum.

3) Samana is situated in the navel.

4) Udana is situated inthe throat.

5) Vyana moves over the whole body.

Traditional Hathayoga texts describe that the living creatures survive as long as the Prana stays in the body.

Few Indian words are capable of conveying some properties of the Atmosphere:

	Word	Description
1	Dyau Diva	It means something that shines.  Light makes the matter shine.  Atmosphere is filled with various varieties of gases (Air).  So, it shines when the sunlight falls. (At night, even the unending sky shines with various stars.)
2	Pushkara	It means something that gives water. The clouds are formed in the Troposphere and give water through rain.
3	Ambara	It means something where the sound travels. The sound travels by the means of the air; through the space.
4	Nabhas	It means the sky, spread beyond the presence of the clouds. Clouds are not seen beyond the troposphere. So, the sky above the tropopause can be called with this name.

The general term of “Vatavarana” for the modern word “Atmosphere” is well known to the general public.

However, the Indian tradition did not mention various spheres according to the increasing/decreasing temperature or according to the presence of various gases in the atmosphere. 

Yet, Indians knew that the temperature decreases with the increasing altitudes.  Description of hot plains and cool mountain peaks in the summer is available in the ancient texts. 

Indians knew the changes of the atmosphere in various seasons.  They knew that the Air is neither hot nor cool by nature.

Some poets like Kalidasa recognized that, the zone of the clouds above the earth is restricted to a particular altitude.  That zone, where the clouds are formed and where they freely move can be called as “Parjanyavarana”.

Indians knew the technique of creating clouds and the few ancient warriors used those techniques as a weapon in the battles against their enemies.  It was called as “Parjanya-astra”.  Few other warriors could tear and terminate that “cloud weapon” by using their “wind weapon” (Vayavya-astra).  The description of these weapons is mentioned in the Dhanurveda; a text on the traditional weapon-science of Indians.

“Vayudeva” is the personified form the Air.  He was described as a “strong Devata”.  His two sons – Hanuman and Bhima - according to the Indian mythology were very strong. 

In the Bhagavata, there is an indication of whirl-winds with the name of “Trinavarta”.

In the Ramayana, there are descriptions of some Air-crafts such as “Pushpaka”.  Kubera and Ravana used that air craft to travel wherever they wanted to. Moreover, few Vanara-warriors like Vali and Hanuman were apt enough to fly through the Air.

In the Ramayana again, two bird-brothers named Sampati and Jatayu had an affable competition with each other; to fly high in the sky.  They flew to very high altitudes.  The atmosphere was very hot there.  After reaching that height, Jatayu could not fly further and lost his consciousness.  Then, Sampati spread his wings with an intention to guard his brother from the scorching sunlight.  But, unfortunately, the wings of Sampati were totally burnt by the high temperature.  We can guess that Sampati got his wings burnt in the Ionosphere; where the temperature unbearably increases.