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Intro to the Upper Atmosphere

Intro to the Upper Atmosphere

Join McMurdo scientist, Yingfei Chen, from McMurdo Antarctica for a 10-15 minute lesson on an Introduction to the Upper Atmosphere followed by a Q&A. In this lesson, we will cover what the upper atmosphere is and where it is located; learn how scientists study the upper atmosphere; and how it connects to our weather and climate. Yingfei and his colleagues will explore:

  • What and where is the upper atmosphere?
  • Why do we want to study the upper atmosphere? What are we studying in the upper atmosphere?
  • How do we study the upper atmosphere?
  • What is LIDAR (light detection and ranging)? Check out our instrument!

This webinar is part of a four-part series on life at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Each webinar consists of a 10-15 minute presentation followed by questions. Watch this stand-alone video on the upper atmosphere or watch all four webinar recordings. 

This video is a recording of a live stream from McMurdo, Antarctica, and is co-hosted by Exploring by the Seat of your Pants. 

Video Theme
Recorded Science Talks
Science Show and Share  
Audience
Educators
K-12 Students
College Students
Lifelong Learners
Program Reference
Science Show & Share

About the Presenter

Yingfei Chen is a Ph.D. student in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder who works with Dr. Xinzhao Chu. His research uses lidar technologies to observe the middle and upper atmosphere from Boulder, Colorado, with a focus on thermosphere-ionosphere Na (TINa) layers. He and Dr. Chu worked together and made the first discovery of the regular occurrence of TINa layers in the world. His work earned him second authorship in a Geophysical Research Letters paper published during the first year of his Ph.D. program, and he will soon be submitting another paper to the Geophysical Research Letters as first author. 

Additional Learning Resources

Classroom Activities for all ages on Layers of the Atmosphere by UCAR Center for Science Education 

  • Blue Skies and Red Sunsets: See how wavelengths of light scatter to make the sky blue in the day and colorful at sunset.
  • Bubbles on Bottles: Do an experiment to learn why warm air rises and cool air sinks. This activity requires hot water and adult supervision.
  • Balloon on a Bottle: Learn how temperature makes warm air expand and cool air contract. This activity requires hot water and adult supervision.
  • Weather Front Model Activity: Make a model of a storm front!
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