Earth’s surface is where four open systems interface and interact that the three abiotic

(non-living) systems are overlapping to form the realm of biotic (living) system.
The abiotic spheres are the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. The biotic
sphere is called the biosphere. Because these four spheres are not independent units in
nature, their boundaries must be understood as transitional rather than sharp
delimitations.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is the bottom layer that covers the Earth and is made up of traces of
rare gases as well as 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.934% argon, and 0.03% carbon
dioxide on average by volume.
Convection in the troposphere and diffusion above it, particularly above 100 km,
where diffusion is rapid in the thin atmosphere and stirring is weak, are what create
this surprisingly uniform composition. Salts and solid particles, as well as
atmospheric moisture, ammonia, and ozone, are also present.

The troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere are typical

divisions of the atmosphere.
Dirunion of Atmosphere

The gaseous composition of the contemporary atmosphere has ancient origins

(Precambrian Period). The main component of this atmosphere is air, which is both a
vital component of chemical and industrial processes and the medium for life. Air is a
straightforward additive mixture of gases that are by nature flavourless, tasteless,
colourless, and formless; the mixture is so well-blended that it functions as if it were a
single gas.
On the basis of composition of gases the atmosphere may be divided into:
(i) Heterosphere:
In contrast to the blended gases that we breathe in the atmosphere closer to Earth, the
word "heterosphere" denotes that the gases in this region of the atmosphere are not
equally mixed. The lighter elements (hydrogen and helium) are located near the edge
of outer space, while the heavier ones (oxygen and nitrogen) are located closer to
Earth. Gases in the heterosphere are spread in various strata, classified by gravity. The
heterosphere starts at a height of around 80 km and stretches approximately 10,000
km.
However, for practical purposes, the majority of meteorologists place theatmosphere's
top at 480 kilometres, the same altitude at which we measure the solar constant.
Exosphere refers to the rarified (almost vacuum-like) upper 480 km of the
atmosphere.denotes the "outside sphere."Individual hydrogen and helium atoms found
in the exosphere are weakly gravitationally bound.Exosphere contains individual
atoms of the light gases, viz. hydrogen and helium, weakly bonded by gravity.

(ii) Homosphere:

The second compositional zone of the atmosphere, which stretches from sea level to a
height of 80 km, is located beneath the heterosphere. Although the density of the
atmosphere gradually drops as altitude rises, the gas mixture is essentially constant
throughout the homosphere. The changes in water vapour and pollutants in the lowest
part of the atmosphere close to the Earth's surface, as well as the concentration of
ozone (O3) in the ozone layer between 19 and 50 km, are the sole exceptions. The
homosphere's stable gas composition has progressively changed throughout time.
Structure of the Atmosphere
For the purpose of systematic study, on the basis of temperature and lapse rate, the
atmosphere may be classifiedunder the following layers:
(i) Troposphere, (ii) Stratosphere, (iii) Mesosphere, (iv) Exosphere

1. Troposphere:
The lowest layer of the atmosphere is known as troposphere. It is the home of
biospheric layer that supports life on Earth. Approximately 90% of the total mass of
the atmosphere and the bulk of all water vapour, clouds, weather, and air pollution are
contained within the troposphere. The tropopause is the upper limit which is defined
by an average temperature of –57°C, but its exact elevation varies with the season,
latitude, surface temperatures and pressure. Near the equator, because of intense
heating from below, the tropopause (upper limit of troposphere) occurs at 18 km; in
the middle latitudes, it occurs at 13 km and at the North and South Poles it is only 8
km or less above Earth’s surface. In the troposphere, temperatures decrease with
increasing altitude at an average rate of 6.4°C per km which is known as the normal
lapse rate. In terms of temperature the upper limit of troposphere is –57°C.
The normal lapse rate is the average rate of temperature decline with altitude, which is
6.4°C per km. The troposphere's top limit in terms of temperature is -57°C.

2. Stratosphere and Ozonosphere:

Between 20 and 50 kilometres above sea level, there is a layer of the Earth's
atmosphere that is above the troposphere. The stratosphere's layer experiences an
increase in temperature. The ozonosphere, often known as the ozone layer, is the other
functional layer that acts as a heat source. Instead of the typical two oxygen atoms (O2)
that make up most oxygen gas, ozone is a very reactive oxygen molecule made up of
three oxygen atoms (O3). The lower functional layer is another name for the
ozonosphere. Ozone absorbs ultraviolet light's wavelength and then extinguishes it as
infrared (heat) energy at longer wavelengths. This procedure efficiently "filters" out
the majority of the sun's harmful UV light, protecting life on Earth's surface and
warming the stratosphere.

3.Mesosphere: The mesosphere is the region between 50 and 80 kilometres. The

mesopause, which forms its top border, is the coldest part of the atmosphere, with an
average temperature of -90°C and very little pressure. It is distinguished by
windstorms in the mesosphere that are the size of continents. Large waves of the
extremely rarefied air are travelling at a speed of more than 320 kmph. The
mesopause is the term used to describe this layer's upper border.

4.Thermosphere (Heat Sphere) This sphere extends from 80 to 480 kms in altitude.
In thermosphere, temperatures increase with height. High temperatures are generated
in the thermosphere because the gas molecules absorb shortwave solar radiation.
The intense solar radiation in this portion of the atmosphere excites individual
molecules and atoms (principally nitrogen and oxygen). This kinetic energy, the
energy of motion, is the vibrational energy that we measure, stated as temperature.
However, the density of the molecules is so low that little actual heat is produced
(heat is the quantity of thermal energy). Moreover, the air pressure is extremely low.
Heating in the lower atmosphere near
Earth’s surface is different because the greater number of molecules in the denser
atmosphere transmit their kinetic energy as sensible heat, meaning that can sense it.

Ionosphere Ionosphere is the lower part of the thermosphere. The atmosphere has
two functional layers, so called because both function to filter harmful wavelengths of
solar radiation, protecting Earth’s surface from bombardment in any significant
quantity. The upper functional layer, the Ionosphere lies above 50 km which coincides
with the thermosphere. It is composed of atoms that acquired electrical charges when
they absorbed cosmic rays, gamma rays, X-rays, and shorter wavelengths of
ultraviolet radiation. These charged atoms are called ions, giving the ionosphere its
name. Radiation bombards the ionosphere constantly, producing a constant flux (flow)
of electrons and charged atoms.

Fig.Vertical structure of Atmosphere

Hydrosphere
The Earth’s water, which exists in both fresh and saline form and may occur in a
liquid, solid or gaseous state. Land, sea and air each contribute to the total volume of
water, which is conveyed between various locations and transformed from one state to
another (Hydrological Cycle). The overall quantity of water in the hydrosphere
remains more or less constant.
About 71 per cent of Earth’s surface is occupied by water. Some 97.3 per cent of its
volume is currently in the ocean, the maximum extent of which is in the southern
hemisphere. of the 2.7 percent terrestrial water, most is polar snow and ice.
Groundwater (the majority below soil level) is in lakes and rivers.

Lithosphere
The Earth’s crust and a lower portion of the upper mantle, together constitute a layer
of strength, relative to the more easily deformable Asthenosphere below. On the basis
of worldwide heat flow measurements, it has been estimated that the lithosphere
varies in thickness from only a few kilometres along the crest of mid-ocean ridges
where, according to the Plate Tectonics Model, new lithosphere is being created,
300 km beneath some continental areas. Oceanic lithosphere capped by continental
crust, tends to be thinner, but more dense than continental lithosphere, which is
capped by continental crust. In the Plate Tectonics Model, the asthenosphere is
regarded as the deformable zone over which the relatively rigid Lithosphere moves.

Biosphere
The zone, incorporating elements of the hydrosphere, lithosphereand atmosphere, in
which life occurs on Earth is the biosphere.The intricate, interconnected web that
links all organisms withtheir physical environment is known as biosphere (ecosphere).
The biosphere extends from the bottom of ocean trenches toabout 8 km above the sea
level. The term is occasionally used to refer only to the living component alone,
although it is more commonly conceived as a zone of interaction between the
other‘spheres’. This is appropriate, because life is dependent uponenergy, processes
and materials which are located in all three of the Earth’s other conceptual spheres, to
the extent that the scheme is often represented as a series of overlapping
hexagonswith the biosphere in the nodal position. Used in this way,biosphere is
synonymous with ecosphere .
The biosphere has evolved, reorganised itself at times, faced extinction, gained new
vitality, and managed to flourish overall.

Earth’s biosphere is the only one known in the Solar System;thus, life as we know is
unique to the Earth. Today, nearly seven billion humans, approximately one
million animal species and 355,000 known plant species, depend on the air, water and
land of theplanet Earth.
Ecology and Ecosystem