What is it called when temperature first increases with height then begins to decrease?

What is it called when temperature first increases with height then begins to decrease?

• A. Refraction
• B. Temperature inversion
• C. Polarization
• D. Monopulse scan

Answer: (B)

A temperature inversion is a layer in the atmosphere where temperature increases with height, instead of decreasing as it normally does. So you can have a scenario where temperature rises with height through a certain layer, and then above that layer the temperature again decreases with height. This creates a stable, stratified atmosphere because the cooler air sits below warmer air, which suppresses vertical mixing. Inversions can trap pollutants and moisture, leading to fog or haze, and they can also affect radar propagation through ducting or refraction. The other terms don’t describe how temperature changes with height: refraction involves bending waves due to a temperature/humidity gradient, polarization is the orientation of the electric field in a wave, and a monopulse scan is a radar tracking method.

A temperature inversion is a layer in the atmosphere where temperature increases with height, instead of decreasing as it normally does. So you can have a scenario where temperature rises with height through a certain layer, and then above that layer the temperature again decreases with height. This creates a stable, stratified atmosphere because the cooler air sits below warmer air, which suppresses vertical mixing. Inversions can trap pollutants and moisture, leading to fog or haze, and they can also affect radar propagation through ducting or refraction. The other terms don’t describe how temperature changes with height: refraction involves bending waves due to a temperature/humidity gradient, polarization is the orientation of the electric field in a wave, and a monopulse scan is a radar tracking method.