Consider the following statements about temperature inversion: I. This happens when normal lapse rate gets inverted. II. Winter nights with cloudy skies are conducive for temperature inversion. III. Polar areas experience inversion throughout the year. Which of the statements given above are correct?
C. I and III only
Temperature inversion is a reversal of the normal behavior of temperature in the troposphere, where a layer of cool air at the surface is overlain by a layer of warmer air. Under normal conditions, temperature usually decreases with height, which is known as the normal lapse rate. When this is reversed, the normal lapse rate gets inverted. Thus, Statement I is correct. Ideal conditions for temperature inversion include long winter nights, clear skies, calm air, and dry air. Cloudy skies prevent the rapid cooling of the earth's surface by trapping outgoing terrestrial radiation, which hinders the formation of a temperature inversion. Thus, Statement II is incorrect. In polar regions, due to the extremely cold surface, temperature inversion is a normal phenomenon that occurs throughout the year. Thus, Statement III is correct. Therefore, only statements I and III are correct. Answer: I and III only
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