by Q. Which of the following statements with reference to Surface inversion of temperature is/are correct?
UPSC CDS Examination (I) 2025 – General Knowledge
1. It causes instability in the lower layers of the atmosphere.
2. This inversion commonly lasts for a few hours until the Sun comes up.
Select the answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Вoth 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (b) 2 only
Explanation:
It causes instability in the lower layers of the atmosphere. Incorrect
Surface inversion causes stability, not instability, because the cooler air at the bottom resists vertical mixing.
This inversion commonly lasts for a few hours until the Sun comes up. Correct
True. Surface inversion is a nighttime phenomenon and disappears after sunrise.
Surface Temperature Inversion
- Surface inversion occurs when the air near the ground is cooler than the air above. Normally, temperature decreases with height, but during inversion, this gradient is reversed.
- It usually happens at night, when the ground loses heat rapidly through radiation.
- Surface inversion is stable, not unstable, because the cooler air is at the bottom and warmer air is on top—this suppresses vertical motion.
- Duration: It typically lasts until the Sun rises and heats the ground, after which the normal lapse rate resumes.
Answer: (b) 2 only
