The planet's gaseous envelope, called the atmosphere, plays a key role in shaping ecological systems and creating climatic conditions. It also performs a very important protective function, protecting the Earth from the effects of various solar radiation and from attacks by small cosmic bodies that simply burn out in its dense layers without reaching the surface. The atmosphere is a very dynamic and heterogeneous gaseous structure. Large air masses formed in its depths have a direct and decisive influence on the climatic regime of both individual regions of the globe and the entire planet.
The huge volumes of air formed in the tropospheric layers (the lower part of the atmosphere) are quite comparable in size to continents or oceans. These colossal formations are the cradle of the most powerful cyclones, tornadoes of enormous destructive power and tornadoes. The movement of air masses from one region of the globe to another determines the climate regime andweather conditions in these areas. And often they carry natural disasters.
Each such gigantic mass of air, having the same properties (transparency, temperature, humidity, dust content and other foreign inclusions), acquires the qualities and characteristics of the area over which it was formed. Moving towards other regions, air masses not only change their weather regime, but also gradually transform themselves, acquiring climatic features that are typical for these regions.
A vivid illustration of such a dynamic atmosphere can serve as the air masses of Russia, which, during their circulation in the vast expanses of the country through several climatic zones, have time to repeatedly completely change their properties. Over half of the Russian territory is influenced by air masses formed over the Atlantic. They bring the bulk of the precipitation to the European part of the country, and in the Siberian regions, warm Mediterranean cyclones largely soften the winter cold.
In the complex process of general atmospheric circulation, air masses of various types have a clear and close relationship. Thus, air masses formed over cold areas of the earth's surface, colliding with warmer fronts, mix with them and, thereby, form a new atmospheric front with completely different characteristics. This effect is especially pronounced in the temperate climate zone during the invasion ofcold arctic air.
Mixing with warm Atlantic atmospheric fronts, they form new air masses, which, in addition to cooling, carry cumulus clouds and burst into heavy rain showers. Sometimes such cold atmospheric fronts, having passed the territory of Russia and not meeting with warm air masses, reach the southern regions of the European continent. But in most cases, they are still delayed by the spurs of the Alps.
But in Asia, the free movement of Arctic air is often observed in vast areas up to the mountain ranges of southern Siberia. This is the reason for the rather cold climate in these regions.
