(a) Bring out the causes for the formation of heat islands in the urban habitat of the world. (b) What do you understand by the phenomenon of ‘temperature inversion’ in meteorology? How does it affect weather and the habitants of the place?

Theme

T29 Atmosphere, air masses, winds, inversion, deserts & auroras

What UPSC asks in this theme

Questions ask about atmospheric processes: troposphere's role, air masses, temperature inversion, urban heat islands, location of hot deserts, local winds (Loo, Chinook, Foehn), and auroras.

What to cover

• Atmospheric layers and why weather happens in the troposphere
• Air masses and fronts
• Temperature inversion and heat islands
• Trade winds and desert location on western margins
• Local winds and their effects
• Auroras: solar wind and magnetosphere

Writing the answer

• Diagrams help; always add an Indian or world example

These notes are for the whole theme, built from all 6 of its PYQs. UPSC does not publish model answers.