thermal-inversion
/ˌθɜː.məl ɪnˈvɜː.ʒən/ IELTSAcademic
noun
a weather condition where a layer of warm air sits above cooler air near the ground. It stops air from rising easily and can trap fog, smoke, and pollution.
- A thermal inversion trapped smoke over the city.
- The valley stayed foggy during the inversion.
- Pollution worsened because of the thermal inversion.
Adinary Nuance
A thermal inversion is not the same as ordinary cold weather. It is a specific layer setup in the atmosphere that traps air near the ground. Writers use it when they want to explain why smog, fog, or smoke stays low. It is more precise than saying "air pollution" or "fog."
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- nghịch nhiệt
- Spanish
- inversión térmica
- Chinese
- 逆温层
- Japanese
- 逆転層
- Korean
- 기온 역전
Etymology
Thermal inversion combines thermal, from Greek thermē meaning "heat," and inversion, from Latin inversio meaning "a turning upside down." The term became common in meteorology in the 20th century.
Common phrases
a thermal inversionduring a thermal inversionthermal inversion layer
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is thermal inversion a common word in everyday English?
- No, it is more common in science, weather reports, and academic writing.
- What is the difference between thermal inversion and fog?
- Fog is visible water droplets near the ground. Thermal inversion is the weather pattern that can trap fog.
- Can thermal inversion cause pollution to get worse?
- Yes. It can stop polluted air from rising and spreading away.