the only thing I'm going to say is about this:
That's why we IDists have a problem with dating methods which are based on our atmosphere as I understand them.
utterly wrong. The only radioactive dating I'm aware of that even has a thing to do with the atmosphere is C14-dating, and only because a main source of carbon is from carbon dioxide.
The layers inthe atmosphere don't have a purpose
per se.
The reason they take on those characteristics has to deal with the mass of each layer, their temperature, and some other variables. tell me, does a solid have a purpose? or is it merely the result of "cold" atoms?
ABE:
I just realized that you might be mistaking "characteristics" for "purpose". most of what you listed as "purposes" of the layers are actually there characteristics. The other stuff (except for the religious junk in there) might be called "emergent properties". why does such a layer protect against UV rays? because of the ozone (O3, not O2) there. That's an emergent property. Not a purpose.
Edited by kuresu, : No reason given.