A layer in the atmosphere in which temperature increases with altitude; the principal characteristic of an inversion layer is its marked static stability, so that very little turbulent exchange can occur within it; strong wind shears often occur across inversion layers, and abrupt changes in concentrations of atmospheric particulates and atmospheric water vapor may be encountered on ascending through the inversion layer. Also known as thermal inversion. [ocean-ogr] A layer of a large body of water in which temperature increases with depth.
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