On Oct 21, 12:44 pm, (Everett M.
Greene) wrote:
Does the lapse rate equation hold in all cases? I was recently
wondering what kind of temperature would be reached at 35 Kft
over Arctic Canada in January. It seemed that the lapse rate
equation would lead you to expect temperatures that would be
causing nitrogen and carbon dioxide to be condensing which
doesn't seem likely.

The adiabatic lapse rate only holds true in the troposphere. The
troposphere is heated from below by convective air currents, and this
is where the 3C/1000' comes from. In contrast, the stratosphere
absorbes solar radiation directly, and hence has a negative lapse
rate. In the polar regions the troposphere is thinner, about 20kft
high (also depends on season). So you cannot apply the tropospheric
lapse rate up to 35 Kft.