The conduction of heat between the surface and the air in contact with it creates turbulent mixing, which is themost significant component in the transfer of heat to or from medium levels in the Earth's atmosphere.

The primary process involved in the transfer of heat upwards from the surface of the Earth into the upper atmosphere is turbulence, which exists throughout the Earth's atmosphere.

The air at the surface can be cooled or warmed by the process of conduction, which is the molecular transfer of heat between the surface and the air in contact with it.

Turbulent mixing contributes mainly to the transfer of heat in the Earth's atmosphere, in the horizontal plane, but has little effect in the warming or cooling of the atmosphere in the vertical plane.