Which of the following statements about inversion of temperature is/are correct? 1. Temperature increases with increasing altitude. 2. A long winter night with clear skies is an ideal situation. 3. It is a short term phenomenon and is common all over the globe except at the poles. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Temperature inversion is a reversal of the normal lapse rate, where temperature increases with increasing altitude [5]. Statement 1 is correct as it describes this negative lapse rate [5]. Statement 2 is also correct; ideal conditions for surface-based radiation inversion include long winter nights, clear skies, and calm air, which allow the ground to cool rapidly via outgoing longwave radiation [3]. However, statement 3 is incorrect. While inversions are often short-term phenomena in lower latitudes (destroyed by daytime heating), they are not 'common all over the globe except at the poles' [3]. In fact, over polar areas, temperature inversion is a normal, persistent feature throughout the year due to the constant radiation deficit over ice sheets [3]. Therefore, only statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Sources

1. [1] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 8: Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature > INVERSION OF TEMPERATURE > p. 73
2. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 22: Vertical Distribution of Temperature > 22.4. Temperature Inversion > p. 300
3. [5] https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20230010080/downloads/Ganeshan_JGR_Atmos_2022_930781_2_merged_1666714152.pdf
4. [3] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 22: Vertical Distribution of Temperature > Ground Inversion (Surface Temperature Inversion) > p. 301