Which of the following statements with reference to Surface inversion of temperature is/are correct? 1. It causes instability in the lower layers of the atmosphere. 2. This inversion commonly lasts for a few hours until the Sun comes up. Select the answer using the code given below :

Surface inversion of temperature occurs on long, cold winter nights when the ground rapidly loses heat by radiation, cooling the air immediately above it. This results in colder air at the surface with warmer air aloft, producing a STABLE atmosphere (not unstable) — hence statement 1 is incorrect. The inversion is short-lived and is generally dissipated after sunrise when solar heating warms the surface again — hence statement 2 is correct. Therefore only statement 2 is correct.