This article focus on the stratosphere, Earth's second layer. The ozone layer absorbs the majority of these rays, shielding life from harmful radiation. Ionization takes place in the ionosphere caused by the suns radiation. Create your account. 21. It is located just above the troposphere, which is the first layer of the atmosphere closest to the ground. The layer made of layers Above the troposphere and below the mesosphere, we have the stratosphere. The stratosphere can be as deep 20 miles or as shallow as 5.5 miles. Almost all weather is in this region. If you are interested in the complete structure and make-up of the atmosphere,this articlecovers all five atmospheric layers and their relation to each other in more detail. Planting trees is one of the efforts that people have done to try to minimize damage and to help rebuild the damaged ozone layer. N.Butchart, A.A. Scaife, J. Austin, S.H.E. Stated another way, it allows the airliner to fly faster while maintaining lift equal to the weight of the plane. The resultant breaking causes large-scale mixing of air and other trace gases throughout the midlatitude surf zone. The other four layers include the troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. It has increased the number of respiratory conditions such as asthma. The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere, which is composed of a total of five layers. We live in the troposphere, which is the layer of the atmosphere closest to earth. The stratosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen and oxygen. Ozone (O3) photolysis produces O and O2. 32. This includes its location, what it is composed of, the temperature range, and its density. 5. It not only examines what the stratosphere is but also looks at the characteristics or facts that define it. The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of trees, to the dark environments of ocean trenches, to lush rain forests, high mountaintops, and transition zones like this one, where ocean and terrestrial ecosystems meet. Exosphere widely contains particles of helium and hydrogen. Its upper edge has maximum ozone concentration, referred to as the ozone belt. 2. The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere, in between the troposphere and the mesosphere. It sets it apart from the other atmospheric layers by temperature rising instead of dropping as altitude increases, a process called temperature inversion. "Strat" means layer. What are the characteristics of the five layers of the atmosphere? Since the ozone layer absorbs UV rays from the sun, it heats up, which allows temperatures to increase as altitude increases. Earth's atmosphere has six layers: the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, the ionosphere, and the exosphere. The stratosphere is very cold, ranging in temperatures from negative 68F to negative 5F. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. The mesosphere is the third layer of the atmosphere (above the troposphere and stratosphere.) 23. Many satellites actually orbit Earth within the thermosphere! Though the atmosphere may appear uniform to the naked eye, it is actually similar to a layer cake. Biosphere forms part of the troposphere where life exists. Louise Fisher has taught middle school students introductory physics topics for two years. It's about 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometers) thick. In many ways, the thermosphere is more like outer space than a part of the atmosphere. It borders the mesosphere above through a thin transitional space called the stratopause. Earths atmosphere has six different layers. Interestingly, the most significant portion of the atmosphere is located within twelve kilometers of the earths surface. 3. This breaking is caused due to a highly non-linear interaction between the vertically propagating planetary waves and the isolated high potential vorticity region known as the polar vortex. For this reason, humans would not be able to survive at this altitude without being inside of a plane, rocket, or some type of enclosed environment where air density can be regulated. That's the opposite of how the . These elements react with toxic gases, salt, smoke, and volcanic ash. Ozone layer lies about 19-32 km over the earths surface. The lack of particles in the air causes less friction to hold an aircraft back, which requires less power to travel faster and further. The stratosphere is a very interesting layer in Earth's atmosphere, as there are many fun stratosphere facts outside of its primary characteristics that make it unique. Earth is a great planet to live on because it has a wonderful atmosphere around it. Folland. There are no storms or turbulence here to mix up the air, so cold, heavy air is at the bottom and warm, light air is at the top. The stratosphere has many defining features that make it a unique part of the atmosphere. These are generated when cold atmospheric air blends with the hot, humid exhaust. There are a few other atmospheric layers as well -- you can take a look at a diagram of these below. Unlike the troposphere, the stratosphere actually gets warmer the higher you go! Above the stratosphere lies the mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. This was based on temperature profiles from mostly unmanned and a few manned instrumented balloons. The latter value is about halfway to the Moon! Just above that is the stratosphere, the area of the atmosphere where passenger airplanes and weather balloons fly. Ozone, an unusual type of oxygen molecule that is relatively abundant in the stratosphere, heats this layer as it absorbs energy from incoming ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Air pressure drops, and temperatures get colder, as you climb higher in the troposphere. This is due to the temperature changes within the stratosphere. Sydney Chapman gave a correct description of the source of stratospheric ozone and its ability to generate heat within the stratosphere;[citation needed] he also wrote that ozone may be destroyed by reacting with atomic oxygen, making two molecules of molecular oxygen. 10. Meteorological phenomena are limited to the troposphere since they result from the earths rotation and suns radiation on the atmosphere. This material is based upon work supported by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, a major facility sponsored by the National Science Foundation and managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. This layer of our atmosphere has its own set of layers. Clouds form due to convection, which is uncommon in the stratosphere. Facts About The Mesosphere What It Is And Its Defining Characteristics, The 5 Layers Of The Atmosphere Their Composition, Characteristics, And Importance Explained, Fallstreak Holes: What They Are And How They Form, Bubble Clouds: Defining Mammatus Clouds And How They Form, Noctilucent Clouds: Defining Night Shining Clouds And How They Form. It extends from about 50 to 85 km (31 to 53 miles) above our planet. Luckily the situation has improved since the ban of chlorofluorocarbon. The top of the stratosphere is called the stratopause, above which the temperature decreases with height. What Is the Greenhouse Effect? UCAR/Randy Russell I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. stratosphere The atmospheric layer above the troposphere, which extends on average from about 10 to 50 km above the Earth's surface. This part of the atmosphere is the most dense. The exosphere gradually fades away into the realm of interplanetary space. This layer of our atmosphere has its own set of layers. Certain birds will even fly in the stratosphere, including swans, cranes, and vultures! It is the reason why the sky appears blue. The main gases are nitrogen and oxygen, which make up 99% of the atmosphere. On top of that, air samples from this altitude have shown that certain types of bacteria and microbes are present in the stratosphere, making it the closest to space and furthest from the Earth's surface that humans have found life naturally living. The stratosphere is a layer of Earth's atmosphere. The atmospheric gases must retain the heat in the sun rays and reflect them to the earth to keep it warm. The ozone layer is a layer of gas within the stratosphere that protects the Earth's surface from harmful ultraviolet sun rays. Because of this, few clouds are found in this layer and almost all clouds occur in the lower, more humid troposphere. The increase of temperature with altitude is a result of the absorption of the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation by the ozone layer. Rocket launches inject exhaust gases into the stratosphere, producing uncertain consequences. This is the opposite of what happens in the troposphere, where an increasing altitude yields a decrease in temperature. There is very little water vapor in this layer of the atmosphere, so clouds are a rare occurrence. Some of these waves and tides carry energy from the troposphere upward into the stratosphere, others convey energy from the stratosphere up into the mesosphere. Clouds rarely form in the stratosphere for this reason as well, as the air is very dry. The wind, which is the air current, is generated when the hot air rises and gets replaced by colder air. While common in the troposphere, very little convection takes place in the stratosphere. The stratosphere is located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. - Facts, Layers & Population, The Changing Earth: Volcanoes, Weathering & Deposition, The Four Spheres of Earth: Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere, and Atmosphere, Interactions of Earth's Spheres: Purpose and Examples, Ionosphere: Definition, Facts, Temperature & Layers, Understanding Plate Tectonics: Tutoring Solution, Understanding Earthquakes: Tutoring Solution, Understanding Volcanoes: Tutoring Solution, Rock Deformation & Mountain Building: Tutoring Solution, Shaping the Earth's Surface: Tutoring Solution, Energy in the Earth System: Tutoring Solution, Earth's Energy Resources: Tutoring Solution, Earth's Material Resources: Tutoring Solution, Earth Science Investigation & Experimentation: Tutoring Solution, Environmental Science 101: Environment and Humanity, UExcel Pathophysiology: Study Guide & Test Prep, Stratosphere Lesson for Kids: Definition & Facts, What is Alginic Acid? The lower boundary of the stratosphere is called the tropopause; the upper boundary is called the stratopause. The ozone layer is very important, as it protects life on Earth from the majority of the UV rays emitted from the sun. This includes the troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere, and stratosphere. The exosphere is the very edge of our atmosphere. Weather balloons also rise up to this level of the atmosphere to collect data without interference of storm clouds. That's much thicker than the inner layers of the atmosphere, but not nearly as thick as the exosphere. Ozone, which is actually a molecule made up of three oxygen atoms linked together by covalent bonds, absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation that enters the Earth's atmosphere as part of sunlight. PSCs are also called nacreous clouds. He discovered this atmospheric layer by sending a weather balloon up and noticing that the temperature changes differently than it does in the troposphere. 3. Temperatures rise as one moves upward through the stratosphere. Stratospheric circulation is a predominantly wave-driven circulation in that the tropical upwelling is induced by the wave force by the westward propagating Rossby waves, in a phenomenon called Rossby-wave pumping. The stratosphere extends from the top of the troposphere to about 50 km (31 miles) above the ground. The stratosphere is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere, laying just above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. It keeps us warm, it gives us oxygen to breathe, and its where our weather happens. Life as we know it wouldnt be possible without this layer of protection. This ozone layer is important for man's survival, and for the survival of life on earth, as it absorbs the UV radiation from the sun that would otherwise be deadly. [21] Bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) sometimes migrate over Mount Everest, whose summit is 8,848m (29,029ft). Stratosphere is the second layer. Between the troposphere and stratosphere is the tropopause border that demarcates the beginning of the temperature inversion. Dr. Rachel Tustin has a PhD in Education focusing on Educational Technology, a Masters in English, and a BS in Marine Science. Above the troposphere and below the mesosphere, we have the stratosphere. The atmosphere is dense near the surface of the Earth and protects life on the planet Earth. The next higher layer above the stratosphere is the mesosphere. The atmosphere has nearly 37.5 million billion gallons of water at any given time. I feel like its a lifeline. Although on average the stratosphere begins at about 7 miles up from the earth's surface, it can range from 5 miles at the earth's poles, to 6-8 miles at moderate latitudes, to 11 miles at the equator. A two-step reactive mechanism produces ozone in the stratosphere naturally. Its upper edge has maximum ozone concentration, referred to as the ozone belt. There is no clear-cut upper boundary where the exosphere finally fades away into space. While the troposphere is filled with a vast assortment of clouds thanks to a gas we know as water vapor, the stratosphere is a vast, clear blue sky. Air density in this layer gradually decreases as you go higher. The top of the stratosphere occurs at an altitude of 50 km (31 miles). The air in the mesosphere is far too thin to breathe (the air pressure at the bottom of the layer is well below 1% of the pressure at sea level and continues dropping as you go higher). No tracking or performance measurement cookies were served with this page. This is exactly the opposite of the behavior in the troposphere in which we live, where temperatures drop with increasing altitude. Most airplanes or jets travel in the lower part of the stratosphere. As the ozone layer absorbs UV radiation, it causes the temperature in this layer to increase. It is made up of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. Ozone in turn is photolysed much more rapidly than molecular oxygen as it has a stronger absorption that occurs at longer wavelengths, where the solar emission is more intense. This jacket of gases does a lot for us. It also allows the airplane to stay above the turbulent weather of the troposphere. We are not permitting internet traffic to Byjus website from countries within European Union at this time. Once you leave the stratosphere, and enter the mesosphere, the temperature dramatically decreases until plummeting to around -184 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of the clouds form in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. These troposphere facts are going to make you see the air around you in a very different light and help you learn more about how we live and breathe.