The stratosphere begins at around 10 kilometers above the surface of the earth. Thats the opposite of how the layers work in the troposphere, where we live. Around the poles, it actually begins at around 7 kilometers, whereas around the equator it can be as high as 20 kilometers. 10. It surrounds the globe and protects it by absorbing the infrared rays from the sun. The stratosphere is one of five layers of the atmosphere. Life as we know it wouldnt be possible without this layer of protection. Atmosphere Layers: Facts About the Atmosphere Layers Its upper edge has maximum ozone concentration, referred to as the ozone belt. It reaches up to the mesosphere, with another thin layer of air called the stratopause separating them. Thislayerseparates the rest of the atmosphere from outer space. We humans live in the troposphere, and nearly all weather occurs in this lowest layer. The stratosphere can be as deep 20 miles or as shallow as 5.5 miles. Earths atmosphere has six layers: the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, the ionosphere, and the exosphere. Planes that are low on fuel also fly at this altitude because they can cover more distance than in the troposphere while using less fuel and encountering less turbulence. This border is known as the Karman line. Fun Stratosphere Facts for Kids. The temperatures at the different atmospheric layers differ depending on solar radiation, humidity, and altitude. Mesosphere lies between 50-85 km above sea level. The stratosphere extends from the top of the troposphere to about 50 km (31 miles) above the ground. Such is the case for ozone-destroying chemicals called CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). PSCs are also called nacreous clouds. This decrease in temperature with altitude is what causes convection to occur in the troposphere. The atmosphere comprises five layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere. These are generated when cold atmospheric air blends with the hot, humid exhaust. It's about 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometers) thick. Aurora is also referred to as polar light. This diagram shows some of the features of the stratosphere. (The ozone layer is too large a topic for this article, but you can read more about it in the following post.). As a result, it tends to trap any and all gases that enter this region of the atmosphere. Just like the troposphere, its depth varies with latitude. However, the air in this layer is so thin that it would feel freezing cold to us! She currently works as a physicist assistant at a cancer treatment center. 4. It has increased the number of respiratory conditions such as asthma. Cred: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio 3. Although humans would not be able to survive in the stratosphere due to thin air and frigid temperatures, there is life that can and does survive there. She earned her bachelor's in Physics and Astronomy from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Finally, chlorofluorocarbon molecules are photolysed in the stratosphere releasing chlorine atoms that react with ozone giving ClO and O2. Most of the clouds form in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Earth's atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and one percent other gases. The stratosphere is a region of intense interactions among radiative, dynamical, and chemical processes, in which the horizontal mixing of gaseous components proceeds much more rapidly than does vertical mixing. The mesosphere is directly above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere. Be grateful! The greenhouse gases increase the effect making the earths surface to be warmer than usual. Like the other atmospheric layers, it does not have a fixed height but starts at an altitude of approximately 10 km(6 miles), extending up to a height of roughly 50 km(30 miles). The mesosphere is a layer of Earth's atmosphere. 29. Geomagnetic solar storms caused by solar flares or solar winds can disrupt activities in the ionosphere, causing difficulty in transmitting radio signals and global positioning system signals. The atmospheric balance is jeopardized by human activities that cause global warming, greenhouse effect, ozone belt destruction, air contamination, and acid rains. The stratosphere is a layer of extremely stratified air that rises 40 kilometres above the tropopause and comprises about 20% of the atmosphere's mass. Ozone protects life on Earth from the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. It is the second layer of the atmosphere as you go upward. Stratopause is the connection between the mesosphere and stratosphere. Because of this temperature stratification, there is little convection and mixing in the stratosphere, so the layers of air there are quite stable. In fact it is not easy to distinguish between space and not space because of the fact that the Earths atmosphere doesnt simply vanish; rather, it gradually becomes thinner and thinner over about 600 miles. However, this feature allows commercial airliners to fly in the lower stratosphere while traveling faster and save fuel. PSCs appear in the lower stratosphere near the poles in winter. The rapid photolysis and reformation of ozone heat the stratosphere, resulting in a temperature inversion. Skin cancer frequency is increasing due to the thinning of the ozone layer. In the stratosphere - 'strato' means layer and sphere is the shape of the earth. Also, magnetic and south poles reverse at uneven intervals of hundreds of thousands of years. Troposphere. Temperature increases with height until the estimated top of the thermosphere at 500 km. Many satellites actually orbit Earth within the thermosphere! They are found at altitudes of 15 to 25 km (9.3 to 15.5 miles) and form only when temperatures at those heights dip below -78 C. They appear to help cause the formation of the infamous holes in the ozone layer by "encouraging" certain chemical reactions that destroy ozone. Atmosphere | NASA Climate Kids Due to this, the stratosphere has very little convection, which causes chemicals derived from aerosols, known as CFC's, to become confined to the stratosphere. One of the most surprising things about the stratosphere is not its characteristics but about what you find in this layer. This UV radiation is important for the production of vitamin D in humans, but too much can destroy tissue. The atmosphere has nearly 37.5 million billion gallons of water at any given time. Strat means layer. Atmosphere Atmosphere and Its Layers It contains most of our Earth's water vapour, and is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. An interesting feature of stratospheric circulation is the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in the tropical latitudes, which is driven by gravity waves that are convectively generated in the troposphere. It is also roughly 35 kilometers (22 miles) thick. 32. stratosphere: [noun] the part of the earth's atmosphere which extends from the top of the troposphere to about 30 miles (50 kilometers) above the surface and in which temperature increases gradually to about 32 F (0 C) and clouds rarely form. Because of this, few clouds are found in this layer and almost all clouds occur in the lower, more humid troposphere. The Mesosphere | Center for Science Education The stratosphere is located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. measured by the humidity of the air. Solar ultraviolet radiation (sunlight) separates an oxygen molecule into two different oxygen atoms in the first step. 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. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. The jet stream flows near the border between the troposphere and the stratosphere. Terms & Conditions Air density is the lowest, and its temperature can increase up to 1500 degrees Celsius. This jacket of gases does a lot for us. 30. Strat means layer. Acid rains form when nitrogen oxide or Sulphur dioxide combines with water vapor in the atmosphere. Biosphere forms part of the troposphere where life exists. Ozone layer facts and information - Environment "Strat" means layer. As altitude increases, air density in the layers of the atmosphere decrease. It is possible to send research balloons into the stratosphere. However, it is made up out of five different layers: The troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. The stratosphere is very dry air and contains little water vapor. Because the temperature in the tropopause and lower stratosphere is largely constant with increasing altitude, very little convection and its resultant turbulence occurs there. The bottom of the stratosphere is around 10 km (6.2 miles or about 33,000 feet) above the ground at middle latitudes. If you were to climb a mountain in the stratosphere you would have to take off your warm clothes as you got closer to the top rather than putting them on like we usually do. Interestingly, the most significant portion of the atmosphere is located within twelve kilometers of the earths surface. The contrails usually become thin at low humidity and high altitudes. 110 lessons. The photosynthesis process enables plants to take up carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere. Ninety-nine percent of the gases that compose the atmosphere are located below a height of 32 km (20 miles). This is just an estimate, however, as the lower and upper boundaries actually vary with the latitude of the earth. Ionization takes place in the ionosphere caused by the suns radiation. The definition of the stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere, extending from about 6 miles to 30 miles, or 10km to 50km, above the Earth's surface. I feel like its a lifeline. The aurora, the Northern Lights and Southern Lights, occur in the thermosphere. The thermosphere extends from about 90 km to 500 kmand 1,000 km above our planet. During northern hemispheric winters, sudden stratospheric warmings, caused by the absorption of Rossby waves in the stratosphere, can be observed in approximately half of winters when easterly winds develop in the stratosphere. It borders the troposphere below through a thin transitional space called the tropopause. The stratosphere extends from the tropopause at about 10 to 17 km (about 6 to 11 miles) altitude to its upper boundary (the stratopause) at . Stratosphere | NASA Space Place - NASA Science for Kids 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 results in an increase in temperature from about -76 degrees Fahrenheit to around 5 degrees Fahrenheit. 34. Moving upward from ground level, these layers are called the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. Commercial airliners fly in the lower stratosphere to avoid the weather, travel faster, and save fuel. We live in the troposphere, which is the layer of the atmosphere closest to earth. They go from the ground all the way to outer space. The Earth's atmosphere is very important, as each layer plays a role for life on Earth. Never miss out again when another interesting and helpful article is released and stay updated, while also receiving helpful tips & information by simplyclicking on this link .Until next time, keep your eye on the weather! When greenhouse gases rise into the atmosphere, they form chloride ions that destroy the ozone layer by making holes in it. Rocket launches inject exhaust gases into the stratosphere, producing uncertain consequences. This layer of our atmosphere has its own set of layers. 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).