The top of the stratosphere is called the stratopause, above which the temperature decreases with height. 28. If you do your calculations, each water vapor particle spends approximately nine days in the atmosphere. In this region, the temperature increases with height. The stratosphere is a layer of Earth's atmosphere. That's much thicker than the inner layers of the atmosphere, but not nearly as thick as the exosphere. Because the temperature in the tropopause and lower stratosphere is largely constant with increasing altitude, very little convection and its resultant turbulence occurs there. 16. Stated another way, it allows the airliner to fly faster while maintaining lift equal to the weight of the plane. As a result, the air in the stratosphere is about 1000 times thinner in the stratosphere than at sea level in the troposphere. Other gases that make up the remaining 0.1 percent include trace amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, and neon. The stratospheric air is extremely thin and dry since the vast majority of atmospheric gases (and weather activity) are limited to the troposphere. The water ice appears younger than we would expect. It is the reason why the sky appears blue. - This is the second layer of the atmosphere from the surface of the earth, and lies between the troposphere and the mesosphere. It extends above the tropopause to an altitude of 50 km above the earth. The temperatures in the ozone belt are higher than in the troposphere since the ozone absorbs the ultraviolet rays. There are five layers of the Earth's atmosphere. Louise Fisher has taught middle school students introductory physics topics for two years. Ozone (O3) photolysis produces O and O2. This diagram shows some of the features of the stratosphere. It is in the thermosphere that the space shuttle flew. 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. In this article, we are going to learn about the atmosphere. As it absorbs the UV light, it absorbs energy. It is made up of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. All Rights Reserved. Earth's atmosphere has a series of layers, each with its own specific traits. Another large-scale feature that significantly influences stratospheric circulation is the breaking planetary waves[15] resulting in intense quasi-horizontal mixing in the midlatitudes. Current map of global winds and temperatures at the 10 hPa level. Thats the opposite of how the layers work in the troposphere, where we live. - 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? 2023 TheFactFile.Org. It is the highest layer. 1. Cred: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio 3. Meteorological phenomena are limited to the troposphere since they result from the earths rotation and suns radiation on the atmosphere. This is how certain gases become trapped in the stratosphere, like CFC's and ozone. As mentioned in the introduction, certain birds such as cranes, swans, and vultures can fly at this altitude. One wild characteristic of the stratosphere is a phenomenon that occurs, which is known as blue jets. Troposphere - The lowest level of our atmosphere is called the Troposphere. In comparison, the warmest in the thermosphere. Here are 50 Interesting facts about the atmosphere that you probably didnt know. The stratosphere is home to the ozone layer, which is a thin layer of concentrated ozone which plays an essential role in protecting the Earth from dangerous solar radiation. 22. 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. They are a combination of supercooled water and nitric acid that develop at very low temperatures. This decrease in temperature with altitude is what causes convection to occur in the troposphere. These free-moving elements continuously escape into space due to ballistic trajectories. Be grateful! Temperatures in the upper thermosphere can range from about 500 C (932 F) to 2,000 C (3,632 F) or higher. There are a few other atmospheric layers as well -- you can take a look at a diagram of these below. The coldest temperatures in Earth's atmosphere, about -90 C (-130 F), are found near the top of this layer. Since the stratosphere has increasing temperature with elevation, convection is very rare. 110 lessons. Air density in this layer gradually decreases as you go higher. This layer is 22 miles (35 kilometers) thick. It comprises the magnetosphere and ionosphere. In the stratosphere - 'strato' means layer and sphere is the shape of the earth. Commercial airliners typically cruise at altitudes of 912km (30,00039,000ft) which is in the lower reaches of the stratosphere in temperate latitudes. 6. The exosphere gradually fades away into the realm of interplanetary space. The timescale of this rapid mixing is much smaller than the much slower timescales of upwelling in the tropics and downwelling in the extratropics. 35. 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). The first is due to the reaction of hydroxyl radicals (OH) with ozone. Although some experts consider the thermosphere to be the uppermost layer of our atmosphere, others consider the exosphere to be the actual "final frontier" of Earth's gaseous envelope. Polar Stratospheric Clouds develop in this layer near the poles at an altitude of 15 - 25 kilometers. In many ways, the thermosphere is more like outer space than a part of the atmosphere. It borders the troposphere below through a thin transitional space called the tropopause. It is easy & understandable to view our atmosphere as a continuous layer of air. 2011 UCAR with portions adapted from Windows to the Universe ( 2009 NESTA). Facts About Stratosphere Published: April 3, 2016 The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the troposphere, and below the mesosphere. The shiny blue marble continues to fascinate us since the time we began walking across its surfaces. Ozone is a gas made up of three oxygen atoms (O 3). 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 word 'stratosphere' is derived from the word 'strato' meaning layer, and 'sphere' which is earth's shape. It is also roughly 35 kilometers (22 miles) thick. Certain bird species like the common crane, whooper swan, and the Rppel's griffon vulture are capable of flying in the lower stratosphere. [22][23], In 1902, Lon Teisserenc de Bort from France and Richard Assmann from Germany, in separate but coordinated publications and following years of observations, published the discovery of an isothermal layer at around 1114km, which is the base of the lower stratosphere. Brewer-Dobson Circulation occurs in the stratosphere. This is the opposite of what happens in the troposphere, where an increasing altitude yields a decrease in temperature. [6], The mechanism describing the formation of the ozone layer was described by British mathematician Sydney Chapman in 1930. As you go up, it becomes colder. (The ozone layer is too large a topic for this article, but you can read more about it in the following post.). Nitrous oxide (N2O) is produced by biological activity at the surface and is oxidised to NO in the stratosphere; the so-called NOx radical cycles also deplete stratospheric ozone. As the ozone layer absorbs UV radiation, it causes the temperature in this layer to increase. 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. Strat means layer. That's the opposite of how the . The air has a very low density that you get into the interplanetary space without a manifest limit. This jacket of gases does a lot for us. Of all the atmospheric layers, this is the most closest to the Earth. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Near the equator, the lower edge of the stratosphere is as high as 20km (66,000ft; 12mi), at midlatitudes around 10km (33,000ft; 6.2mi), and at the poles about 7km (23,000ft; 4.3mi). It not only examines what the stratosphere is but also looks at the characteristics or facts that define it. 3. Airplanes fly in the stratosphere to avoid turbulence. This layer of our atmosphere has its own set of layers. What Is the Greenhouse Effect? Unlike the troposphere however it is colder closer to the earth and warmer as it gets closer to the mesosphere. The image above illustrates the layers of Earth's atmosphere and their approximate distances from the Earth's surface. The ozone layer, which absorbs and scatters the . Its upper edge has maximum ozone concentration, referred to as the ozone belt. The atmosphere surrounds our planet like the peel of an orange. 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Above the troposphere and below the mesosphere, we have the stratosphere. Earth's atmosphere has six layers: the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, the ionosphere, and the exosphere. The stratosphere contains approximately 19% of the earth's total atmospheric gases. Ozone depletion is a major environmental problem because it increases the amount of ultraviolet (UV . An increase of altitude in the troposphere makes temperatures decrease, which is why it is much colder on the top of a mountain than on sea level. The stratosphere is very cold, ranging in temperatures from negative 68F to negative 5F. The stratosphere is where youll find the very important ozone layer. 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. The temperatures in the ozone belt are higher than in the troposphere since the ozone absorbs the ultraviolet rays. 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. Along with the neutral upper atmosphere, the ionosphere forms the boundary between Earth's lower atmosphere where we live and breathe and the vacuum of space. This is due to gravity, but mostly due to the temperature inversion in the tropopause that prevents gases from entering the layer. The Earth's atmosphere is a mixture of several gases. "Strat" means layer. High-energy X-rays and UV radiation from the Sun are absorbed in the thermosphere, raising its temperature to hundreds or at times thousands of degrees. 8. 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. For years, CFCs - a chemical used in aerosols - were transported the stratosphere via convection and became trapped there. 23. The thermosphere is home to the International Space Station as it orbits Earth. The holes in the ozone layer have been recorded above the Antarctica seasonally, as well as in other parts of the world. 19. The particles in the exosphere do not behave like gases. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stratosphere&oldid=1140010063, This page was last edited on 18 February 2023, at 00:23. You might have seen planes leaving white condensation trails. 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. Interesting Facts About Mercury. Privacy Policy As altitude increases, air density in the layers of the atmosphere decrease. 2 It extends from a height of approximately 65 km (40 miles) to 85 km (53 miles) above the Earth's surface. It has a very important job: to protect us from harmful energy from the Sun, called radiation. Thus it means layer which surrounds the earth. This layer holds 19 percent of the atmosphere's gases but very little water vapor. The photosynthesis process enables plants to take up carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere. This article focus on the stratosphere, Earth's second layer. But there are no mountains high enough to reach the stratosphere, so you dont have to worry about that. Earth's atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and one percent other gases. The contrails usually become thin at low humidity and high altitudes. They shoot upwards through the stratosphere in a blue column to altitudes as high as 50km! 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. Almost all weather is in this region. As the altitude increases, the atmosphere diminishes which is the reason why the air pressure in the exosphere is shallow. It borders the mesosphere above through a thin transitional space called the stratopause. This site is owned and operated by Autumn Skies Online Pty Ltd, a limited liability company headquartered in Somerset West, South Africa. [4] The temperature inversion is in contrast to the troposphere, near the Earth's surface, where temperature decreases with altitude. This includes the troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere, and stratosphere. A single chlorine atom can destroy more than a hundred thousand ozone molecules. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. As a result, it tends to trap any and all gases that enter this region 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. 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 atmosphere has nearly 37.5 million billion gallons of water at any given time. These elements react with toxic gases, salt, smoke, and volcanic ash. Ozone (O3) is a highly reactive gas whose molecules are comprised of three oxygen atoms. The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere. Luckily the situation has improved since the ban of chlorofluorocarbon. There are forms of biological bacteria living in the stratosphere. The other four layers include the troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. Fun Stratosphere Facts for Kids. 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. The Concorde aircraft cruised at Mach 2 at about 60,000ft (18km), and the SR-71 cruised at Mach 3 at 85,000ft (26km), all within the stratosphere. While common in the troposphere, very little convection takes place in the stratosphere. (Learn more about Nacreous or Polar Stratospheric Clouds in this article.). 14. Theexosphereis really, really big. It is the only atmospheric layer where temperature inversion occurs and the region where the ozone layer is situated. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. We now know that there are additional ozone loss mechanisms and that these mechanisms are catalytic meaning that a small amount of the catalyst can destroy a great number of ozone molecules. This list does not contain all the data available about the stratosphere but highlights the key facts and characteristics of this layer. That trend of rising temperatures with altitude means that air in the stratosphere lacks the turbulence and updrafts of the troposphere beneath. It is like a giant magnet and retains high-energy particles, thereby protecting the earth. Though the atmosphere may appear uniform to the naked eye, it is actually similar to a layer cake. The stratosphere protects Earth life from extremely harmful UV rays from the sun. Stratosphere is the second layer. However, the air in this layer is so thin that it would feel freezing cold to us! When greenhouse gases rise into the atmosphere, they form chloride ions that destroy the ozone layer by making holes in it. 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. 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. 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. As a result of the EUs General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Ionosphere plays a vital role in radio signals broadcast on the earths surface. Thislayerseparates the rest of the atmosphere from outer space. This is just an estimate, however, as the lower and upper boundaries actually vary with the latitude of the earth. Ozone is important for ensuring that just the right amount of ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth. It surrounds our planet, keeps us warm, gives us oxygen to breathe, and it is where our weather happens. . 77 Amazing, Interesting, and Exciting Facts about the Atmosphere The rides, which are called The Big Shot, Insanity and X-Scream, are equally terrifying and exciting. The stratosphere is located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. [6] Winds in the stratosphere can far exceed those in the troposphere, reaching near 60m/s (220km/h; 130mph) in the Southern polar vortex. 4. Instead, the ionosphere is a series of regions in parts of the mesosphere and thermosphere where high-energy radiation from the Sun has knocked electrons loose from their parent atoms and molecules. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Once you leave the stratosphere, and enter the mesosphere, the temperature dramatically decreases until plummeting to around -184 degrees Fahrenheit. This vertical stratification, with warmer layers above and cooler layers below, makes the stratosphere dynamically stable: there is no regular convection and associated turbulence in this part of the atmosphere. The chlorine atoms are recycled when ClO reacts with O in the upper stratosphere, or when ClO reacts with itself in the chemistry of the Antarctic ozone hole. No tracking or performance measurement cookies were served with this page. However, it is made up out of five different layers: The troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. Most meteors burn up in the mesosphere. 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. [5] Stratospheric temperatures also vary within the stratosphere as the seasons change, reaching particularly low temperatures in the polar night (winter). The stratosphere is one of five layers of the earth's atmosphere. Ozone is a chemical compound consisting of three oxygen atoms. It has different layers with different qualities. Most of the clouds form in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Interestingly, the most significant portion of the atmosphere is located within twelve kilometers of the earths surface. We take a closer look at the stratosphere and its defining characteristics. We humans live in the troposphere, and nearly all weather occurs in this lowest layer. The layer made of layers Above the troposphere and below the mesosphere, we have the stratosphere. Air is roughly a thousand times thinner at the top of the stratosphere than it is at sea level. Its about 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometers) thick. This is exactly the opposite of the behavior in the troposphere in which we live, where temperatures drop with increasing altitude. However, as you enter the stratosphere, the ozone gas absorbs the ultraviolet light entering the atmosphere from the sun. Ozone molecules in this layer absorb high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light from the Sun, converting the UV energy into heat. Because of this temperature stratification, there is little convection and mixing in the stratosphere, so the layers of air there are quite stable. Unlike the troposphere, the stratosphere actually gets warmer the higher you go! 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. Earth's atmosphere is similar to a jacket for our planet. The stratosphere extends from the top of the troposphere to about 50 km (31 miles) above the ground. As a result, air circulation is not as prevalent in this layer of the atmosphere, making it difficult for some gasses to escape. PSCs appear in the lower stratosphere near the poles in winter. . Each year, this large amount of water is recycled about 40 times. The next layer up is called the stratosphere. They have been observed by airline pilots and the international space station. Stratosphere - The Stratosphere makes up around 25% of the total of Earth's atmosphere, and is home to more than 90% of our Earth's O-Zone layer. Providing an environment conducive to good instruction and motivation in which there is an atmosphere of self-motivation and self-discipline in the areas of personal development, character, and academic integrity. This is due to the temperature changes within the stratosphere. Solar ultraviolet radiation (sunlight) separates an oxygen molecule into two different oxygen atoms in the first step. The mesosphere is directly above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere. Clouds rarely form in the stratosphere for this reason as well, as the air is very dry. The stratosphere was discovered in 1900 by French meteorologist Lon Teisserenc de Bort. Because of this, few clouds are found in this layer and almost all clouds occur in the lower, more humid troposphere. Discover fun facts about the stratosphere and stratosphere characteristics. Convection is the process whereby warm air rises and cooler air descends. The overall circulation of the stratosphere is termed as Brewer-Dobson circulation, which is a single-celled circulation, spanning from the tropics up to the poles, consisting of the tropical upwelling of air from the tropical troposphere and the extra-tropical downwelling of air. 30. Strat means layer. PSCs are also called nacreous clouds. Earth's atmosphere is a jacket of gases that surrounds our planet. Without the stratosphere, life on Earth would be very different or non-existent, as the shielding of the sun's radiation is important for known Earth life. Commercial jet aircraft fly in the lower stratosphere to avoid the turbulence which is common in the troposphere below. 31. The coldest temperatures in Earths atmosphere, about -90 C (-130 F), are found near the top of this layer. Stratosphere is the second layer. These gases are chemically inert, although some can react with various chemicals: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, methane, ammonia, ozone, and water vapor. The burning of fossil fuels discharges carbon dioxide, while agricultural developments deposit a lot of methane and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Meteors burn up in the coldest layer, the mesosphere. This layer of our atmosphere has its own set of layers. The exosphere is the very edge of our atmosphere. Radicals produced from the homolytically split oxygen molecules combine with molecular oxygen to form ozone. Variations in the amount of energy coming from the Sun exert a powerful influence on both the height of the top of this layer and the temperature within it. The electrically charged atoms and molecules that are formed in this way are called ions, giving the ionosphere its name and endowing this region with some special properties. It is important because it contains the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from harmful UV rays. 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 stratosphere also has an increasing temperature with increasing altitude, which is different than what happens in the troposphere. 15. The Earth's atmosphere is very important, as each layer plays a role for life on Earth. The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere, in between the troposphere and the mesosphere. Planes and jets will sometimes. To learn more about each layer of the atmosphere, click the images below. This diagram shows some of the features of the stratosphere. They result from ionized particles from the sun striking the upper atmosphere above the poles. There is no clear-cut upper boundary where the exosphere finally fades away into space. But its not the same everywhere. Biosphere forms part of the troposphere where life exists. The composition of the atmosphere of each celestial body is different. 25. The temperatures at the different atmospheric layers differ depending on solar radiation, humidity, and altitude. Weather balloons also rise up to this level of the atmosphere to collect data without interference of storm clouds. The top of the stratosphere occurs at an altitude of 50 km (31 miles). copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. This creates a smoother ride for passengers, as there are few clouds or weather in the stratosphere. Acid rains form when nitrogen oxide or Sulphur dioxide combines with water vapor in the atmosphere. The following list highlights the characteristics and facts of the stratosphere in more detail. In 1985, they observed a hole in the ozone layer above the Antarctic. Certain birds can fly to this altitude, including cranes, swans, and vultures. 9. 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.
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