what are 3 facts about the stratosphere

The stratosphere the atmosphere's second layer, and is located right above the troposphere and right below the mesosphere. Hare, J.R. Knight. Because of this temperature stratification, there is little convection and mixing in the stratosphere, so the layers of air there are quite stable. 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. These are generated when cold atmospheric air blends with the hot, humid exhaust. The stratosphere is one of five layers of the atmosphere. We live in one layer, called the troposphere, where the clouds and most of the water vapor reside. Stratosphere is the second layer. The coldest temperatures in Earths atmosphere, about -90 C (-130 F), are found near the top of this layer. This layer holds 19 percent of the atmosphere's gases but very little water vapor. It starts to glow, and the rocks begin to fly off. There are some species of birds capable of flying in the stratosphere. Interestingly, the most significant portion of the atmosphere is located within twelve kilometers of the earths surface. They are a combination of supercooled water and nitric acid that develop at very low temperatures. 3 It borders the stratosphere below through a thin transitional space called the stratopause. 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 . Air pressure drops, and temperatures get colder, as you climb higher in the troposphere. But there are no mountains high enough to reach the stratosphere, so you dont have to worry about that. All rights reserved. Most meteors burn up in the mesosphere. 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. [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. This is the opposite of what happens in the troposphere, where an increasing altitude yields a decrease in temperature. Earths atmosphere has six layers: the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, the ionosphere, and the exosphere. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'ownyourweather_com-large-billboard-2','ezslot_3',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-ownyourweather_com-large-billboard-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'ownyourweather_com-large-billboard-2','ezslot_4',116,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-ownyourweather_com-large-billboard-2-0_1');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'ownyourweather_com-large-billboard-2','ezslot_5',116,'0','2'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-ownyourweather_com-large-billboard-2-0_2');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'ownyourweather_com-large-billboard-2','ezslot_6',116,'0','3'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-ownyourweather_com-large-billboard-2-0_3'); .large-billboard-2-multi-116{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:3px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:3px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;min-width:300px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}Recent Posts, Copyright 2023 by Own Your Weather. As the altitude increases, the atmosphere diminishes which is the reason why the air pressure in the exosphere is shallow. 14. As a result, the air in the stratosphere is about 1000 times thinner in the stratosphere than at sea level in the troposphere. Convection is when gasses cool down as they rise, allowing them to condense onto air particles and form clouds. Planes fly in the stratosphere to avoid turbulence and fly longer distances using less fuel. This UV radiation is important for the production of vitamin D in humans, but too much can destroy tissue. These gases are found in layers (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere) defined by unique features such as temperature and pressure. This layer separates the rest of the atmosphere from outer space. A two-step reactive mechanism produces ozone in the stratosphere naturally. The stratosphere is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere, laying just above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. Because of this, jet aircraft and weather balloons reach their maximum operational altitudes within the stratosphere. [20], Some bird species have been reported to fly at the upper levels of the troposphere. The layer made of layers Above the troposphere and below the mesosphere, we have the stratosphere. Earths atmosphere has six different layers. Autumn Skies Online Pty Ltd is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Aurora is also referred to as polar light. The atmosphere is about 500 km thick, with a mix of more than ten different gases. Earth's atmosphere has six layers: the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, the ionosphere, and the exosphere. Large volcanic eruptions and major meteorite impacts can fling aerosol particles up into the stratosphere where they may linger for months or years, sometimes altering Earth's global climate. The timescale of this rapid mixing is much smaller than the much slower timescales of upwelling in the tropics and downwelling in the extratropics. No tracking or performance measurement cookies were served with this page. 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. 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. The stratosphere is where youll find the very important ozone 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. [4] Temperatures range from an average of 51C (60F; 220K) near the tropopause to an average of 15C (5.0F; 260K) near the mesosphere. The stratosphere starts just above the troposphere and extends to 50 kilometers (31 miles) high. - This is the second layer of the atmosphere from the surface of the earth, and lies between the troposphere and the mesosphere. Sunlight is reflected in every direction by the gases present in the atmosphere. Some researchers and even students have sent helium balloons with cameras to record the stratosphere. As you rise through the troposphere, the temperature decreases to around -60 degrees Fahrenheit. Radicals produced from the homolytically split oxygen molecules combine with molecular oxygen to form ozone. Cred: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio 3. The stratosphere is actually crucial to allowing us to live on earth, because within the stratosphere you will find the ozone layer. 24. The stratosphere extends from from 4 -12 miles (6-20 km) above the Earth's surface to around 31 miles (50 km). There are little to no clouds in the stratosphere from the lack of convection. Once you leave the stratosphere, and enter the mesosphere, the temperature dramatically decreases until plummeting to around -184 degrees Fahrenheit. The stratosphere is a layer of Earth's atmosphere. But there are no mountains high enough to reach the stratosphere, so you dont have to worry about that. The waves and tides influence the flows of air in the stratosphere and can also cause regional heating of this layer of the atmosphere. Just like the troposphere, its depth varies with latitude. Earth's atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and one percent other gases. A good percentage of the earths population breathes contaminated air, primarily sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide emitted by industrial factories. 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. It is possible to send research balloons into the stratosphere. Unlike the troposphere, the stratosphere actually gets warmer the higher you go! Mercury has water ice and organics. The ionosphere stretches roughly 50 to 400 miles above Earth's surface, right at the edge of space. 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 upward to a height of about 85 km (53 miles) above our planet. 27. Strat means layer. The troposphere is where we breath in and is also referred to as the lower atmosphere. 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 troposphere, the lowest layer, is right below the stratosphere. In 1985, they observed a hole in the ozone layer above the Antarctic. Fun Stratosphere Facts for Kids. Each year, this large amount of water is recycled about 40 times. This includes its location, what it is composed of, the temperature range, and its density. A.A. Scaife, J.R. Knight, G.K. Vallis, C.K. Around the poles, it actually begins at around 7 kilometers, whereas around the equator it can be as high as 20 kilometers. Earth's atmosphere is a jacket of gases that surrounds our planet. The contrails usually become thin at low humidity and high altitudes. "Strat" means layer. [11] This optimizes fuel efficiency, mostly due to the low temperatures encountered near the tropopause and low air density, reducing parasitic drag on the airframe. Ninety-nine percent of the gases that compose the atmosphere are located below a height of 32 km (20 miles). The stratosphere is located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. 1. Above the troposphere and below the mesosphere, we have the stratosphere. 6. It not only examines what the stratosphere is but also looks at the characteristics or facts that define it. Here are 50 Interesting facts about the atmosphere that you probably didnt know. 3090 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO 80301, Air pressure drops, and temperatures get colder, as you climb higher in the troposphere, ACOM | Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling, CISL | Computational & Information Systems, EdEC | Education, Engagement & Early-Career Development, Government Relations & External Engagement. The stratosphere is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere, and lies approximately 10km to 50km above the Earth's surface. It borders the troposphere below through a thin transitional space called the tropopause. The air in the stratosphere is about 1000 thinner than the air at sea level in the troposphere. Close to the tropopause, temperatures start at approximately -51 Celsius (-60 Fahrenheit) and continue to rise until reaching the stratopause, where temperatures reach -15 Celsius (5 Fahrenheit). Composed of mostly nitrogen and oxygen, the stratosphere also contains the ozone layer. They are much similar to warm breath during cold weather. Facts About The Exosphere: The Outermost Layer Of The Atmosphere. The exosphere gradually fades away into the realm of interplanetary space. Air pollution causes the demolition of the ozone belt, and without it, the earth would be exposed to the deadly ultraviolet rays in the sun. He discovered this atmospheric layer by sending a weather balloon up and noticing that the temperature changes differently than it does in the troposphere. The lower boundary of the stratosphere can be as high as 20 km (12 miles or 65,000 feet) near the equator and as low as 7 km (4 miles or 23,000 feet) at the poles in winter. This list does not contain all the data available about the stratosphere but highlights the key facts and characteristics of this layer. However, it is made up out of five different layers: The troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. This is the opposite of what happens in the troposphere, the layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth. But its not the same everywhere. Biosphere forms part of the troposphere where life exists. This includes the troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere, and stratosphere. In addition, solar proton events can significantly affect ozone levels via radiolysis with the subsequent formation of OH. 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. It lies above the troposphere, the layer closest to Earth, and below the mesosphere. Paul J. Crutzen, Mario J. Molina and F. Sherwood Rowland were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1995 for their work describing the formation and decomposition of stratospheric ozone.[9]. It's about 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometers) thick. 4. 28. Above the stratosphere is the mesosphere. 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. The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere. The thinning is most pronounced in the polar regions, especially over Antarctica. Privacy Policy As mentioned in the introduction, certain birds such as cranes, swans, and vultures can fly at this altitude. The lower boundary of the stratosphere is called the tropopause; the upper boundary is called the stratopause. Moving upward from ground level, these layers are called the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. The Earth's atmosphere is made up of roughly 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon, and 0.1% other gases. This border is known as the Karman line. 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The stratosphere also traps certain gasses known as CFC's, which are chemicals derived from aerosol. The stratosphere also has an increasing temperature with increasing altitude, which is different than what happens in the troposphere. While the stratosphere is dry, additional water vapor is produced in situ by the photochemical oxidation of methane (CH4). What's in the Atmosphere? Ozone (O3) photolysis produces O and O2. The HO2 radical produced by the reaction of OH with O3 is recycled to OH by reaction with oxygen atoms or ozone. 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 more humid the atmosphere is, the thicker the contrails will be. The lower portion of the stratosphere is nearly isothermal (a layer of constant temperature), whereas temperatures in its upper levels increase with altitude. UCAR/Randy Russell ozone depletion, gradual thinning of Earth's ozone layer in the upper atmosphere caused by the release of chemical compounds containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from industry and other human activities. The holes in the ozone layer have been recorded above the Antarctica seasonally, as well as in other parts of the world. In this region, the temperature increases with height. The Brief Overview. Stratospheric warming of the polar vortex results in its weakening. The coldest temperatures are found in the mesopause. Commercial airliners fly in the lower stratosphere to avoid the weather, travel faster, and save fuel. The stratosphere is one of five layers of the earth's atmosphere. The next higher layer above the stratosphere is the mesosphere. 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. Without it, the earths surface would be so cold that living here would not be possible. Because of this, few clouds are found in this layer and almost all clouds occur in the lower, more humid troposphere. 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. The ozone layer is situated within this layer. What Causes Air Pollution? There is no clear-cut upper boundary where the exosphere finally fades away into space. Stated another way, it allows the airliner to fly faster while maintaining lift equal to the weight of the plane. It has increased the number of respiratory conditions such as asthma. 16. The Earth's atmosphere is very important, as each layer plays a role for life on Earth. 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. In this article, we are going to learn about the atmosphere. Convection is when gases cool as they rise, allowing them to condense on air molecules which form clouds. They shoot upwards through the stratosphere in a blue column to altitudes as high as 50km! The atmosphere is one of four spheres of the earth, which include the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the biosphere, and the lithosphere. 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. Though the atmosphere may appear uniform to the naked eye, it is actually similar to a layer cake. In fact, the ozone layer absorbs most of the UV radiation the sun sends to us. The atmosphere comprises five layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere. [6] Winds in the stratosphere can far exceed those in the troposphere, reaching near 60m/s (220km/h; 130mph) in the Southern polar vortex. Middle School Earth Science: Tutoring Solution, Earth's Spheres & Structure: Tutoring Solution, Earth's Internal Layers: Crust, Mantle & Core, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Stratosphere Facts: Fun Facts About the Stratosphere, How The Earth is Shaped: Earthquakes, Faults & Tsunamis, What is Earth?

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