3. Its concentration in the atmosphere naturally fluctuates depending on seasons and latitudes, but it was . The stratosphere is the second layer in the Earth's atmosphere. Three Highest Thrill Rides in the World. So, what does the stratosphere do? Acidic rains destroy plants and animals, and if it reaches rivers and lakes, it destroys all the aquatic life. The exosphere gradually fades away into the realm of interplanetary space. This layer of our atmosphere has its own set of layers. Earth's atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and one percent other gases. It is the only atmospheric layer where temperature inversion occurs and the region where the ozone layer is situated. This results in an increase in temperature from about -76 degrees Fahrenheit to around 5 degrees Fahrenheit. In the lower atmosphere (the troposphere) near the Earth's surface, ozone is created by chemical reactions between air pollutants . The lower portion of the stratosphere is nearly isothermal (a layer of constant temperature), whereas temperatures in its upper levels increase with altitude. However, temperature increases with altitude in the stratosphere, which is opposite from the troposphere. 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. The mesosphere is directly above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere. It surrounds the globe and protects it by absorbing the infrared rays from the sun. 2023 TheFactFile.Org. Discover fun facts about the stratosphere and stratosphere characteristics. The thermosphere is home to the International Space Station as it orbits Earth. As you go up, it becomes colder. Damage to the ozone layer of the stratosphere occurs naturally when volcanic gases and dust reach the stratosphere, but people have been contributing to this as well with the use of aerosol's containing CFCs. 10. Without the stratosphere, life on Earth would be much different, if not non-existent. The oxygen atom product combines with atmospheric molecular oxygen to reform O3, releasing heat. Fun Stratosphere Facts for Kids. Heat is produced in the process of the formation of Ozone, and this heat is responsible for . 21. The temperatures at the different atmospheric layers differ depending on solar radiation, humidity, and altitude. It extends above the tropopause to an altitude of 50 km above the earth. 77 Amazing, Interesting, and Exciting Facts about the Atmosphere The troposphere is where we breath in and is also referred to as the lower atmosphere. This is also where you'll find low Earth orbit satellites. Troposphere - The lowest level of our atmosphere is called the Troposphere. The atmosphere gradually changes as the climate and weather change. But its not the same everywhere. Thus it means layer which surrounds the earth. 24. These events often precede unusual winter weather [16] and may even be responsible for the cold European winters of the 1960s.[17]. [18] When the vortex is strong, it keeps the cold, high-pressure air masses contained in the Arctic; when the vortex weakens, air masses move equatorward, and results in rapid changes of weather in the mid latitudes. Also known as Nacreous Clouds, these unique clouds develop near the poles at an altitude of 15 - 25 kilometers (9 - 15 miles) during the winter months. 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. This is due to the temperature changes within the stratosphere. stratosphere The atmospheric layer above the troposphere, which extends on average from about 10 to 50 km above the Earth's surface. He discovered this atmospheric layer by sending a weather balloon up and noticing that the temperature changes differently than it does in the troposphere. Stratosphere. 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. The more humid the atmosphere is, the thicker the contrails will be. The jet stream flows near the border between the troposphere and the stratosphere. Skin cancer frequency is increasing due to the thinning of the ozone layer. The stratosphere is where youll find the very important ozone layer. It is made up of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. 2011 UCAR with portions adapted from Windows to the Universe ( 2009 NESTA). We live in the troposphere, which is the layer of the atmosphere closest to earth. Because of this temperature stratification, there is little convection and mixing in the stratosphere, so the layers of air there are quite stable. 17. [21] Bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) sometimes migrate over Mount Everest, whose summit is 8,848m (29,029ft). 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 . Bacterial life survives in the stratosphere, making it a part of the biosphere. 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 ozone layer absorbs the majority of these rays, shielding life from harmful radiation. It also consists of a layer known as the ozone layer, a blanket of ozone that absorbs harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. The stratosphere the atmosphere's second layer, and is located right above the troposphere and right below the mesosphere. The stratosphere extends from from 4 -12 miles (6-20 km) above the Earth's surface to around 31 miles (50 km). It is also roughly 35 kilometers (22 miles) thick. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. The increase of temperature with altitude is a result of the absorption of the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation by the ozone layer. As harmful UV rays from the sun become absorbed in the ozone layer, this layer heats up. The other four layers include the troposphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. It is the second layer of the atmosphere as you go upward. Ozone is a blue pungent-smelling gas that helps to absorb the ultraviolet radiation in the sun rays. The stratosphere extends from the top of the troposphere to about 50 km (31 miles) above the ground. Temperatures in the upper thermosphere can range from about 500 C (932 F) to 2,000 C (3,632 F) or higher. 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. All Rights Reserved. As a result, the air in the stratosphere is about 1000 times thinner in the stratosphere than at sea level in the troposphere. Of all the atmospheric layers, this is the most closest to the Earth. The top of the stratosphere occurs at an altitude of 50 km (31 miles). The rides, which are called The Big Shot, Insanity and X-Scream, are equally terrifying and exciting. Ozone is a gas made up of three oxygen atoms (O 3). The stratosphere contains approximately 19% of the earth's total atmospheric gases. 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. Troposphere is the thinnest and closest layer to the earths surface. However, the distance of 100 kms from the earths surface is what is considered generally as an imaginary boundary. Mercury has water ice and organics. Its upper edge has maximum ozone concentration, referred to as the ozone belt. The image above illustrates the layers of Earth's atmosphere and their approximate distances from the Earth's surface. She earned her bachelor's in Physics and Astronomy from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. The rising air is literally freeze dried; the stratosphere is a very dry place. The stratosphere is a layer of Earths atmosphere. This is the opposite of what happens in the troposphere, where an increasing altitude yields a decrease in temperature. Ozone (O3) photolysis produces O and O2. 31. 25. (The fuel consumption depends on the drag, which is related to the lift by the lift-to-drag ratio.) He concluded that there was another layer in the atmosphere above the troposphere, which he called the stratosphere. Brewer-Dobson Circulation occurs in the stratosphere. Due to this effect, temperatures in the stratosphere actually increase from about negative {eq}60 {/eq} F up to about negative {eq}5 {/eq} F with altitude. The rapid photolysis and reformation of ozone heat the stratosphere, resulting in a temperature inversion. The Brief Overview. Unlike the troposphere, the stratosphere actually gets warmer the higher you go! The resultant breaking causes large-scale mixing of air and other trace gases throughout the midlatitude surf zone. As previously mentioned, the stratosphere is one of the five layers that make up the Earth's atmosphere. 12 chapters | The temperatures in the ozone belt are higher than in the troposphere since the ozone absorbs the ultraviolet rays. 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. Privacy Policy As a meteor begins to enter this layer, it rapidly bumps into mesosphere particles and scrapes against them. Moreover, it regulates the temperature extremes that are likely to occur between day and night. Theexosphereis really, really big. (The lack of weather activity in the stratosphere also allows aircraft to avoid adverse weather conditions by flying in the lower stratosphere above the weather.). measured by the humidity of the air. It occurs naturally in small (trace) amounts in the upper atmosphere (the stratosphere). However, this feature allows commercial airliners to fly in the lower stratosphere while traveling faster and save fuel. The atmosphere consists of five distinct layers, with the stratosphere being the second, situated just above the troposphere. Luckily the situation has improved since the ban of chlorofluorocarbon. Due to the lack of vertical convection in the stratosphere, materials that get into the stratosphere can stay there for long times. There is very little water vapor in this layer of the atmosphere, so clouds are a rare occurrence. Planes and jets will sometimes choose to fly in the stratosphere, where there are no clouds or weather that can affect the ride. It keeps us warm, gives us oxygen to breathe, and it is where our weather happens. The first is due to the reaction of hydroxyl radicals (OH) with ozone. However, as you enter the stratosphere, the ozone gas absorbs the ultraviolet light entering the atmosphere from the sun. This list does not contain all the data available about the stratosphere but highlights the key facts and characteristics of this layer. The stratosphere is one of five layers of the earth's atmosphere. Within the stratosphere temperatures increase with altitude (see temperature inversion); the top of the stratosphere has a temperature of about 270 K (3C or 26.6F).[8]. It is the only layer of the atmosphere where temperature inversion occurs. The stratosphere is located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. 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. To learn more about each layer of the atmosphere, click the images below. All rights reserved. Folland. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Moreover, meteorites falling over the earth burn in this layer. There are little to no clouds in the stratosphere from the lack of convection. The Earth's atmosphere is made up of roughly 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon, and 0.1% other gases. [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. 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. Thats the opposite of how the layers work in the troposphere, where we live. 14. Life as we know it wouldnt be possible without this layer of protection. In this article, we are going to learn about the atmosphere. The water ice appears younger than we would expect. Endeavoring to achieve professional growth through ongoing development of skills and using new and accepted methods of . 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 jacket of gases does a lot for us. [12] Eustace also broke the world records for vertical speed skydiving, reached with a peak velocity of 1,321km/h (822mph) and total freefall distance of 123,414ft (37,617m) lasting four minutes and 27 seconds.[13]. In fact, the air in the exosphere is constantly - though very gradually - "leaking" out of Earth's atmosphere into outer space. At the outer limit of the magnetic field is the magnetosphere. 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. Commercial airliners fly in the lower stratosphere to avoid the weather, travel faster, and save fuel. The coldest temperatures are found in the mesopause. 22. The stratosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen and oxygen. Convection is the process whereby warm air rises and cooler air descends. Solar ultraviolet radiation (sunlight) separates an oxygen molecule into two different oxygen atoms in the first step. The stratospheric air is extremely thin and dry since the vast majority of atmospheric gases (and weather activity) are limited to the troposphere. That's almost as wide as Earth itself. As this article clearly illustrated, the stratosphere has a crucial role to play in maintaining the atmosphere and all life in it. The atmospheric balance is jeopardized by human activities that cause global warming, greenhouse effect, ozone belt destruction, air contamination, and acid rains. Various types of waves and tides in the atmosphere influence the stratosphere. Stratosphere is the second layer. The atmosphere is about 500 km thick, with a mix of more than ten different gases. (Learn more about Nacreous or Polar Stratospheric Clouds in this article.). Certain birds will even fly in the stratosphere, including swans, cranes, and vultures! It is the highest layer. Other gases such as carbon dioxide, argon, helium, and neon occupy the remaining portion. The QBO induces a secondary circulation that is important for the global stratospheric transport of tracers, such as ozone[14] or water vapor. This breaking is much more pronounced in the winter hemisphere where this region is called the surf zone. These gases are found in layers (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere) defined by unique features such as temperature and pressure. The site owner may have set restrictions that prevent you from accessing the site. Its about 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometers) thick. [20], Some bird species have been reported to fly at the upper levels of the troposphere. Air pressure drops, and temperatures get colder, as you climb higher in the troposphere. These gases are chemically inert, although some can react with various chemicals: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, methane, ammonia, ozone, and water vapor. 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. As mentioned in the introduction, certain birds such as cranes, swans, and vultures can fly at this altitude. However, it is made up out of five different layers: The troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. What are the characteristics of the five layers of the atmosphere? 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. The ozone layer is within the stratosphere, which protect the Earth from harmful radiation emitted by the sun. Weather balloons also rise up to this level of the atmosphere to collect data without interference of storm clouds. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. The atmosphere has nearly 37.5 million billion gallons of water at any given time. 5. Other gases that make up the remaining 0.1 percent include trace amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, and neon. The stratosphere is one of the 5 layers of the atmosphere, situated above the troposphere and below the mesosphere at an altitude of 10 km (6 miles), extending to 50 km (30 miles). Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. As it absorbs the UV light, it absorbs energy. Overall, the attenuation of solar UV at wavelengths that damage DNA by the ozone layer allows life to exist on the surface of the planet outside of the ocean. The following list highlights the characteristics and facts of the stratosphere in more detail. This is the opposite of what happens in the troposphere, the layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth. No tracking or performance measurement cookies were served with this page. Composed of mostly nitrogen and oxygen, the stratosphere also contains the ozone layer. Many satellites actually orbit Earth within the thermosphere! It lies above the troposphere, the layer closest to Earth, and below the mesosphere. What's in the Atmosphere? It has increased the number of respiratory conditions such as asthma. That means that to get to outer space, you have to be really far from Earth. One of the most surprising things about the stratosphere is not its characteristics but about what you find in this layer. Ninety-nine percent of the gases that compose the atmosphere are located below a height of 32 km (20 miles). Most meteors burn up in the mesosphere. This layer of our atmosphere has its own set of layers. On November 29, 1973, a Rppell's vulture (Gyps rueppelli) was ingested into a jet engine 11,278m (37,000ft) above the Ivory Coast. Dr. Rachel Tustin has a PhD in Education focusing on Educational Technology, a Masters in English, and a BS in Marine Science. 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]. [2][3] The stratosphere is an atmospheric layer composed of stratified temperature layers, with the warm layers of air high in the sky and the cool layers of air in the low sky, close to the planetary surface of the Earth. 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. 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. [4] The temperature inversion is in contrast to the troposphere, near the Earth's surface, where temperature decreases with altitude. 19. It borders the troposphere below through a thin transitional space called the tropopause. There is no clear-cut upper boundary where the exosphere finally fades away into space. Mercury's magnetic field is different at its poles. The atmosphere is dense near the surface of the Earth and protects life on the planet Earth. In fact, the ozone layer absorbs most of the UV radiation the sun sends to us. 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. 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. Radicals produced from the homolytically split oxygen molecules combine with molecular oxygen to form ozone. Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are the exception. The stratosphere was discovered in 1900 by French meteorologist Lon Teisserenc de Bort. - Structure, Solubility & Products, Arrow Pushing Mechanism in Organic Chemistry, Topicity in Stereochemistry: Relationships & Examples, Antarafacial & Suprafacial Relationships in Organic Chemistry, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. 27. The stratosphere is located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. They result from ionized particles from the sun striking the upper atmosphere above the poles. Between the troposphere and stratosphere is the tropopause border that demarcates the beginning of the temperature inversion.

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