what are 3 facts about the stratosphere

Atmosphere Layers: Facts About the Atmosphere Layers As you rise through the troposphere, the temperature decreases to around -60 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important because it contains the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from harmful UV rays. This diagram shows some of the features of the stratosphere. It lies above the troposphere, the layer closest to Earth, and below the mesosphere. Theexosphereis really, really big. 22. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. 5. Thislayerseparates the rest of the atmosphere from outer space. The infamous ozone layer is found within the stratosphere. Around the poles, it actually begins at around 7 kilometers, whereas around the equator it can be as high as 20 kilometers. - 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? 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 is the only atmospheric layer where temperature inversion takes place. 15. These gases are chemically inert, although some can react with various chemicals: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, methane, ammonia, ozone, and water vapor. This is how certain gases become trapped in the stratosphere, like CFC's and ozone. The stratosphere is where youll find the very important ozone layer. A rare type of electrical discharge, somewhat akin to lightning, occurs in the stratosphere. The exosphere is really, really big. In the lower atmosphere (the troposphere) near the Earth's surface, ozone is created by chemical reactions between air pollutants . 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. But there are no mountains high enough to reach the stratosphere, so you dont have to worry about that. The Mesosphere | Center for Science Education PSCs are also called nacreous clouds. When greenhouse gases rise into the atmosphere, they form chloride ions that destroy the ozone layer by making holes in it. Exosphere widely contains particles of helium and hydrogen. The stratosphere (/strtsfr, -to-/) is the second layer of the atmosphere of the Earth, located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. She currently works as a physicist assistant at a cancer treatment center. 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. That's almost as wide as Earth itself. Air circulation within the stratosphere is dominated by the Brewer-Dobson Circulation, which is a single-celled air movement that stretches from the Poles to the Equator. The atmosphere has nearly 37.5 million billion gallons of water at any given time. Some researchers and even students have sent helium balloons with cameras to record the stratosphere. 16. PSCs appear in the lower stratosphere near the poles in winter. Due to the characteristics of the stratosphere, it is a very important part of Earth's atmosphere. Clouds form when water vapor condenses into a liquid, and with very little water, vapor condensation is virtually impossible. Ninety-nine percent of the gases that compose the atmosphere are located below a height of 32 km (20 miles). 34. Approximately 90 percent of the atmosphere's ozone occurs in the stratosphere, the region extending from 10-18 km (6-11 miles) to approximately 50 km (about 30 miles) above Earth's surface. Facts About Stratosphere - GKToday 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 exosphere is the very edge of our atmosphere. These free-moving elements continuously escape into space due to ballistic trajectories. Thats the opposite of how the layers work in the troposphere, where we live. The air in the stratosphere is about 1000 thinner than the air at sea level in the troposphere. Dr. Rachel Tustin has a PhD in Education focusing on Educational Technology, a Masters in English, and a BS in Marine Science. 19. They are much similar to warm breath during cold weather. The stratosphere is a major stable layer whose base is marked by the tropopause, and where temperatures overall average approximately 60 C.Temperature in the lower stratosphere is isothermal but increases markedly in the upper part, to reach a maximum of . A Division ofAutumn Skies Online (Pty) Ltd Disclaimer It starts to glow, and the rocks begin to fly off. The ozone layer absorbs the majority of these rays, shielding life from harmful radiation. Meteorological phenomena are limited to the troposphere since they result from the earths rotation and suns radiation on the atmosphere. The Earth's atmosphere is very important, as each layer plays a role for life on Earth. 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. Facts About The Exosphere: The Outermost Layer Of The Atmosphere. As harmful UV rays from the sun become absorbed in the ozone layer, this layer heats up. However, this feature allows commercial airliners to fly in the lower stratosphere while traveling faster and save fuel. [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. Certain bird species like the common crane, whooper swan, and the Rppel's griffon vulture are capable of flying in the lower stratosphere. This results in an increase in temperature from about -76 degrees Fahrenheit to around 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. These "blue jets" appear above thunderstorms, and extend from the bottom of the stratosphere up to altitudes of 40 or 50 km (25 to 31 miles). Stratosphere | atmospheric region | Britannica The coldest temperatures in Earths atmosphere, about -90 C (-130 F), are found near the top of this layer. Skin cancer frequency is increasing due to the thinning of the ozone layer. Strat means layer. Folland. Most clouds appear here, mainly because 99% of the water vapor in the atmosphere is found in the troposphere. They are far much apart from that they can move thousands of kilometers without colliding. He discovered this atmospheric layer by sending a weather balloon up and noticing that the temperature changes differently than it does in the troposphere. 77 Exciting Facts about the Atmosphere - LovePsychologys We take a closer look at the stratosphere and its defining characteristics. At the top of the stratosphere, the density of the air is close to zero. Composed of mostly nitrogen and oxygen, the stratosphere also contains the ozone layer. 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. The stratosphere also contains the ozone layer, which absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation as it enters our atmosphere from the sun. The stratosphere is a layer of Earths atmosphere. Air density in this layer gradually decreases as you go higher. The atmosphere has nearly 37.5 million billion gallons of water at any given time. Unlike the troposphere however it is colder closer to the earth and warmer as it gets closer to the mesosphere. [21] Bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) sometimes migrate over Mount Everest, whose summit is 8,848m (29,029ft). Requested URL: byjus.com/chemistry/stratosphere/, User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 15_5 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/15.5 Mobile/15E148 Safari/604.1. Facts About The Mesosphere - What It Is And Its Defining Characteristics Ozone is important for ensuring that just the right amount of ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth. The stratosphere is actually crucial to allowing us to live on earth, because within the stratosphere you will find the ozone layer. These gases are found in layers (troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere) defined by unique features such as temperature and pressure. The coldest temperatures in Earth's atmosphere, about -90 C (-130 F), are found near the top of this layer. The stratosphere contains approximately 19% of the earth's total atmospheric gases. ], While looking up at the sky on a cloud-free day, one will see what looks like a continuous piece of[], The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere, It extends from a height of approximately 10 km. They are a combination of supercooled water and nitric acid that develop at very low temperatures. 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). 20. It is the reason why the sky appears blue. The oxygen atom product combines with atmospheric molecular oxygen to reform O3, releasing heat. The coldest temperatures are found in the mesopause. 3090 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO 80301, Virtual Ballooning to Explore the Atmosphere, ACOM | Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling, CISL | Computational & Information Systems, EdEC | Education, Engagement & Early-Career Development, Government Relations & External Engagement. Commercial jet aircraft fly in the lower stratosphere to avoid the turbulence which is common in the troposphere below. 40 Unbelievable But True Troposphere Facts | Kidadl We live in the troposphere, which is the layer of the atmosphere closest to earth. Why Is Carbon Important? 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. 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 particles in this layer are electrically charged, and when they hit each other, aurora australis can be observed. 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. 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. Instead, clouds condense in the troposphere. Unlike the troposphere, it contains little water vapor so there are no clouds in this layer of the atmosphere. The stratosphere is the second layer in the Earth's atmosphere. Atmosphere facts: ninety-nine percent of the gases that compose the atmosphere are located below a height of 32 km (20 miles). Interestingly, the most significant portion of the atmosphere is located within twelve kilometers of the earths surface. [24], Seinfeld, J. H., and S. N.(2006), Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: From Air Pollution to Climate Change 2nd ed, Wiley, New Jersey. As this article clearly illustrated, the stratosphere has a crucial role to play in maintaining the atmosphere and all life in it. Moving upward from ground level, these layers are called the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. What's in the Atmosphere? | NASA Climate Kids In the 1900s, Hungarian physicist Theodore von Krmn determined the boundary to be around 50 miles up, or roughly 80 kilometers above sea level. Air is roughly a thousand times thinner at the top of the stratosphere than it is at sea level. When the ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiation, it actually causes another phenomenon that is used to identify different layers in the atmosphere. The mesosphere is directly above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere. Once you leave the stratosphere, and enter the mesosphere, the temperature dramatically decreases until plummeting to around -184 degrees Fahrenheit. If you do your calculations, each water vapor particle spends approximately nine days in the atmosphere. The atmosphere consists of five distinct layers, with the stratosphere being the second, situated just above the troposphere. [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]. However, it is made up out of five different layers: The troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. 4. On October 24, 2014, Alan Eustace became the record holder for reaching the altitude record for a manned balloon at 135,890ft (41,419m). This UV radiation is important for the production of vitamin D in humans, but too much can destroy tissue. The composition of the atmosphere of each celestial body is different. The atmosphere comprises five layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere. This list does not contain all the data available about the stratosphere but highlights the key facts and characteristics of this layer. 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. 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). There are forms of biological bacteria living in the stratosphere. It borders the mesosphere above through a thin transitional space called the stratopause. Stratosphere. The presence of moisture in the atmosphere is Ionization takes place in the ionosphere caused by the suns radiation. #1. This jacket of gases does a lot for us. 50 Interesting Facts About The Atmosphere - Page 2 of 3 - The Fact File Above the troposphere and below the mesosphere, we have the stratosphere. 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. Strat means layer. Ozone molecules in this layer absorb high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light from the Sun, converting the UV energy into heat. 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. Facts About The Stratosphere: What It Is And Its Defining Characteristics Starting at ground level, it extends upward to about 10 km (6.2 miles or about 33,000 feet) above sea level. The stratosphere starts just above the troposphere and extends to 50 kilometers (31 miles) high. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Such is the case for ozone-destroying chemicals called CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). One wild characteristic of the stratosphere is a phenomenon that occurs, which is known as blue jets. Earths atmosphere has six different layers. One of the most surprising things about the stratosphere is not its characteristics but about what you find in this layer. 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. Like an onion, the Earth's atmosphere is composed of many layers. 4 This layer holds 19 percent of the atmosphere's gases but very little water vapor. On November 29, 1973, a Rppell's vulture (Gyps rueppelli) was ingested into a jet engine 11,278m (37,000ft) above the Ivory Coast. 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 aurora, the Northern Lights and Southern Lights, occur in the thermosphere. Ozone layer | Description, Importance, & Facts | Britannica The amount of water vapour in the stratosphere is very low, and because of this there are no clouds in the stratosphere. It is the only atmospheric layer where temperature inversion occurs and the region where the ozone layer is situated. What are 3 interesting facts about Mercury? [4] The temperature inversion is in contrast to the troposphere, near the Earth's surface, where temperature decreases with altitude. It not only examines what the stratosphere is but also looks at the characteristics or facts that define it. [6], The mechanism describing the formation of the ozone layer was described by British mathematician Sydney Chapman in 1930. Certain birds can fly to this altitude, including cranes, swans, and vultures. What Causes Air Pollution? The stratosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen and oxygen. Troposphere is the thinnest and closest layer to the earths surface. 12. Convection is when gasses cool down as they rise, allowing them to condense onto air particles and form clouds. Ionosphere plays a vital role in radio signals broadcast on the earths surface. Stratospheric warming of the polar vortex results in its weakening. This creates a smoother ride for passengers, as there are few clouds or weather in the stratosphere. At an altitude of 100 km above sea level, a border represents the separation between the atmosphere and outer space. He concluded that there was another layer in the atmosphere above the troposphere, which he called the stratosphere. The exosphere gradually fades away into the realm of interplanetary space. Since the stratosphere has increasing temperature with elevation, convection is very rare. However, exceptionally energetic convection processes, such as volcanic eruption columns and overshooting tops in severe supercell thunderstorms, may carry convection into the stratosphere on a very local and temporary basis. 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). What are the characteristics of the five layers of the atmosphere? Most of the clouds form in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. The shiny blue marble continues to fascinate us since the time we began walking across its surfaces. As a result, air circulation is not as prevalent in this layer of the atmosphere, making it difficult for some gasses to escape. Be grateful! Without the stratosphere, life on Earth would be much different, if not non-existent. Just like the troposphere, its depth varies with latitude. The rapid photolysis and reformation of ozone heat the stratosphere, resulting in a temperature inversion. The stratosphere also traps certain gasses known as CFC's, which are chemicals derived from aerosol. It has increased the number of respiratory conditions such as asthma. Cred: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio 3. Earth's atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and one percent other gases. Another large-scale feature that significantly influences stratospheric circulation is the breaking planetary waves[15] resulting in intense quasi-horizontal mixing in the midlatitudes. The mesosphere is a layer of Earth's atmosphere. Each year, this large amount of water is recycled about 40 times. The stratosphere accounts for approximately 24% of the earth's total atmosphere. stratosphere The atmospheric layer above the troposphere, which extends on average from about 10 to 50 km above the Earth's surface. [5] Stratospheric temperatures also vary within the stratosphere as the seasons change, reaching particularly low temperatures in the polar night (winter). Almost all weather is in this region. The stratosphere begins at around 10 kilometers above the surface of the earth. In comparison, the warmest in the thermosphere. Above the troposphere and below the mesosphere, we have the stratosphere. 9. Troposphere - The lowest level of our atmosphere is called the Troposphere. 30. [19] In 2001, dust was collected at a height of 41 kilometres in a high-altitude balloon experiment and was found to contain bacterial material when examined later in the laboratory. Other gases such as carbon dioxide, argon, helium, and neon occupy the remaining portion. . 77 Amazing, Interesting, and Exciting Facts about the Atmosphere The atmosphere surrounds our planet like the peel of an orange. 9. The stratosphere ( / strtsfr, - to -/) is the second layer of the atmosphere of the Earth, located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. It's about 6,200 miles (10,000 kilometers) thick. It is located just above the troposphere, which is the first layer of the atmosphere closest to the ground. Create your account. It sets it apart from the other atmospheric layers by temperature rising instead of dropping as altitude increases, a process called temperature inversion. In many ways, the thermosphere is more like outer space than a part of the atmosphere. The site owner may have set restrictions that prevent you from accessing the site. The next layer up is called the stratosphere. The top of the stratosphere is called the stratopause, above which the temperature decreases with height. This layer is 22 miles (35 kilometers) thick. Its upper edge has maximum ozone concentration, referred to as the ozone belt. As the ozone layer absorbs UV radiation, it causes the temperature in this layer to increase. Layers of Earth's Atmosphere | Center for Science Education 31. Endeavoring to achieve professional growth through ongoing development of skills and using new and accepted methods of . What's in the Atmosphere? Thats almost as wide as Earth itself. 12 chapters | It surrounds the globe and protects it by absorbing the infrared rays from the sun. Thats the opposite of how the layers work in the troposphere, where we live. 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. The ionosphere stretches roughly 50 to 400 miles above Earth's surface, right at the edge of space. measured by the humidity of the air. Earth's Atmospheric Layers | NASA As you go up, it becomes colder. It also allows the airplane to stay above the turbulent weather of the troposphere. Without it, the earths surface would be so cold that living here would not be possible. Between the troposphere and stratosphere is the tropopause border that demarcates the beginning of the temperature inversion. The layer made of layers Above the troposphere and below the mesosphere, we have the stratosphere. 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. The stratosphere is a layer of Earth's atmosphere. This breaking is much more pronounced in the winter hemisphere where this region is called the surf zone. Facts About the Stratosphere Tower | USA Today Most airplanes or jets travel in the lower part of the stratosphere.

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