what are 3 facts about the stratosphere

. The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere. 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). Strat means layer. Starting at ground level, it extends upward to about 10 km (6.2 miles or about 33,000 feet) above sea level. 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 lack of weather activity in the stratosphere also allows aircraft to avoid adverse weather conditions by flying in the lower stratosphere above the weather.). [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. Mesosphere lies between 50-85 km above sea level. The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere, which is composed of a total of five layers. In fact it is not easy to distinguish between space and not space because of the fact that the Earths atmosphere doesnt simply vanish; rather, it gradually becomes thinner and thinner over about 600 miles. (Learn more about Nacreous or Polar Stratospheric Clouds in this article.). The atmosphere is one of four spheres of the earth, which include the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the biosphere, and the lithosphere. Solar ultraviolet radiation (sunlight) separates an oxygen molecule into two different oxygen atoms in the first step. 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. Since blue light has short wavelengths, it gets reflected more compared to other colors. The stratosphere is one of five layers of the atmosphere. Current map of global winds and temperatures at the 10 hPa level. They are a combination of supercooled water and nitric acid that develop at very low temperatures. The stratosphere is located above the troposphere and below the mesosphere. The stratosphere can be as deep 20 miles or as shallow as 5.5 miles. The burning of fossil fuels discharges carbon dioxide, while agricultural developments deposit a lot of methane and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Layers of the atmosphere: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere. Due to the characteristics of the stratosphere, it is a very important part of Earth's atmosphere. The main gases are nitrogen and oxygen, which make up 99% of the atmosphere. Thislayerseparates the rest of the atmosphere from outer space. The stratosphere is where youll find the very important ozone layer. Due to the lack of vertical convection in the stratosphere, materials that get into the stratosphere can stay there for long times. 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. 5. For years, CFCs - a chemical used in aerosols - were transported the stratosphere via convection and became trapped there. This includes its location, what it is composed of, the temperature range, and its density. 10. The ozone layer, which absorbs and scatters the . Interesting Facts About Mercury. 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. We live in one layer, called the troposphere, where the clouds and most of the water vapor reside. If you do your calculations, each water vapor particle spends approximately nine days in the atmosphere. 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. 77 Amazing, Interesting, and Exciting Facts about the Atmosphere The timescale of this rapid mixing is much smaller than the much slower timescales of upwelling in the tropics and downwelling in the extratropics. Instead, clouds condense in the troposphere. The exosphere is really, really big. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. 2 It extends from a height of approximately 65 km (40 miles) to 85 km (53 miles) above the Earth's surface. It borders the mesosphere above through a thin transitional space called the stratopause. The contrails usually become thin at low humidity and high altitudes. While common in the troposphere, very little convection takes place in the stratosphere. It acts as a giant sponge and absorbs the vast majority of the sun's dangerous Ultraviolet Light. Air pressure drops, and temperatures get colder, as you climb higher in the troposphere. 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. They have been observed by airline pilots and the international space station. Other gases such as carbon dioxide, argon, helium, and neon occupy the remaining portion. Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are the exception. The atmosphere is a layer of gases retained by gravity on the earth. Life as we know it wouldnt be possible without this layer of protection. Ozone is important for ensuring that just the right amount of ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth. Ozone (O3) photolysis produces O and O2. Ozone molecules in this layer absorb high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light from the Sun, converting the UV energy into heat. Life as we know it wouldnt be possible without this layer of protection. Of all the atmospheric layers, this is the most closest to the Earth. These gases are chemically inert, although some can react with various chemicals: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, methane, ammonia, ozone, and water vapor. It is the highest layer. 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 fuel consumption depends on the drag, which is related to the lift by the lift-to-drag ratio.) The temperatures at the different atmospheric layers differ depending on solar radiation, humidity, and altitude. Within no time, the vapor from the exhaust freezes and turns visible. [20], Some bird species have been reported to fly at the upper levels of the troposphere. Dr. Rachel Tustin has a PhD in Education focusing on Educational Technology, a Masters in English, and a BS in Marine Science. The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of trees, to the dark environments of ocean trenches, to lush rain forests, high mountaintops, and transition zones like this one, where ocean and terrestrial ecosystems meet. Convection is the process whereby warm air rises and cooler air descends. 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. - There are no clouds in the layer, and though . A Division ofAutumn Skies Online (Pty) Ltd Disclaimer [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. Although humans would not be able to survive in the stratosphere due to thin air and frigid temperatures, there is life that can and does survive there. 14. Sydney Chapman gave a correct description of the source of stratospheric ozone and its ability to generate heat within the stratosphere;[citation needed] he also wrote that ozone may be destroyed by reacting with atomic oxygen, making two molecules of molecular oxygen. 90% of the ozone layer is found in the stratosphere's upper crust. Composition of the Earth's atmosphere. Thats the opposite of how the layers work in the troposphere, where we live. Troposphere - The lowest level of our atmosphere is called the Troposphere. The temperatures in the ozone belt are higher than in the troposphere since the ozone absorbs the ultraviolet rays. It occurs naturally in small (trace) amounts in the upper atmosphere (the stratosphere). In 1985, they observed a hole in the ozone layer above the Antarctic. Thats almost as wide as Earth itself. 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 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 stratosphere also has an increasing temperature with increasing altitude, which is different than what happens in the troposphere. The mesosphere is the third layer of the atmosphere (above the troposphere and stratosphere.) The mesosphere is directly above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere. Scientists have been warning people for many years about the damage we are doing to the ozone layer. On October 24, 2014, Alan Eustace became the record holder for reaching the altitude record for a manned balloon at 135,890ft (41,419m). The coldest temperatures in Earths atmosphere, about -90 C (-130 F), are found near the top of this layer. The top of the stratosphere occurs at an altitude of 50 km (31 miles). The stratosphere also contains the ozone layer, which absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation as it enters our atmosphere from the sun. The resultant breaking causes large-scale mixing of air and other trace gases throughout the midlatitude surf zone. The stratosphere is a layer of Earth's atmosphere. 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.