Stratosphere
Stratosphere
Stratosphere (/strəˈtɒsfɪər/; from the Latin stratum, meaning "layer" and sphaera, meaning "sphere") is a layer of Earth's atmosphere. It is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the troposphere, and below the mesosphere.
Etymology
The term "stratosphere" was first used in the early 20th century, derived from the Latin words stratum (layer) and sphaera (sphere). It was used to describe the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere that is stratified in temperature, with warmer layers higher up and cooler layers farther down.
Description
The stratosphere is situated between about 10 km (6 miles) and 50 km (30 miles) altitude above the earth's surface. Within this layer, temperature increases with increasing altitude. This is a result of the absorption of the Sun's radiation by the ozone layer, which restricts turbulence and mixing.
Related Terms
- Troposphere: The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere and site of all weather on Earth.
- Mesosphere: The third layer of the Earth's atmosphere, directly above the stratosphere and directly below the thermosphere.
- Ozone Layer: A region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
- Atmosphere of Earth: A layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Stratosphere
- Wikipedia's article - Stratosphere
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