The Atmosphere of the Earth
By Jose Reyes
(As Sunlight Enters The Earth From Outer Space)
The
Thermosphere:
The Thermosphere
is very large and consists of 2 Levels, an upper level the Exosphere
and the lower level
the
Ionosphere.
The Thermosphere very thin, but it is where auroras take place, and is also
responsible for absorbing the most energetic photons from the Sun.
The
Exosphere:
The exosphere goes from about 400 miles (640 km) high to about 800 miles (1,280
km) above the earth's surface. The lower boundary of the exosphere is called the
critical level of escape, where atmospheric pressure is very low.
The
Ionosphere:
The structure of the
Ionosphere is strongly influenced by the charged particle wind from the Sun (Solar
Winds) and create the "Aurora". The Ionosphere also reflects
radio waves and make long-distance radio communication possible. The
ionosphere starts at about 43-50 miles (70-80 km) high and ends at about 400
miles (640 km) above the earth's surface.
The
Mesosphere:
The Mesosphere's temperatures quickly decrease as height increases. The
Mesosphere extends from between 31 and 50 miles (17 to 80 km) above the earth's
surface.
The
Stratosphere:
The stratosphere extends between 11 and 31 miles (17 to 50 kilometers) above the
earth's surface. The earth's Ozone Layer is located in the stratosphere. Ozone,
a form of oxygen, absorbs almost all the ultraviolet solar energy that enters
the earth. In the lower portion of the Stratosphere you can find Cirrus,
Cirrostratus, and Cirrocumulus clouds.
The Troposphere: The troposphere is the lowest region in the Earth's atmosphere. From the Earth's surface, it goes from ground or water levels up to about 11 miles (17 km) high. The weather and clouds occur in the troposphere and where the "Greenhouse Effect" takes place.
