Category Electricty

WHY IS THE STRATOSPHERE VITAL?

The stratosphere has a layer of ozone gas, which acts like a thick umbrella covering the layers beneath. By absorbing most of the harmful UV radiation from the Sun, the ozone layer prevents it from reaching the surface of the Earth, thus enabling the survival of life on the planet.

Stratosphere could be aptly called the ‘protection blanket’ of Earth. It extends up to 600 kms from the surface of the earth and it is the second layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, right above troposphere.

Stratosphere houses in it the most important layer called Ozone (O3), which acts as an absorber of the harmful UV radiations of the Sun (of about 90%) and thereby protecting us from diseases like Cancer, skin burn etc.

Its non-turbulance and stable, non-convection character makes it possible for the jets to cruise easily, hence they are flown here.

When Volcanic eruptions occur, the ejected material reaches as high as Stratosphere and it stays there for long period, as it doesn’t allow the circulation, there by leading to stratifying the volcanic particles and cooling down of the Earth surface.

However, such an important layer is being perforated by us through the extensive use of the chloro-fluro-carbons which happen to destroy the ozone molecules.

There is also an idea which the scientists are considering that could result in the slowing down of the Earth’s heating, i.e., by adding the man-made materials to stratosphere. Though the feasibility of this idea is yet to be verified. Thus, is the importance of the Stratosphere layer.

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HOW COLD IS THE ATMOSPHERE?

The atmosphere, with all its layers, extends up to 10,000 km from Earth’s surface. Temperatures vary in the different layers: the mesosphere can go down to -90 °C, the exosphere much, much lower, whereas the thermosphere can be as hot as 2000 °C!

Temperature varies greatly at different heights relative to Earth’s surface and this variation in temperature characterizes the four layers that exist in the atmosphere. These layers include the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere.

The troposphere is the lowest of the four layers, extending from the surface of the Earth to about 11 km (6.8 mi) into the atmosphere where the tropopause (the boundary between the troposphere stratosphere) is located. The width of the troposphere can vary depending on latitude, for example, the troposphere is thicker in the tropics (about 16 km (9.9 mi)) because the tropics are generally warmer, and thinner at the poles (about 8 km (5.0 mi)) because the poles are colder. Temperatures in the atmosphere decrease with height at an average rate of 6,5°C (11,7 °F) per kilometer. Because the troposphere experiences its warmest temperatures closer to Earth’s surface, there is great vertical movement of heat and water vapour, causing turbulence. This turbulence, in conjunction with the presence of water vapour, is the reason that weather occurs within the troposphere.

Following the tropopause is the stratosphere. This layer extends from the tropopause to the stratopause which is located at an altitude of about 50 km (31 mi). Temperatures remain constant with height from the tropopause to an altitude of 20 km (12 mi), after which they start to increase with height. This happening is referred to as an inversion and it is because of this inversion that the stratosphere is not characterized as turbulent. The stratosphere receives its warmth from the sun and the ozone layer which absorbs ultraviolet radiation.

The next layer is called the mesosphere which extends from the stratopause to the mesopause, located at an altitude of 85 km (53 mi). Temperatures in the mesospere decrease with altitude and are in fact the coldest in the Earth’s atmosphere.This decrease in temperature can be attributed to the diminishing radiation received from the Sun, after most of it has already been absorbed by the thermosphere.

The fourth layer of the atmosphere is known as the thermosphere which extends from the mesopause to the ‘top’ of the collisional atmosphere. Some of the warmest temperatures can be found in the thermosphere, due to its reception of strong ionizing radiation at the level of the Van Allen radiation belt.

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WHERE IS THE TROPOSPHERE THE THINNEST?

The troposphere can be found between the ground and an altitude of 7 to 20 kilometers (4 to 12 miles). The lesser thickness is found at the Polar Regions, since colder temperatures lead to a decrease in gas volume. The vast majority of the world’s weather is formed in the troposphere and this layer also contains 80 percent of the atmosphere’s mass. The temperature within the troposphere drops with altitude, since it is essentially being warmed by the ground. The pressure also drops within the troposphere as altitude increases, and this explains why mountaineers require oxygen masks.

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WHAT IS THE IONOSPHERE?

It is another layer, overlapping the mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere, where radio waves are reflected.

A dense layer of molecules and electrically charged particles, called the ionosphere, hangs in the Earth’s upper atmosphere starting at about 35 miles (60 kilometers) above the planet’s surface and stretching out beyond 620 miles (1,000 km). Solar radiation coming from above buffets particles suspended in the atmospheric layer. Radio signals from below bounce off the ionosphere back to instruments on the ground. Where the ionosphere overlaps with magnetic fields, the sky erupts in brilliant light displays that are incredible to behold.

Several distinct layers make up Earth’s atmosphere, including the mesosphere, which starts 31 miles (50 km) up, and the thermosphere, which starts at 53 miles (85 km) up. The ionosphere consists of three sections within the mesosphere and thermosphere, labeled the D, E and F layers, according to the UCAR Center for Science Education.

Extreme ultraviolet radiation and X-rays from the sun bombard these upper regions of the atmosphere, striking the atoms and molecules held within those layers. The powerful radiation dislodges negatively charged electrons from the particles, altering those particles’ electrical charge. The resulting cloud of free electrons and charged particles, called ions, led to the name “ionosphere.” The ionized gas, or plasma, mixes with the denser, neutral atmosphere.

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IN WHICH LAYER OF THE ATMOSPHERE DO SATELLITES ORBIT EARTH?

You can consider most satellites to be in space, but in terms of the Earth’s atmosphere, they occupy regions called the thermosphere and the exosphere. The layer through which a satellite orbits depends on the satellite’s function and the kind of orbit it has. Since the launch of Sputnik in the 1950s, spacefaring countries have put thousands of satellites into orbit around the Earth and even other planets. They serve many different purposes, from complex space stations like the International Space Station to the Global Positioning System that helps you find your way home.

Thermosphere: High Temperatures

The thermosphere is a region of very high temperature that extends from the top of the mesosphere at around 85 kilometers (53 miles) up to 640 kilometers (400 miles) above the Earth’s surface. It is called the thermosphere because temperatures can reach up to 1,500 degrees Celsius (2,732 degrees Fahrenheit). However, despite the high temperatures, the pressure is very low, so satellites don’t suffer heat damage.

Exosphere: Farthest Reaches

Above the thermosphere sits a final layer called the exosphere, which extends up to 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles) above the Earth, depending on how it is defined. Some definitions of the exosphere include all space up until the point where atoms get knocked away by solar wind. No distinct upper boundary exists since the exosphere has no pressure and molecules float freely here. Eventually, the exosphere gives way to space outside of the Earth’s influence.

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WHAT IS EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE MADE UP OF?

Covering the surface of Earth like a thin blanket is a layer of gases that forms the atmosphere. It is made up of 78 per cent nitrogen, 21 per cent oxygen and 0.04 per cent carbon dioxide. The minute, remaining percentage is made of some other gases, water vapour and dust. We barely notice this all-enveloping atmosphere, but without it the Earth would be lifeless as the Moon.

Earth’s atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon, and 0.1% other gases. Trace amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and neon are some of the other gases that make up that remaining 0.1%. While the earth’s atmosphere is mainly gases, it also contains tiny particles such as dust and pollen. Some unnatural particles also collect in the atmosphere and cause air pollution. These include anything from aerosols to carbon emissions from vehicles and power plants.

As humans, we rely on the atmosphere around us for life. We breathe it, we live in it—without it, we wouldn’t survive. Not only does the atmosphere around us need to be made of a certain composition for us to thrive, but it also needs to be one in which plants and food can grow, and one that protects us from the elements. Having oxygen we can breathe is just as important as being protected from the harsh sun rays, or the open expanses of space, and Earth has just the right location and atmospheric chemical composition to sustain life for humans and all other life forms that call Earth home.

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