Definition of «upper layers of the atmosphere»

The upper layers of the atmosphere refer to those regions that are situated above a certain altitude, typically around 60-85 kilometers (37-53 miles) in the Earth's atmosphere. These layers include the stratosphere and mesosphere, as well as parts of the thermosphere. The upper layers of the atmosphere play an important role in regulating temperature on our planet by trapping heat from the sun through a process called the greenhouse effect. Additionally, these regions are responsible for creating the beautiful auroras that can be seen near the poles and also affect radio wave propagation, which is essential for communication systems such as GPS and satellite-based navigation.

Sentences with «upper layers of the atmosphere»

The orbiter will fly in a special orientation as it slices through the rarefied upper layers of the atmosphere, preventing direct communications with Earth at the most critical point of each orbit. (astronomynow.com)
Because Mars no longer has a global magnetic field to protect it, solar wind might strip away material from the upper layers of the atmosphere. (sciencedaily.com)
Greenhouse gases such as CO2 typically trap heat radiated back toward space from the planet's surface, but large swaths of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (the broad pink mass on the right side of the image) are, on average, actually colder than the upper layers of the atmosphere for much of the year — the only place on Earth where that's true. (sciencemag.org)
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