Stratification

On the basis of the variation in air temperature. the atmosphere has been divided vertically into four layers: (figure shown below) thee troposphere, stratospG, mesosphere and thermosphere.

Troposphere or the lowermost layer extends up to an altitude of 15 km at the equator to 8 km at the poles. The temperature in this zone decreases with increasing altitude or height.

The next layer, the stratosphere, extends up to an altitude of approximately 50 km. Here a gradual increase in temperature occurs with altitude. Pilots of jet aircraft prefer to fly in the stratosphere as it is relatively stable and free from weather fluctuations apart from providing excellent visibility. Scientists are womed about the growing pollution in the stratosphere. As pollutants enter into this zone, they are likely to remain here for a long time. We shall be elaborating this later.

In mesosphere, the next layer, temperature is constant in the lower portion but then rapidly decreases with altitude. At 80 km the temperature is the lowest in the atmosphere (average -90" C). Above this is the thermosphere in which the temperature again increases at higher altitudes. Human activity at present seems to have little direct impact on the outermost atmospheric layer.

 

Posted Date: 12/10/2012 6:55:32 AM | Location : United States

Ask an Expert

Related Discussions:- Stratification, Assignment Help, Ask Question on Stratification, Get Answer, Expert's Help, Stratification Discussions

Write discussion on Stratification
Your posts are moderated

Write your message here..

Related Questions

What is the generic function of leukocytes, What is the generic function of... What is the generic function of leukocytes? What are leukocytosis and leukopenia? The generic function of leukocytes is to contribute in the defense of the body against strange

Explain neurologic disease, Explain Neurologic disease For patients wit... Explain Neurologic disease For patients with facial nerve palsy alone, oral doxycycline or amoxicillin may be effective. Patients with other neurologic involvement, such as men

Ichnology, Ichnology :  This is the study of foot prints. Ichnology is a ty... Ichnology :  This is the study of foot prints. Ichnology is a type of branch of geology which deals with traces of organismal behavior like as burrows or footprints. It is commonly

How can a child become infected with gonorrhoea, How can a baby become infe... How can a baby become infected with (a) gonorrhoea, (b) syphilis   (a)  During birth, a baby might be become infected with gonorrhoea bacteria as it passes by t

Earthquake energy, Large Quantity of energy is released during an earthquak... Large Quantity of energy is released during an earthquake with a combination of radiated elastic strain seismic waves frictional, heating of the fault surface and cracking of the r

Orbital shaker, How I can optimize shake flask culture? How I can optimize shake flask culture?

Explain first stage of the embryonic development, Q. What is the cell divis... Q. What is the cell division during the first stage of the embryonic development called? How is this stage characterized? The cell division in the first stage of the embryonic

What is the mendel observations and conclusions, How would Mendel's observa... How would Mendel's observations and conclusions have been dissimilar if many of the characteristics he studied, such as seed color and seed texture, had been controlled by genes lo

Explain the combating drug-resistant diseases, Explain the Combating drug-r... Explain the Combating drug-resistant diseases? The growth of drug-resistant strains of disease-causing bacteria threatens the current effectiveness of cheap antibiotics. This i

Types of respiratory organs, Types of Respiratory Organs Respiratory o... Types of Respiratory Organs Respiratory organs may be of the following types: Those that have respiratory surface turned out forming an evagination. These are called gi