Layers of the Earth's Atmosphere

This image shows the average temperature profile through the Earth's atmosphere. Click on image for full size with labels (49K JPEG) The atmosphere is divided into five layers. It is thickest near the surface and thins out with height until it eventually merges with space. 1) The troposphere is the first layer above the surface and contains half of the Earth's atmosphere. Weather occurs in this layer. 2) Many jet aircrafts fly in the stratosphere because it is very stable. Also, the ozone layer absorbs harmful rays from the Sun. 3) Meteors or rock fragments burn up in the mesosphere. 4) The thermosphere is a layer with auroras. It is also where the space shuttle orbits. 5) The atmosphere merges into space in the extremely thin exosphere. This is the upper limit of our atmosphere.

Does the ionosphere count as another layer?

Image showing the temperature of the atmosphere throughout different layers

Image showing what man-made and natural phenomena occur in each layer of the atmosphere

Image showing the layers of the atmosphere with emphasis on the ionized layers

Last modified September 23, 2004 by Jennifer Bergman.
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