Air layer {troposphere} next to surface has 3/4 of all air and has all clouds, dust, wind, and storms. Surface pressure is 15 lb/in^2. Average surface temperature is 63 F. At troposphere top, temperature is -60 F to -100 F. Troposphere is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 2% average water vapor, 0.9% argon, and 0.03% carbon dioxide. On hot humid days, water vapor can be 3% or 4%.
Above troposphere is a boundary layer {tropopause}.
Above tropopause, a 10-to-15-mile-thick layer {stratosphere}| has temperature -60 F to -100 F. Lower part is sulfate layer. Higher part is ozone layer. Ozone absorbs ultraviolet rays from Sun.
Above stratosphere, a 25-to-35-mile-thick layer {mesosphere} has temperature 50 F.
Above mesosphere is an ionized boundary layer {D layer}.
Above D layer is a dust belt {noctilucent cloud}, with high thin clouds visible at night.
Above dust belt is an ionized boundary layer {E layer} {Heaviside layer}.
Above E layer, a 300-to-550-mile thick layer {ionosphere} has temperature 2000 F. It contains mostly oxygen ionized by x-rays and ultraviolet rays. It reflects short-wave radio waves.
In ionosphere is an ionized layer {F layer}.
Above ionosphere is an ionized boundary layer {G layer}.
Above G layer {exosphere} contains mostly helium for 900 miles and then mostly hydrogen for 4000 miles and has magnetosphere.
Outline of Knowledge Database Home Page
Description of Outline of Knowledge Database
Date Modified: 2022.0225