atmos

ATMOSPHERE

Earth's protective blanket: a shield from harmful radiation

mostly nitrogen

TROPOSPHERE

lowest layer and closest to the Earth's surface

densest layer (because of water vapor)

0-12 km

troposphere distance

STRATOSPHERE

layer next to the atmosphere

contains the ozone layer

absorbs most uv rad

has the most stable air flow for Jets

12-50 km

stratosphere distance

MESOSPHERE

coldest layer and where meteors burn up before reaching Earth

SHOOTING STARS

visible light streaks

50-85 km

mesosphere distance

-90C to -130C

mesosphere temperature

THERMOSPHERE

hottest layer due to low air density

vacuum-like, perfect for space operations

iss orbits here

200C to 500C up

thermosphere temperature

85-500 km

thermosphere distance

EXOSPHERE

outermost layer which transitions to the vacuum of space, composed of hydrogen and helium

thin layer where many communication satellites orbit

500-10000 km

exosphere distance

SOLAR CYCLE

solar minimum and maximum

SOLAR MINIMUM

lower solar fare & UV

SOLAR MAXIMUM

higher solar fare & UV

D LAYER (in the ionosphere)

absorbs am (amplitude modulation)

disappears at night, ionophere shrinks

has electrically charged particles (ions)

60-100 km

d layer distance