Atmospheric
Chemistry: Atmospheric Structure
Atmospheric layers are characterized by differences in
chemical composition that produce variations in temperature.
Troposphere
The troposphere
(14k jpeg):
layer closest to the planet and contains
90% of atmospheric mass
average vertical temperature change
of 6 degrees Celsius (C) per kilometer.
The upper
boundary (18k jpeg)
ranges in height from 8 km in high
latitudes, to 18 km above the equator
separates the troposphere from the
next highest layer called the stratosphere.
Stratosphere
The stratosphere
(22k jpeg)
second major strata of air in the atmosphere
resides between 10 and 50 km above
the planet's surface.
Ozone plays the major role in regulating
the thermal regime of the stratosphere through solar absorption.
home to the ozone
layer (27k jpeg), located at an altitude between 20-30 km
[Other layers of the atmosphere above 50 km also exist but will not
be addressed in this course.]
next: Understanding Ozone
menu: Ozone and the Atmosphere
