CIESIN Thematic Guides
Vertical Temperature Structure of the Earth's Atmosphere
Temperature varies with height in the Earth's atmosphere. The regions where temperature is either increasing or decreasing with height define the different layers of the atmosphere. The lowest 10 to 15 km of the atmosphere is called the troposphere, and the region from about 15 to 50 km is known as the stratosphere. Most ozone depletion occurs in the lower part of the stratosphere (15 to 25 km). The transitional region between the troposphere and stratosphere is known as the tropopause. Above the stratosphere is the mesosphere and above 85 to 90 km, where the temperature rises again, is the thermosphere. The stratopause and mesopause are defined as the transitional regions between these layers.
Data for this plot were obtained from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
