The layer present right above the mesosphere extending to a height of 450 km is the thermosphere. This layer is composed of electrically charged ions that are responsible for reflecting the radio waves back to the Earth’s surface. Due to the presence of these ions, thermosphere is also known as ionosphere.
The exosphere layer is mainly composed of extremely low densities of hydrogen, helium and several heavier molecules including nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide closer to the exobase.
The ionosphere is where Earth’s atmosphere meets space The ionosphere stretches roughly 50 to 400 miles above Earth’s surface, right at the edge of space. Along with the neutral upper atmosphere, the ionosphere forms the boundary between Earth’s lower atmosphere — where we live and breathe — and the vacuum of space.
The thermosphere is a layer of Earth’s atmosphere. The thermosphere is located above the mesosphere and below the exosphere.
thermosphere Located within the thermosphere, the ionosphere is made of electrically charged gas particles (ionized). The ionosphere extends from 37 to 190 miles (60-300 km) above the earth’s surface. It is divided into three regions or layers; the F-Region, E-Layer and D-Layer.
The exosphere has gases like hydrogen and helium, but they are very spread out. There is a lot of empty space in between. There is no air to breathe, and it’s very cold.
The following mnemonic device may be useful to remember the earth’s atmospheric layers in order: The Silly Monkeys Twirled Endlessly (Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere)
The atmosphere has some very important functions: It has the oxygen that we need to breathe.The atmosphere filters the Sun’s rays. If there were no atmosphere, the Sun would burn us more.
Description of the Atmosphere Gas Name Chemical Formula Percent Volume Argon Ar 0.93% *Carbon Dioxide CO2 0.0360% Neon Ne 0.0018% Helium He 0.0005%
At present, the only vehicles that can travel in this layer of our atmosphere, at an altitude between 50 and 80 kilometres, are rockets destined for space. Aeroplanes and other modern aircraft can’t fly above 50 kilometres because the lower air density at these altitudes doesn’t allow for sufficient lift.
