thermosphere
Hot upper atmosphere
The thermosphere is the layer of Earth's atmosphere extending roughly 50 to 400 miles above the surface, characterized by extremely high temperatures that increase with altitude.
Despite temperatures reaching thousands of degrees, the air is so thin that it would feel cold to human skin.
The International Space Station orbits within this layer.
Solar radiation heats the thermosphere directly.
Charged upper atmospheric layer
- plasmaElectrified matter state
- charged particlesAtoms with net electricity
- solar radiationEnergy emitted by sun
- photoionizationElectron ejection by light
Polar atmospheric light display
- southern lightsPolar luminescence, hemisphere opposite
- aurora borealisHigh-latitude luminous sky phenomenon
- aurora australisAntarctic atmospheric light display
- polar lightsAtmospheric luminous phenomenon
green light · curtains · magnetic field lines · Birkeland currents
Great distance upward
- mesopauseMesosphere's upper limit
- rarefiedMade less dense
- tenuousLacking solid foundation
- low densityFew particles per area
thin air · pressure gradient · barometric pressure · altitude sickness
Gradual loss of altitude
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- space stationOrbiting crewed research facility
- satellite trackingMonitoring orbiting objects' positions
- orbital velocitySpeed maintaining circular path
Elevated thermal measurement
- solar heatingThermal energy from sunlight
- infrared radiationElectromagnetic waves below visible red
- extreme heatSevere high temperature
Gathering data without contact
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- NASAFederal space exploration bureau
ionosphere
Charged upper atmospheric layer
- plasmaElectrified matter state
- charged particlesAtoms with net electricity
- solar radiationEnergy emitted by sun
photoionization · conductivity · recombination · solar flares
northern lights
Polar atmospheric light display
- southern lightsPolar luminescence, hemisphere opposite
- aurora borealisHigh-latitude luminous sky phenomenon
- aurora australisAntarctic atmospheric light display
polar lights · green light · curtains · magnetic field lines · Birkeland currents
high altitude
Great distance upward
low density · thin air · pressure gradient · barometric pressure · altitude sickness
orbital decay
Gradual loss of altitude
- spacecraftVehicle for outer space
- space stationOrbiting crewed research facility
- satellite trackingMonitoring orbiting objects' positions
high temperature
Elevated thermal measurement
- solar heatingThermal energy from sunlight
- infrared radiationElectromagnetic waves below visible red
- extreme heatSevere high temperature
remote sensing
Gathering data without contact
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- NASAFederal space exploration bureau
- space weathersolar wind, solar flares, solar storms, aurora borealis, northern lights
- atmosphereair, humidity, temperature, oxygen, ozone layer
- spacespace, sun, moon, stars, star
- meteorologyweather, rain, wind, snow, clouds
- layerscanopy layer, paper sheets, veneer, laminate, cloud layer
- planetary atmospheresclouds, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon, oxygen
thermospheretroposphere
Lowest atmospheric layer
ground level · sea level · lower atmosphere · mesosphere · stratosphere
sphere, atmosphere, thermal, thermostat, thermometer, spherical, hemisphere, atmospheric, stratosphere