What Does mesosphere Mean
The mesosphere is the layer of the homosphere that is located at the highest level, at a height of between 50 and 80 kilometers . Among its main characteristics are the lack of water vapor and the decline of the thermal marks.
To understand what the mesosphere (or mesosphere , with an accent on the second E) is, it is important to understand what the idea of the homosphere (or homosphere ) refers to . This is the name given to the set of the three layers of the atmosphere that are closest to the Earth : the troposphere , the stratosphere and the aforementioned mesosphere.
This means that the troposphere is the lowest atmospheric layer: it is in contact with the surface. Then comes the stratosphere and, at its end, the mesosphere begins. The three layers, as we already said, make up the homosphere. On the mesosphere, meanwhile, is the ionosphere or thermosphere .
In its most distant sector of the Earth's surface , about 80 kilometers above sea level, the temperature in the mesosphere reaches -140 degrees Celsius . Precisely, the further away from our planet, the temperature of the mesosphere is lower. One of its hottest points is around -5 degrees Celsius, something that for many would also be considered cold. In fact, the mesosphere is the lowest-temperature layer of the atmosphere.
With regard to the chemical composition of the mesosphere, we can say that its gases are of low density, they are composed of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen in an almost identical proportion to those found in the troposphere. Between the composition of these two layers we notice the following main differences: the mesosphere has a higher percentage of ozone, its level of water vapor is scarce and its air, less dense.
Airplanes do not get there, although the layer is low for man-made satellites . That is why its study is complex, to the point that in the scientific community it is often referred to by the name of ignorosphere .
Due to the low density of the air , on the other hand, turbulence and disturbances called atmospheric waves are frequent in the mesosphere. In it, shooting stars are usually observed, which are the flashes generated by the disintegration of meteoroids in the thermosphere. By causing the destruction of most asteroids and meteors, the mesosphere also plays an important defensive role for the planet .
In short, we can say that the mesosphere provides us protection against the impacts of celestial rock masses entering the atmosphere. The friction between their bodies and the air molecules causes them to burn and become luminous, which is why we call them shooting stars . Experts estimate that our planet is the target of about 40 tons of meteorites per day; Thanks to the action of the mesosphere, our soil remains intact since it burns them before they collide with it and damage it.
The area in which the transition from the mesosphere to the thermosphere occurs is known as the mesopause , and it is there where the lowest temperatures of the first are recorded . At the lower edge of the mesosphere, where it borders the stratosphere, is the stratopause .
Sometimes a particular class of clouds can be observed in the mesosphere that are called noctilucent . They are in the vicinity of the two poles. One of the characteristics that makes these clouds so rare is that they form at a much higher altitude than the rest. Very peculiar lightning bolts are also recorded in this layer, the so-called goblin rays .