mesosphere

mes·o·sphere  (mz-sfîr, ms-)

n.

The portion of the atmosphere from about 30 to 80 kilometers (20 to 50 miles) above the earth's surface, characterized by temperatures that decrease from 10°C to -90°C (50°F to -130°F) with increasing altitude.

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meso·spheric (-sfîrk, -sfr-) adj.

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mesosphere [mess-oh-sfeer]

Noun

the atmospheric layer above the stratosphere

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mesosphere  (mz-sfîr)

The region of the Earth's atmosphere lying above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere, from a height of about 50 km (31 mi) to about 80 km (50 mi) above the Earth's surface. In the mesosphere temperatures decrease with increasing altitude due to the decreasing absorption of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. At the top of this region temperatures are around -95°C (-135.4°F). Most of the meteors that enter Earth's atmosphere burn up while passing through the mesosphere. See also exospherestratospherethermospheretroposphere, See illustration at atmosphere.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

mesosphere - the atmospheric layer between the stratosphere and the thermosphere layer - a relatively thin sheetlike expanse or region lying over or under another atmosphere - the envelope of gases surrounding any celestial body