The mesosphere is the term used to define the part of the Earth's atmosphere located above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere. Layer of the atmosphere characterized by the fact that the temperature decreases as the height increases, until it reaches about 80 ° C, at about 80 kilometers. This layer extends from a contact zone between the stratosphere and the mesosphere. It is important to note that this is the third layer of the atmosphere of the Earth, being the coldest part of the atmosphere.
The low density of the air in the mesosphere determines the formation of turbulence. For this reason, in this region the spaceships that return to Earth begin to notice the winds. In this area it is possible to observe shooting stars, which are nothing more than meteorites that have disintegrated in the thermosphere.
The mesosphere extends for approximately 50 km to 80 km and is characterized by a decrease in temperatures, reaching 190-180 K at an altitude of approximately 80 km. The limit of the mesosphere in its upper region is the mesopause, which can be considered as the coldest place of natural origin on Earth.
The exact upper and lower limits of the mesosphere can be variable with respect to the latitude in which it is located and with the season, but the lower limit of the mesosphere is usually found at a height of about 50 km above the surface of the Earth and the mesopause is generally about 100 km, with the exception of the middle and high latitudes in summer, where it can descend to a height of about 85 km.
In this area the concentrations of elements such as ozone and water vapor are practically negligible. For its part, the chemical composition of the air has a strong dependence on altitude. At very high altitudes, the waste gases begin to stratify according to their molecular mass, caused by a separation due to the effect of gravity.
