Structure of Atmosphere Part-3(in Hindi)

Lesson 3 of 10 • 24 upvotes • 10:52mins

R K Shukla

(UPSC/ MPPSC SPECIAL) Stratosphere starts from 12 to16 kilometers above the Earth surface and extend upto 50 kilometers known for isothermal characteristics also. Although scientists have different views about the height, width and temperature but they all agree on one point that at the lower layer of this sphere temperature does not change with increase in height but at the height of 20 KM in upper stratosphere temperature starts increasing because of absorption of ultra-violet rays by ozone gases. At the height of 50 KM it becomes 0° Celsius (32°F). Region where ozone gas is present in abundance is also known as ozone layer. This gas is present in abundance between 15 to 35 kilometers above the Earth surface, which originates when oxygen molecule disintegrates into two atoms of oxygen and then integrating back into a molecule. Molecules of ozone layer are not stable, their origin and disintegration is a gradual and continuous process. It has been proven that the ozone layer is depleting day by day because of human activities like spray and synthetic chemicals used for air conditioning which are stable compounds of clorine, florine and carbon on Earth but when these reach upto outer layers of atmosphere by vertical currents of air they affect the ozone layer. Because of depletion of ozone ultra-violet rays are increasing the temperature of Earth. Moreover they cause skin problems, blindness and also kill sensitive organisms. Apart from all this, these rays also decrease the process of photosynthesis, supersonic jets fly at the height of 20 km above the land surface and they emit nitrogen oxide which also affects the ozone layer.