Thermosphere Facts

At 1000°C, the temperature of thermosphere is one of the many astonishing thermosphere facts that not many people are actually aware of. Many other such facts about the thermosphere continue to elude some of the brightest minds, mainly because of the false belief that this layer doesn't really play any significant role in presence of life on Earth. Thermosphere is as important as the other layers of the atmosphere, and by the time you are through with this article you will understand its significance for the presence of life on the planet.

Layers of the Earth's Atmosphere
The atmosphere of the Earth is divided into five layers, each of which plays a vital role in making the Earth a planet which supports life. If it were not for these layers, Earth would have been like any other planet in the solar system - devoid of life. These five layers of the atmosphere are:

• Troposphere: Extending over a vertical length of about 7 to 17 km.
• Stratosphere: Extending over a vertical length of 50 km.
• Mesosphere: Extending over a vertical length of 50 to 85 km.
• Thermosphere: Extending over a vertical length of 85 to 640 km.
• Exosphere: Extending from the thermosphere to space.

As there is no clear boundary to demarcate where the exosphere ends and space starts, it is quite difficult to ascertain the vertical length of this layer. At times, exosphere is also used as a synonym for space.

What is the Thermosphere?
Starting from the surface of the planet, the thermosphere is the fourth layer of the atmosphere of the Earth. It lies above the mesosphere, which is the third layer, and beneath the exosphere, which is the last layer of the atmosphere. Another lesser known thermosphere fact is that this layer derives its name from the Greek word thermos, meaning heat. Thermosphere roughly begins at a vertical length of 80 kilometers from the surface of the planet. It is also the biggest layer of the atmosphere of the Earth, extending for a distance of about 545 km in terms of vertical length. It ranks second in terms of distance from the Earth's surface, the only layer of the Earth farther than this being the exosphere. This height makes the thermosphere one of the most dynamic layers of the Earth's atmosphere and hence the only object that can make it to this layer is the space shuttle.

Thermosphere Information
The air in the thermosphere is quite thin, which means a small difference in the energy can cause large fluctuations in the temperature. The fact that the air in this layer is very thin makes it very difficult for the scientists to measure the temperature of this layer. Instead of measuring the temperature directly, the density of the air is measured by measuring the drag on the satellites. This density is eventually used to measure the temperature of the thermosphere. This temperature is also dependent on solar activity. Though the average temperature of the layer is around 1000°C, it can reach up to 1500°C or more when solar activity is at its peak.

More Facts about Thermosphere
If you were amazed at the thermosphere facts mentioned above, wait for a second. There is lot more to know about this layer of the atmosphere. Though we are aware of the fact that the ionosphere is the layer with charged particles which facilitates long distance radio communication, not many of us know that ionosphere is in fact a part of the thermosphere. The process of ionization in this layer takes place as a result of ultraviolet radiation of the Sun. Yet another lesser known thermosphere fact is the creation of auroras - natural light displays in the sky, in this layer of the atmosphere.

These were some of the most astounding thermosphere facts you ought to know about the largest layers of the atmosphere of the Earth. Some scientists are of the view that the exosphere is a part of the thermosphere, however, there is no consensus on this argument.