Dear Tom,
Why does the temperature increase in the thermosphere?
Farhana Hafezi
Dear Farhana,
The thermosphere is the outer layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, extending from about 53 miles to more than 370 miles above the surface. The temperature increases rapidly in this layer due to the absorption of huge amounts of incoming high energy solar radiation by atoms of nitrogen and oxygen. This radiation is then converted into heat energy and temperatures can climb in excess of 2700 (degrees)F.
Even though the temperature in the thermosphere is very high, objects passing through it would not get hot. Heat is transferred to an object through molecular collisions, and the atmosphere is so thin at these high altitudes, that very few of the widely-spaced fast-moving molecules would collide with the object, resulting in a transfer of only small quantities of heat.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN News at noon and 9 p.m.
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