What is the layer of electrically charged particles in the thermosphere?

What is the layer of electrically charged particles in the thermosphere?

the ionosphere
A dense layer of molecules and electrically charged particles, called the ionosphere, hangs in the Earth’s upper atmosphere starting at about 35 miles (60 kilometers) above the planet’s surface and stretching out beyond 620 miles (1,000 km).

Does the thermosphere have charged particles?

The thermosphere contains a layer of charged particles called the ionospherewhich makes communication by radio wavespossible and is home to theaurora borealis(Northern Lights).

Is the electrically charged region of the atmosphere located within the thermosphere?

The thermosphere is the layer in the Earth’s atmosphere directly above the mesosphere and below the exosphere. Within this layer of the atmosphere, ultraviolet radiation causes photoionization/photodissociation of molecules, creating ions; the thermosphere thus constitutes the larger part of the ionosphere.

Why are satellites in the thermosphere?

It is called the thermosphere because temperatures can reach up to 1,500 degrees Celsius (2,732 degrees Fahrenheit). However, despite the high temperatures, the pressure is very low, so satellites don’t suffer heat damage.

What happens to charged particles in the thermosphere?

Charged particles (electrons, protons, and other ions) from space collide with atoms and molecules in the thermosphere at high latitudes, exciting them into higher energy states. Those atoms and molecules shed this excess energy by emitting photons of light, which we see as colorful auroral displays.

How is the ionosphere related to the thermosphere?

Earth’s ionosphere, composed of several regions of such ionized particles in the atmosphere, overlaps with and shares the same space with the electrically neutral thermosphere. Like the oceans, Earth’s atmosphere has waves and tides within it. These waves and tides help move energy around within the atmosphere, including the thermosphere.

What makes up the upper part of the thermosphere?

In the upper thermosphere, atomic oxygen (O), atomic nitrogen (N), and helium (He) are the main components of air. Much of the X-ray and UV radiation from the Sun is absorbed in the thermosphere. When the Sun is very active and emitting more high energy radiation, the thermosphere gets hotter and expands or “puffs up”.

What kind of radiation is absorbed in the thermosphere?

Energetic ultraviolet and X-ray photons from the Sun also break apart molecules in the thermosphere. In the upper thermosphere, atomic oxygen (O), atomic nitrogen (N), and helium (He) are the main components of air. Much of the X-ray and UV radiation from the Sun is absorbed in the thermosphere.