The Stratosphere

  • Q: Why does the temperature increase with height in the stratosphere?????

  • Ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiation (UV)

  • The ozone then reemits this energy in the form of heat into the stratosphere, warming it up in the mid-upper parts of the layer

  • A layer of air where the temperature increases with height is called an inversion layer.

  • Q: Are inversion layers (and therefore the stratopshere) stable or unstable??