Why mesosphere temperature decreases with height?

[vrinda mukund]

I was trying to understand the temperature profile of the atmosphere. I am clear with what causes the temperature variation in troposphere and stratosphere. But when coming to mesosphere i can't understand why temperature decreases with height. It is given that it is due to radiative cooling. i.e molecules emits more energy than they absorb. But why it is so? Can someone please explain the concept?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Here are a few links that might explain

http://www.athena-spu.gr/~upperatmosphere/index.php?title=Radiative_Cooling
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v281/n5733/abs/281660a0.html
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/highsky/hmeso.htm

 

[Huyen401]

Hi there,

I can try to explain the concept to the best of my knowledge.

The mesosphere is the layer of the atmosphere located between the stratosphere and the thermosphere. It is characterized by extremely low air pressure and low temperatures. The temperature in the mesosphere decreases with height because of a process called radiative cooling.

Radiative cooling is the process by which molecules in the atmosphere release more energy than they absorb. This is because the mesosphere is located at a high altitude, where the air molecules are spread out and there is less interaction between them. This means that there are fewer collisions between molecules, leading to less heat transfer and a decrease in temperature.

Additionally, the mesosphere is also much colder than the layers below it, which means that the air molecules are moving slower and have less kinetic energy. This results in a decrease in the amount of infrared radiation that is absorbed and emitted by the molecules in the mesosphere, further contributing to the decrease in temperature.

I hope this helps to clarify the concept for you. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.