stratosferico

Stratosferico is an Italian adjective and noun used to describe things related to the stratosphere or characterized by a very high level. The term derives from stratosfera, formed with strato- meaning layer and -sfera meaning sphere. In scientific and technical contexts it denotes phenomena, measurements, or technologies that occur in or pertain to the stratosphere.

The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth’s atmosphere, extending roughly from about 10 to 50 kilometers above the surface. Unlike the troposphere below, the stratosphere exhibits a temperature increase with altitude, primarily due to absorption of ultraviolet radiation by ozone, which is concentrated in this layer. Air in the stratosphere is relatively stable and experiences limited vertical mixing, a condition favorable for long-duration high-altitude flights and for certain atmospheric observations and experiments.

In practical usage, stratosferico can describe physical or atmospheric phenomena in the stratosphere, as well as technologies designed to operate at those altitudes, such as stratospheric balloons or experimental aircraft intended for stratospheric research. The term is also employed metaphorically in Italian to indicate extremely high levels, as in prezzi stratosferici or performance stratosferici, mirroring the English term “stratospheric.”

Related terms include stratosfera, the layer itself, and neighboring atmospheric layers such as troposfera and mesosfera. The concept is central to fields including meteorology, atmospheric science, and aerospace research.