troposfäärile

The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, extending from the Earth's surface up to an average altitude of about 10-15 kilometers. This is where most of the planet's weather phenomena occur, including clouds, rain, and storms. Temperature generally decreases with increasing altitude in the troposphere, a characteristic known as the lapse rate. This cooling is primarily due to the expansion and cooling of air as it rises away from the Earth's surface, which absorbs solar radiation.

The troposphere contains approximately 75% of the atmosphere's total mass and about 99% of its water vapor. This high concentration of water vapor is crucial for the formation of clouds and precipitation. The boundary between the troposphere and the layer above it, the stratosphere, is called the tropopause. The height of the tropopause varies with latitude and season, being higher at the equator and lower at the poles. Air within the troposphere is constantly in motion, driven by convection and atmospheric circulation patterns. This mixing is essential for distributing heat and moisture across the globe.