Question

Within the mesosphere, temperature decreases with increasing height this is due to:

• A. increasing solar heating and decreasing cooling by $C{O}_2$ radiative emission
• B. decreasing solar heating and increasing cooling by $C{O}_2$ radiative emission
• C. remaining same solar heating and same cooling by $C{O}_2$ radiative emission
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is B decreasing solar heating and increasing cooling by $C{O}_2$ radiative emission

Within the mesosphere, temperature decreases with increasing height, due to decreasing solar heating and increasing cooling by $C{O}_2$ radiative emission. The top of the mesosphere, called the mesopause, is the coldest part of Earth's atmosphere. Temperatures in the upper mesosphere fall as low as $-101°C$ varying according to latitude and season.