There’s more
to Earth.
Beyond the blue lies a world of invisible layers. Travel from the air we breathe to the magnetic field that reaches into space.
Begin the ascentTroposphere
Where life breathes.
The air we live in is a remarkably thin envelope. Nearly all weather unfolds here, close to the surface that warms it from below.
N₂ + O₂
Mostly nitrogen and oxygen, with water vapor, aerosols and trace gases.
Clouds, rain and the air we breathe
Dry air near the surface is about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. Water vapor varies with place and weather.
The top averages about 12 km; it is lower over the poles and higher near the equator.
Science reference · Further reading ↗Stratosphere
A little ozone. A lot of protection.
Above most weather, the air becomes more stable. Ozone absorbs ultraviolet energy, so temperature increases with altitude.
N₂ + O₂ · O₃
Mostly nitrogen and oxygen, with a small but important concentration of ozone.
Home to the ozone layer
Ozone is a trace gas. Its UV absorption helps protect life at the surface.
The lower boundary follows the variable height of the tropopause.
Science reference · Further reading ↗Mesosphere
Where meteors meet their match.
The temperature falls again. At the upper boundary, the atmosphere reaches some of its lowest temperatures.
N₂ + O₂
Very thin nitrogen and oxygen, with trace gases and tiny amounts of water vapor.
Most meteors burn up here
Near the top, tiny ice crystals can form noctilucent clouds that catch sunlight after sunset.
The mesopause is usually placed around 80–85 km; its height changes with conditions.
Science reference · Further reading ↗Thermosphere
Thin air. Extraordinary energy.
Solar radiation energizes this rarefied gas. High particle temperatures do not feel like ordinary hot air because there are so few particles.
O + N₂ + O₂
Sparse atomic oxygen, nitrogen and molecular oxygen; proportions change with altitude.
Auroras and low Earth orbit
The International Space Station travels within this region. The polar glow is an illustration of auroral emissions.
The upper boundary expands and contracts with solar activity. Values of roughly 500–1,000 km are common.
Science reference · Further reading ↗Exosphere
An atmosphere fading into space.
Collisions become rare. Some particles escape, while others follow long paths around Earth before returning.
H + He
Extremely sparse particles, mainly hydrogen and helium high in the region.
A gradual transition, not a hard edge
The outer limit is conventional. Earth’s faint hydrogen envelope reaches far beyond the boundaries drawn here.
The exobase moves with solar conditions. This view uses 600 km as an illustrative starting height.
Science reference · Further reading ↗Ionosphere
The atmosphere, electrically alive.
Sunlight knocks electrons from atoms and molecules. This electrically active region overlaps other atmospheric layers.
IONS + e⁻
A partly ionized gas: free electrons and charged atoms and molecules mixed with neutral gas.
It changes the path of radio waves
Its D, E and F regions vary with sunlight and solar activity, affecting radio communication and satellite signals.
This is an overlapping region, not a sixth layer stacked above the exosphere. Its lower extent can reach roughly 50 km.
Science reference · Further reading ↗Magnetosphere
A planet-sized magnetic shield.
The solar wind compresses the sunward side and stretches the nightside into a long tail. This region is shaped by magnetic forces.
PLASMA + B
Charged particles and plasma organized by Earth’s magnetic field.
It diverts much of the solar wind
The dayside boundary is typically about 10 Earth radii from Earth’s center. The tail reaches hundreds of Earth radii.
No single starting altitude applies. The field lines are schematic; the magnetosphere is not a spherical shell.
Science reference · Further reading ↗A guide,
not a boundary.
The atmosphere thins continuously. Its layers are defined mainly by changes in temperature, while the ionosphere and magnetosphere describe electrical and magnetic behavior.
How to read the globe
Color identifies the selected region. Shell thickness is exaggerated by default. Select True scale to compare atmospheric radii using Earth’s mean radius of 6,371 km. Magnetic field lines remain schematic.
All heights are approximate distances above the surface, except where a distance from Earth’s center is stated. Boundaries vary with latitude, season and solar activity.
Follow the science
Earth imagery via Three.js example assets. Colors, field lines and auroral light are illustrative. This is an independent educational experience.
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