upper atmosphere

American  

noun

Meteorology.

1. the portion of the atmosphere above the troposphere.

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upper atmosphere British  

noun

1. meteorol that part of the atmosphere above the troposphere

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upper atmosphere Scientific  

1. The part of the atmosphere above the troposphere. The upper atmosphere includes the mesosphere, the ionosphere, the thermosphere, and the exosphere. Temperatures in the upper atmosphere decrease with increasing altitude except in the thermosphere, where temperatures increase significantly with altitude, because the few molecules present receive intense solar radiation.

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Etymology

Origin of upper atmosphere

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

upper atmosphere

Ballistic missiles travel into the upper atmosphere or space before plunging back down toward a target, but not all are capable of maneuvering.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

But the only gas discovered in the atmosphere so far is helium, probably in the upper atmosphere, which on its own would not support life.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

Typically, winds in the upper atmosphere can weaken or disperse gravity waves before they reach such heights.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2026

This saw the capsule dip into the upper atmosphere, briefly climb again, then plunge back in so as to best cope with the heat, G-forces and splashdown accuracy needed.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

There was an instability in the upper atmosphere.

From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd