The Earth's atmosphere is divided into several layers, each with different characteristics that affect the types of wavelengths that are reflected, absorbed, or allowed to pass through to Earth's surface.
The first layer closest to Earth's surface is the troposphere, which contains most of the Earth's weather. This layer is characterized by decreasing temperature with altitude and contains water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases. These gases absorb and re-emit certain wavelengths of radiation, such as infrared radiation, which are trapped within the atmosphere, leading to the greenhouse effect. This helps to keep the Earth warm, but too much of this effect can lead to global warming and climate change.
The next layer is the stratosphere, which contains the ozone layer. Ozone absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun, preventing it from reaching the Earth's surface. This layer allows visible light and some infrared radiation to pass through.
Above the stratosphere is the mesosphere, where most meteoroids burn up upon entering the Earth's atmosphere. This layer absorbs most of the incoming radiation and reflects some of it back into space.
Finally, the thermosphere is the outermost layer of the Earth's atmosphere, where the temperature increases with altitude due to the absorption of high-energy solar radiation. The ionosphere, a sub-layer of the thermosphere, contains ions and free electrons that can reflect and scatter radio waves, making long-range communication possible.
Overall, the characteristics of each atmospheric layer affect the types of wavelengths that are reflected, absorbed, or allowed to pass through to the Earth's surface. The amount of radiation absorbed or reflected by each layer can also affect the Earth's climate and weather patterns.