Which layer of the atmosphere is characterized by decreasing pressure and a gradual increase in temperature to 0°C?

The stratosphere is the layer of the atmosphere that extends from approximately 10 to 50 kilometers above the Earth's surface. One of its key characteristics is that temperature increases with altitude in this layer, contrasting with the troposphere below it, where temperature generally decreases with height.

In the stratosphere, the presence of the ozone layer plays a significant role in this temperature increase. The ozone absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, which warms this region of the atmosphere. This warming effect continues until it reaches a point close to 0°C at the stratopause, the boundary between the stratosphere and the mesosphere.

Understanding the properties of the stratosphere is crucial for pilots because it affects weather patterns and aircraft operations. The other atmospheric layers, such as the troposphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere, have different characteristics; for example, the troposphere has a decrease in temperature and pressure, while the thermosphere has very high temperatures but low density.