 Above the troposphere , the atmosphere is usually divided into the stratosphere , mesosphere , and thermosphere . Each layer has a different lapse rate , defining the rate of change in temperature with height . Beyond these , the exosphere thins out into the magnetosphere , where the geomagnetic fields interact with the solar wind . Within the stratosphere is the ozone layer , a component that partially shields the surface from ultraviolet light and thus is important for life on Earth . The Kármán line , defined as 100 km above Earth 's surface , is a working definition for the boundary between the atmosphere and outer space . 
