mesopause

[ mez-uh-pawz, mes-, mee-zuh-, -suh- ]

noun

, Meteorology.

1. the boundary or transition zone between the mesosphere and the ionosphere. Compare mesosphere ( def 1 ).
2. the top of the mesosphere, determined by the appearance of a temperature minimum near an altitude of 50 miles (80 km). Compare mesosphere ( def 2 ).

mesopause

/ ˈmɛsəʊˌpɔːz /

noun

1. meteorol the zone of minimum temperature between the mesosphere and the thermosphere

mesopause

/ mĕz′ə-pôz′ /

1. The boundary between the upper mesosphere and the lower thermosphere , approximately 80 km (50 mi) above the Earth's surface. It is the site of the coldest temperatures in the Earth's atmosphere, with temperatures of −100°C (−148°F).

Word History and Origins

Origin of mesopause¹

First recorded in 1945–50; meso- + pause

Example Sentences

Randall and colleague Lynn Harvey said data from the Microwave Limb Sounder on NASA’s Aura satellite showed temperatures near the mesopause increased in the past few days and are about average for this time of year.

From Washington Post

He preferred the mesopause, the coldest point in Earth's atmosphere, located roughly 85 kilometers up.

From Science Magazine