The temperature in the stratosphere increases with altitude due to the presence of the ozone layer, which absorbs and scatters ultraviolet solar radiation. As you ascend through the stratosphere, particularly in the stratospheric ozone layer, the absorption of this radiation warms the air. This phenomenon is in contrast to the troposphere, where temperature decreases with altitude due to the decreasing pressure and the way heat is distributed from the Earth’s surface.
In the stratosphere, the ozone molecules absorb UV radiation, converting it into heat. This warming effect creates a temperature inversion, meaning that instead of getting cooler with altitude, the air gets warmer as you move higher up. This layered structure plays a crucial role in atmospheric dynamics and helps stabilize the stratosphere, making it less turbulent compared to the layer below it.