<p>If the Earth's atmosphere is warming it has to expand. Can we measure an increasing thickness of the troposphere?</p>

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2021-12-16T07:47:58.477Z
A great question.  I think the answer is yes, but I am not familiar enough with the research.
JeopardyTempest
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2021-12-16T07:48:34.877Z
Has some interesting overlap to this other question posed this week: [Is Global Mean Surface Atmosphere Pressure changed long-term by global warming?](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/23309/is-global-mean-surface-atmosphere-pressure-changed-long-term-by-global-warming)
JeopardyTempest
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2021-12-16T08:08:38.567Z
As the troposphere height significantly increases from poles to the equator, why it should not have the mean increase with raising global mean temperature ?
Poutnik
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2021-12-16T16:31:14.390Z
Doesn't the troposphere expand in summer and retract in winter? I guess that the troposphere's height mostly depends on your local sea level temperature. So yes, if it's warmer it should be higher. Perhaps one might rephrase the question to "how high is the troposphere at which temperature".
Giovanni
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2021-12-17T06:56:46.423Z
@Giovanni it is only summer on half the planet at any given time so only the average temperature comes into play here i think.
trond hansen
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2021-12-17T11:13:40.040Z
@trondhansen Well, the Earth's average surface temperature is 13.8°C. The standard atmosphere already goes from a higher value, 15°C at sea level with the tropopause at 36,100 ft (11 km) MSL.
Giovanni
<atmosphere>
Is the troposphere expanding?
Jute
# Is the troposphere expanding?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-12-16)

If the Earth's atmosphere is warming it has to expand. Can we measure an increasing thickness of the troposphere?

**Tags:** atmosphere

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: A great question.  I think the answer is yes, but I am not familiar enough with the research.  
> **username_1**: Has some interesting overlap to this other question posed this week: [Is Global Mean Surface Atmosphere Pressure changed long-term by global warming?](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/23309/is-global-mean-surface-atmosphere-pressure-changed-long-term-by-global-warming)  
> **username_2**: As the troposphere height significantly increases from poles to the equator, why it should not have the mean increase with raising global mean temperature ?  
> **username_3**: Doesn't the troposphere expand in summer and retract in winter? I guess that the troposphere's height mostly depends on your local sea level temperature. So yes, if it's warmer it should be higher. Perhaps one might rephrase the question to "how high is the troposphere at which temperature".  
> **username_4**: @username_3 it is only summer on half the planet at any given time so only the average temperature comes into play here i think.  
> **username_3**: @username_4 Well, the Earth's average surface temperature is 13.8°C. The standard atmosphere already goes from a higher value, 15°C at sea level with the tropopause at 36,100 ft (11 km) MSL.  

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