Question
How is it that the lowest temperatures at the tropopause are vertically over the equator rather than over the poles ?
Solution
The tropopause is the upper limit of the troposphere which is about 1-5 km thick. The height of tropopause is 17 km over the equator and 9 to 10 km over the poles. Since temperature decreases upwards in troposphere at the rate of 1°C for every 165 m of height, it is natural that temperature at the height of 17 km over the equator (–80°C) becomes much lower that at the height of 9-10 km over the poles (–45°C).
