What lies above the mesosphere in the atmosphere?

The layer of the atmosphere that lies above the mesosphere is the thermosphere. This region extends from about 85 kilometers (53 miles) to upwards of 600 kilometers (373 miles) above the Earth's surface. The thermosphere is characterized by a significant increase in temperature with height due to the absorption of intense solar radiation. This layer plays a crucial role in atmospheric phenomena such as auroras and is also where the International Space Station orbits.

Understanding the atmospheric structure is important because each layer plays a distinct role in environmental science, weather patterns, and climatology. The troposphere, which is the lowest layer, contains the majority of the atmosphere's mass and is where weather occurs. The stratosphere sits above the troposphere and contains the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from harmful UV radiation. Meanwhile, the exosphere is the outermost atmospheric layer, transitioning into outer space, where particles are so sparse that they can travel long distances without colliding with one another. Thus, the thermosphere serves as the correct answer, as it directly follows the mesosphere.