troposphere,lowest region of the atmosphere, bounded by the Earth beneath and the stratosphere above, with its upper boundary being the tropopause, about 10–13 10–18 km (6–8 6–11 miles) above the Earth’s surface. The troposphere is marked characterized by decreasing temperature with height and is distinguished from the overlying stratosphere by the a region of nearly constant temperature with height of the latter regionin the lower stratosphere. Most of the clouds and weather systems are contained within the troposphere.