noun
atmosphere; atmospheric layer
Refers to the gaseous envelope surrounding the Earth, often used in scientific or meteorological contexts.
大気圏に突入するとき、宇宙船は高温にさらされる。
When entering the atmosphere, the spacecraft is exposed to high temperatures.
大気 refers to the air or atmosphere in a general sense, while 大気圏 specifically denotes the atmospheric layer as a zone or region.
Compound of 大気 (atmosphere) and 圏 (sphere, zone). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is a modern scientific coinage.