Based on their location in the atmosphere, the layers are able to have their own special characteristics. for example, most weather occurs in the troposphere. what occurs in each of the other layers?

The Earth has multiple layers in its complex atmosphere, five to be more specific. The layer closest to the surface of the Earth is the troposphere, than comes the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, and top layer is the exosphere.

In the troposphere we have the occurrence of the weather.

In the stratosphere we have the occurrence of the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from the ultraviolet radiation.  

The mesosphere is the layer where most of the asteroids burn up in the atmosphere, thus breaking them apart and protecting the surface of the Earth.

In the theromsphere we have the occurrence of the aurora borealis and aurora australis.

In the exosphere we have escaping molecules from the atmosphere, because they are so far away from one another, they get out into the open space.