It's not quite accurate to say that anyone "discovered" the troposphere. Instead, it was a gradual understanding that developed over time through the work of many scientists.

Here's a breakdown:

* Early Observations: People have observed weather patterns and atmospheric changes for centuries. Early meteorologists like Leon Battista Alberti in the 15th century made important observations about air density and temperature changes with altitude.

* Balloon Flights: In the 18th and 19th centuries, scientists like Jacques Alexandre Charles and James Glaisher used hot air balloons to make observations of the atmosphere at higher altitudes. Their work provided valuable data on temperature, pressure, and wind patterns.

* Theoretical Frameworks: The development of thermodynamics by Sadi Carnot and others in the 19th century provided a theoretical foundation for understanding the behavior of gases in the atmosphere.

* Formal Definition: The term "troposphere" was coined by Teisserenc de Bort in the late 19th century based on his extensive balloon observations. He recognized a distinct layer of the atmosphere where temperature decreased with altitude, followed by a layer where temperature remained relatively constant.

So, while we can credit Teisserenc de Bort with giving the layer its name, it was the culmination of centuries of scientific observations and theories that led to the understanding of the troposphere.