It is shown that the refractivity and temperature vertical gradients may be retrieved using radio occultation (RO) amplitude data only. For the considered RO events the vertical gradient of refractivity found from the amplitude data shows good correspondence at two frequencies and changes in interval ¿2--¿5 N-units/km (between heights 5--10 km) up to ¿1--¿2 N-units/km (between heights 12--21 km). The corresponding magnitudes of temperature gradient change from negative values 4-- 9¿K/km at the height 8--14 km to positive 1--3 ¿K/km above 20.5 km. Sharp changes of temperature gradient ¿6--¿9 ¿K/km are found in the tropopause at the heights between 14--20 km. The height of the equatorial tropopause is found to be equal 16.8 km in correspondence with UCAR data. The vertical gradient of electron density in the sporadic E-layer of the ionosphere has been retrieved from the same RO event. Two maximum values of the positive gradient of about 29¿109 and 28¿109 -3km-1> are located at heights 93.5 and 99 km. Simultaneous observations of the vertical gradients of refractivity in the atmosphere and ionosphere would be useful to investigate connections between meteorological and space weather phenomena.