Total Emissivity of the Earth and the Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

By Nasif S. Nahle

Scientist, University Professor and Director of Scientific Research Division at Biology Cabinet Mexico.

Introduction
The Earth and all of its subsystems are gray-bodies because they do not absorb the whole load of radiant
energy that they receive from the Sun and they do not emit the whole load of radiant energy that they
absorb. [8] [9] [10]

The role of carbon dioxide is misunderstood. According to AGW hypothesis, carbon dioxide is the second
most significant driver of the Earth‟s temperature, behind the water vapor, which is considered the most
important driver of the Earth‟s climate. [2] Other authors of AGW discharge absolutely the role of water
vapor and focus their arguments on the carbon dioxide. [3]

But I will show that this is not the case with reference to the science of radiative heat transfer.

Total Emissivity of the Carbon Dioxide - The Partial Pressures Method

In 1954, Hoyt C. Hottel undertook an experiment for determining the total emissivity of the carbon
dioxide and the water vapor [6]. He found that the total emissivity was linked to the temperature of the gas
and its partial pressure. As the temperature increased above 277 K, the total emissivity of the carbon
dioxide decreased, and as the partial pressure (p) of the carbon dioxide increased, its total emissivity also
increased.

Hottel found also that the total emissivity of the carbon dioxide in a saturated state was very low (Ɛcd =
0.23 at 1.524 atm-m and Tcd = 1,116 °C). [6]

As Hottel diminished the partial pressure of the carbon dioxide, its total emissivity also decreased in such
form that, below a partial pressure of 0.006096 atm-m and a temperature of 33 °C, the total emissivity of
the carbon dioxide was not quantifiable because it was almost zero. [6] [7] [8]

After Hottel‟s experiment, in 1972, Bo Leckner made the same experiment and corrected and error on the
graphs plotted by Hottel. However, Leckner‟s results placed the carbon dioxide in a lower stand than that
found by Hottel. [6] [7]

The missing part, however, remained at the real partial pressure of the carbon dioxide in the Earth‟s
atmosphere and instantaneous temperatures. Contemporary authors, like Michael Modest, and Donald
Pitts and Leighton Sissom made use of the following formula to know the total emissivity of the carbon
dioxide considering the whole emissive spectrum, at any instantaneous tropospheric temperature and
altitude [6] [7] [8]:

Ɛcd = [1 – (((a-1 * 1 –PE)/(a + b – (1 + PE)) * e (-c (Log10 ((paL)m / paL)^2))] * (Ɛcd)0 [8]

Introducing 7700 meters as the average altitude of the troposphere and the real partial pressure of the
atmospheric carbon dioxide (0.00038 atm-m), the resulting total emissivity of the carbon dioxide is
0.0017 (0.002, rounding up the cipher).

Evidently, the carbon dioxide is not a blackbody, but a very inefficient emitter (a gray-body). For
comparison, Acetylene has a total emissivity that is 485 times higher than the total emissivity of the
carbon dioxide.

After getting this outstanding result, I proceeded to test my results by means of another methodology that
is also based on experimental and observational data. The algorithm is outlined in the following section.
Total Emissivity of CO2 - Mean Free Path Length and Crossing Time Lapse of
Quantum/Waves Method
The mean free path length is the distance traversed by quantum/waves through a given medium before it
collides with a particle with gravitational mass. The crossing time lapse is the time spent by the
quantum/waves on crossing a determined medium; in this case, the atmosphere is such medium.

As the carbon dioxide is an absorber of longwave IR, we will consider only the quantum/waves emitted by
the surface towards the outer space.

The mean free path length of quantum/waves emitted by the surface, traversing the Earth‟s troposphere,
is l = 47 m, and the crossing time is t = 0.0042 s (4.2 milliseconds). [9] [10]

Considering the mean free path length l = 47 m, I found that the crossing time lapse t = 0.0042 s, which I
introduced into the following equation to obtain the real total emissivity of the atmospheric carbon
dioxide:

Ɛcd = [1-(e (t * (- 1/s))] / √π [9] [10]

Ɛcd = [1-(e (0.0042 s * (1/s))] / √ 3.141592… = 0.0024

Therefore, the total emissivity of the atmospheric carbon dioxide obtained by considering the mean free
path length and the crossing time lapse for the quantum/waves emitted from the surface coincides with
the value obtained from the partial pressures method:

Ɛcd 1 = 0.0017 = 0.0017

Ɛcd 2 = 0.0024 = 0.0024

The difference is 0.0007, which is trivial in this kind of assessment.

Conclusions
In the introduction I assured that considering the emissivity potential of the Earth and its subsystems like
1.0 is erroneous.

In this note I have calculated the real total emissivity of the atmospheric carbon dioxide, one of the
multiple subsystems of the Earth, at its current partial pressure and instantaneous temperature to be
0.002. This result was verified by calculating the total emissivity of the carbon dioxide taking into account
the crossing time lapse of quantum/waves emitted by the surface through the troposphere.

Inferring from the calculations made by the IPCC and AGW hypothesizers, the carbon dioxide would have
an emissivity of 1.0, which is an erroneous assumption given that the carbon dioxide is not a blackbody,
but a gray-body.

Clearly, carbon dioxide is not a nearly blackbody system. Quite the opposite, given its total absorptivity,
which is the same than its total emissivity, the carbon dioxide is a quite inefficient -on absorbing and
emitting radiation- making it a gray-body.

Dr. Hertzberg is therefore correct to state that it is erroneous to consider the Earth and its subsystems like
blackbodies. The best absorbers/emitters of radiative energy do not have an absorptivity and emissivity of
1.0:

For example, Chromium Oxide (Cr2O3) and Zirconium Dioxide (ZrO2) stabilized with Calcium Oxide
(CaO) are materials that are applied as coatings for many purposes, which have nearly blackbody
emissivities. Chromium Oxide and Zirconium Dioxide exhibit total emissivities of Ɛmax = 0.97 [4], which is
the same total emissivity of waterglass (Sodium Silicates) (at 30 °C), Acetylene (at 24 °C), slate (at 20 °C),
and the alloy 20-Ni 24-Cr 55-Fe Oxide (at 500 °C). [5]

Considering that carbon dioxide is not a black body and that the potential of the carbon dioxide to absorb
and emit radiant energy is negligible, I conclude that the AGW hypothesis is based on unreal magnitudes,
unreal processes and unreal physics.

Acknowledgements
This essay was inspired by Chapter 12 of the book „Slaying the Sky Dragon.

“This first catechism will be referred to in a later figure as the „Cold Earth Fallacy‟, and it is based on the
erroneous assumption that the earth‟s surface and all the other entities involved in its radiative losses to
free space all have unit emissivity. The second catechism has already been discussed: the contention that
Venus‟ high surface temperature is caused by the „greenhouse effect‟ of its CO2 atmosphere.”

-Dr. Martin Hertzberg. Slaying the Sky Dragon-Death of the Greenhouse Gas Theory. 2011. Chapter 12.
Page 163. [11]

References
[1.] Hertzberg, Martin. Slaying the Sky Dragon-Death of the Greenhouse Gas Theory. 2011. Chapter
12. Page 163.

[2.] http://www.bom.gov.au/info/GreenhouseEffectAndClimateChange.pdf (Page 6).

[3.] http://www.aip.org/history/climate/co2.htm

[4.] http://www.zypcoatings.com/ProductPages/BlackBody.htm

[5.] http://www.ib.cnea.gov.ar/~experim2/Cosas/omega/emisivity.htm

[6.] Hottel, H. C. Radiant Heat Transmission-3rd Edition. 1954. McGraw-Hill, NY.

[7.] Leckner, B. The Spectral and Total Emissivity of Water Vapor and Carbon Dioxide. Combustion
and Flame. Volume 17; Issue 1; August 1971, Pages 37-44.

[8.] Modest, Michael F. Radiative Heat Transfer-Second Edition. 2003. Elsevier Science, USA and
Academic Press, UK.

[9.] Lang, Kenneth. 2006. Astrophysical Formulae. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Vol. 1.
Sections 1.11 and 1.12.

[10.] Maoz, Dan. Astrophysics in a Nutshell. 2007. Princeton University Press. Pp. 36-41

[11.] Dr. Hertzberg is an internationally recognized expert on combustion, flames, explosions,

and fire research with over 100 publications in those areas. He established and supervised the
explosion testing laboratory at the U. S. Bureau of Mines facility in Pittsburgh (now NIOSH). Test
equipment developed in that laboratory have been widely replicated and incorporated into ASTM
standards. Published test results from that laboratory are used for the hazard evaluation of
industrial dusts and gases. While with the Federal Government he served as a consultant for
several Government Agencies (MSHA, DOE, NAS) and professional groups (such as EPRI). He is
the author of two US patents: 1) Submicron Particulate Detectors, and 2) Multichannel Infrared
Pyrometers. http://www.explosionexpert.com/pages/1/index.htm