THE ATMOSPHERE OF EARTH

Atmosphere is made almost entirely of Nitrogen and O

Other gases and particles are very small in amount
Composition of clean, dry air in troposphere
(excluding very small amount of water vapour and particulate matter)

Constituent Formula Percent by

volume
Nitrogen N2 78.08
Oxygen O2 20.95
Argon Ar 0.93
Carbon dioxide CO2 0.035

Neon Ne 0.0018
Helium He 0.0005
Methane CH4 0.00017
Krypton Kr 0.00011
Nitrous oxide N2 O 0.00003
Hydrogen H 0.00005
 THE ATMOSPHERE OF EARTH
Age of earth: 4.6 billion years (approximately)

Initial atmospheric gas composition: Helium

and compound of hydrogen, methane and
ammonia

Early atmosphere is thought to have escaped

into space

Subsequent volcanic activities: CO2, water

vapour, compounds of N2 and S released to
atmosphere over time

Formation of molecular oxygen (O2):

Photo-dissociation of water vapour
Photosynthesis by plant evolving under
 LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE
venient to think the atmosphere made of horizontal l

h layer is characterised by the temperature profile

ers:
posphere – decreasing temp. with altitude
tosphere - increasing temp. with altitude
osphere - decreasing temp. with altitude
rmosphere- increasing temp. with altitude

nsition altitudes separating these layers:

popause – Between Troposphere and Stratosphere
topause – Between Stratosphere and Mesosphere
opause – Between Mesosphere and Thermosphere
 ATMOSPHERE SHOWING FOUR MAJOR LAYERS

120

100
Thermosphere
Mesopause
80
Altitude (km)

Mesosphere
60 Stratopause

40
Stratosphere

20 Tropopause
Troposphere
0

-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20

Temperature (oC)
 TROPOSPHERE
Consists of 80% of mass of the atmosphere

Virtually all water vapour, clouds and

precipitation occurs in this layer

Usually very turbulent place, because of strong

vertical air movement that lead to rapid and
complete mixing

Altitude:
Midlatitudes – 10 to 12 km
Poles – 5 to 6 km
Equator – 18 km

Temp profile:
Decreases 5 to 7oC per km (wet or saturated
 STRATOSPHERE
Stable layer of very dry air

Pollutants finding way to stratosphere may

remain there for many years

When they drift back to troposphere they are

diluted and removed by precipitation

Short wavelength ultraviolet energy is

absorbed by O3 present in this layer
causes heating of air
results in temperature inversion
stratosphere becomes stable

Troposphere + Stratosphere: accounts for 99% of

mass of atmosphere
 MESOSPHERE

Air mixes in this layer fairly readily

THERMOSPHERE

Heating of this layer is due to absorption of

solar energy by atomic oxygen

IONOSPHERE:
A relatively dense band of charged particles
within thermosphere
 AIR POLLUTION

Definition
Air pollution is defined as the presence of contaminants
in air such as dust, fumes, gases, mist, odour, smoke or
vapour in such quantities and characteristics for a
particular duration which may be injurious to human,
plant or animal life or to the property or which
unreasonably interfere with comfortable environment of
Air Pollutant
life and property

Primary Pollutant Secondary Pollutant

Gas

Particulate matter
Primary air pollutants
i. Substances that are emitted directly into the atmosphere
from identifiable sources as a result of combustion
(automobile exhaust and emissions from thermal power
plants), evaporation (volatile substances such as gasoline,
paints and cleaning fluids), grinding (vehicle wheel-road
surface interaction) and abrasion (ploughing)
ii. Particulate matter, CO, NOx, SOx, organic compounds and
radioactive compounds

Secondary air pollutants

i. produced in the air by the interaction among two or more
primary pollutants, or by interaction with normal atmospheric
constituents, with or without photo-activation
ii. Substances that are created by various physical processes
and chemical reactions that take place in the atmosphere
iii. ozone (O3), Formaldehyde (HCHO), Peroxyl Acetyl Nitrate
(PAN) and photochemical smog
PRIMARY POLLUTANT GENERATION THROUGH COMBUSTION

Complete combustion of pure hydrocarbon fuel

CH4 + 2 O2 CO2 + 2 H2O

Incomplete combustion of fuel (Reasons: temp or oxygen

availability not enough,
fuel not given enough time to burn completely)

Result: Some of the carbon will be released as CO,

instead of CO2

Incomplete burning of fuel

Result: Emission of partially combusted hydrocarbons

CH4 + O2 mostly (CO2 + 2 H2O) + traces of (CO +

HC)
PRIMARY POLLUTANT GENERATION THROUGH COMBUSTION

Combustion takes place in air (N2-78% & O2-21%), not in pure oxygen
environment

If temperature of combustion is high, some N2 in air reacts with O2 in air

and forms
various nitrogen oxides:

Air (N2 + O2) + Heat NOx

Most of the fuels are not pure hydrocarbon; they contain other
elements such as N, S,
Pb (in petrol) and other unburnable materials called ash.

Incomplete combustion in air (not in pure O2) of fuels that are

not pure hydrocarbons:

Fuel (H, C, S, N, Pb, ash) + air (N2 + O2)

Emissions (CO , H O, CO, NO , SO , Pb,

 GENERATION OF SECONDARY AIR POLLUTANT

and other organic compounds that readily vaporize are called Volatile Organic
mpounds (VOCs). VOCs react with NOx in the presence of sunlight to produce
otochemical smog:

Cs + NOx + Sunlight Photochemical smog (O3 + etc.)

e above reactions are greatly simplified; however they do introduce the 6 princi
ban air pollutants:

CO, NOx, SOx, Pb, O3 and PM (ash and unburnt hydrocarbons)

OZONE (O3)

Ground level O3 is harmful to our health

Stratospheric O3 protects our health by shielding us from

ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
 SOURCE TYPES

Mobile source
Modes of transportation
highway vehicle, rail, aircraft, boat and ship

Stationary source
Industry
power plants, metal processing plants,
petroleum production and refineries,
chemical plants
(prominent one is electric power
plants)
 CARBON MONOXIDE (CO)
s a colourless, odourless, tasteless, poisonous gas

urce
duced out of a combustion that involves one or more of the following:
insufficient oxygen
low combustion temperature
fuel not given enough time to burn

parameters do not meet more often in mobile source than in stationary sources:
ult: CO emission is high in mobile sources

of total CO emission comes from transport sector

ect
adverse impact on plants and materials at the level that occur in urban
ever, CO is an asphyxiant (gives suffocation due to lack of oxygen)

feres with the blood’s ability to carry O2 from lungs to different organs and tissu

+ Hb (haemoglobin) COHb (Carboxyhaemoglobin)

 CARBON MONOXIDE (CO)

Hb has a much greater affinity for CO than it does for O2

Consequence:
Even a small amount of CO can seriously reduce the amount
of O2 conveyed throughout the body;

Brain function affected and heart rate increases in an

attempt to offset the O2 deficit.
 Typical CO Levels

Place CO Concentration
(ppm)
Near busy roadways 5 to 50
Congested highways 100
Cigarette smoke contains 400

Inside bars and 20 to 30

restaurants where
smoking is permitted
 OXIDES OF NITROGEN (NO x )

7 oxides of nitrogen are known: NO, NO2, NO3, N2O, N2O3, N2O4 and
N2O5
Important air pollutants: NO and NO2 (combined referred to as oxides of
nitrogen, NOx)
N2O: Green house gas (GHG)

Thermal NOx: Formed, when N2 and O2 in the combustion air react in

high temperature (about 1000oK) and N2 gets oxidised.
Fuel NOx: Results from oxidation of nitrogen compounds bound
chemically in fuel molecules (coal has nitrogen compounds about 3% by
weight).

Transport sector contributes almost half of the NOx

emissions.

EFFECTS:
NO – Has no known adverse health effects at concentrations found in
the atmosphere
NO oxidises to NO2 and it has many adverse health effects
 OXIDES OF SULPHUR (SO x )
SOx emission sources
90% fossil fuel combustion from stationary sources (85% of this is emitted
from power plants)
3% from highway vehicles
Significant non-combustion sources of sulphur emission:
Petroleum refining
Copper smelting
Cement manufacturing
Sulphur in fossil fuels
Coal: 1 – 6 % (About 50 % organic sulphur is chemically bound to coal,
other half is physically trapped in the non-carbon portion of coal and gets
removed by pulverisation or washing of coal before combustion.)

Petroleum:
Trace amount to about 5%
All most all sulphur are removed during the process of
refining
Gasoline has < 1ppm sulphur

SO2 emission
When S containing fuels are burned, S is released as SO2 and SO3.
With moisture, these form H2SO4.
 OXIDES OF SULPHUR (SO x )

Adverse effects of SO2

Highly water soluble: absorbed in the moist parts of the upper

respiratory tracts – less harmful

When entrained in aerosols, can penetrate to deeper parts of

respiratory system and can damage lungs. Synergy of adverse impacts
of particle and SO2 will be more damaging. (Every major air pollution
episode has resulted from the combination of SO2 and PM)

Acidification damages plants by affecting their ability to extract

nutrients from the soil because nutrients get leached from the soil.

Sulphurous pollutants can discolour paint, corrode metals and cause

organic fibers to weaken.

Prolonged exposure to sulphates causes damage to building marbles,

limestone and mortar as carbonate in these materials are replaced by
sulphates.

Calcium sulphate (gypsum, CaSO4) is water soluble and easily washes

 VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC)

Atmospheric VOC consists of:

Unburnt hydrocarbons emitted form tailpipes and smoke stacks when

fossil fuels are not completely combusted
Gaseous hydrocarbons that evaporate from solvents, fuels and other
organics

Natural sources: Isopropene emitted from deciduous trees

(minor contribution) Pinene and limonene emitted from conifers

Transport sector – responsible for about 1/3 of anthropogenic VOC

emissions
Industrial sector - responsible for about 2/3 of anthropogenic VOC
emissions

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT

VOCs react with NOx in the presence of sunlight to produce

photochemical smog:
 PHOTOCHEMICAL SMOG AND OZONE

VOC and sunlight, when come together, initiate a complex set of react
produce

Secondary pollutants, known as photochemical oxidants

O3 is the most abundant photochemical oxidant
NO – NO2 – O3 photochemical reaction sequence (without added
hydrocarbons)

N2 + O2 2NO (Formation of NO during combustion)

2NO + Osunlight
2 2NO2 (Nitric oxide getting oxidized to NO2)

NO2 + hν NO + O (Photolysis: a photon with right

amount energy decomposes NO2 and produces a free atomic
oxygen, hν represents a photon)

O + O2 + M O3 + M (Free atomic oxygen combines with diatomic

oxygen (O2) to form ozone (O3)

O3 + NO NO2 + O2 (Ozone convert NO back to NO2)

 EFFECT OF PHOTOCHEMICAL OXIDANTS

Respiratory effects: coughing, shortness of breath, headache, chest

tightness and eye, nose and throat irritation
Symptoms can be severe for asthmatics
Long term exposure can lead to permanent scarring of lung
tissues, loss of lung function
Damage to tree foliage and growth rate
Reduced yield of major agricultural crops such as wheat,
soybeans and peanuts
 PARTICULATE POLLUTANTS

Definition
A particle consists of a single continuous unit of solids or liquid
containing many molecules held together by intermolecular
forces and primarily larger than molecular dimensions (<
0.001µm).

A particle may also be considered to consist of two or more

such unit structure held together by inter-particle adhesive
forces such that it behaves as a single unit in suspension or
upon deposit.

Source
Particulate matter results from the disintegration of solids.

Transport, construction and industrial activities, volcanic

eruption, desert storms, sea salts, secondary aerosols and
resuspension of crustal matter are some of the major sources
of air pollution.

The finer the particles the more is its retention time in

atmosphere.
 PARTICULATE MATTER
Definition
Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) consists of any dispersed matter,
solid or liquid, in which the individual aggregates range from molecular
clusters of 0.005 µm diameter to coarse particles up to about 100 µm.

Several terms for PM

Aerosol: Any tiny particles, liquid or solid,
dispersed in the atmosphere
Dust: Solid particle caused by grinding or crushing
operations
Fume: Solid particle formed when vapour condenses;
size: 0.3 µm to 3 µm
Mist/Fog: Liquid particles suspended in air; particles or
droplets formed by condensation of vapour; mist particles may
coalesce; normally < 10 µm in size.
Smoke/Soot: Particles composed primarily of carbon that
result from incomplete combustion; normally < 1 µm in size.
 PARTICULATE MATTER SIZE

Equivalent aerodynamic diameter:

For a particle having irregular shape, the equivalent

aerodynamic diameter of the particle is the diameter of a
spherical particle having the same settling velocity as that of
the irregular shaped particle.

Airborne dust
Suspended particulate matter (SPM or TSPM): > 10 µm (up to
100 µm)

Respirable particulate matter (RSPM, RPM or PM10 ): < 10 µm

PM10 = PMcoarse + PMfine

= PM2.5-10 + PM2.5
 PARTICULATE MATTER
Settling velocity of the spherical particle

When particle reaches terminal velocity, the gravitational force

pulling it down is balanced by the force due to buoyancy and
frictional drag force.

For particles < 30 µm and density much greater than air,

Dragforce
simplified stokes can be applied for drag force.

Gravitational force = Drag force d

Gravitational force

d2 ρg
v=
18η
m = mass of particle (g)
g = gravitational acceleration (9.8 m/s2)
d = particle diameter (m)
ρ = particle density (g/m3)
η = viscosity of air (0.0172 g/m.s)
v = settling velocity (m/s)
SETTLING VELOCITIES OF PARTICULATE MATTER

Particle size Approximate

settling velocity
(cm/s)
0.1 µm 4 x 10-5
1 µm 4 x 10-3
10 µm 0.3
100 µm 30
Numerical: Settling velocity of a spherical particle

Find the settling velocity of a spherical droplet of water with diameter

2µm, and estimate the residence time of such particles if they are
uniformly distributed in the lower 1000m of atmosphere.

Solution:
With density of water equal to 106 g/m3

Using simple box model to estimate the residence time of particles

uniformly distributed in a box of atmosphere with height h (m),

Residence time = h/v = 1000/(1.27 x 10-4 m/s) = 7.9 x 106 s = 91

days
 AIR POLLUTION AND METEOROLOGY

Principal parameters that influence the dispersion of air pollutant:

Primary parameters Secondary parameters

Wind direction and speed Precipitation
Temperature Humidity
Atmospheric stability Solar radiation
Mixing height

These parameters vary as a function of latitude, season and topography

 AIR POLLUTION AND METEOROLOGY

The ease with which pollutants can disperse vertically into the atmosphere is
largely determined by the rate of change of air temperature with altitude.

Lapse rate

The rate of change of air temperature with altitude is called lapse rate

A parcel of air moving upward experiences less pressure, expands and cools

A parcel of air moving downward comes under more pressure, gets compressed
and temperature of the air parcel increases

Therefore we can imagine that as temperature, pressure and volume of the

air parcel are changing, its surroundings are adding or subtracting energy
from the air parcel.
 AIR POLLUTION AND METEOROLOGY

Adiabatic lapse rate

However, had this energy transfer in the form of heat not taken place
between the air parcel and surrounding, the process would be adiabatic
and at that condition the rate of change of temperature of the air parcel with
altitude is known as adiabatic lapse rate.

When the air is assumed to be dry, this is called dry adiabatic lapse
rate

Dry adiabatic lapse rate, Гd = - dT/dZ = 9.76 oC/km (≈ 10 oC/km)

 AIR POLLUTION AND METEOROLOGY

Saturated (Wet) adiabatic lapse rate

If the air has enough water vapour in it so that condensation takes place as
the air parcel is raised and cooled, latent heat will be released.

This added heat will not allow the parcel to cool as rapidly as the dry one.

The lapse rate of such air containing water vapour is called Saturated
adiabatic lapse rate.

This lapse rate is variable as amount of moisture that air can hold before
beginning of condensation is a function of temperature.

A reasonable average value for troposphere:

Saturated adiabatic lapse rate, Гs = - dT/dZ = 6 oC/km

 AIR POLLUTION AND METEOROLOGY

Ambient lapse rate

A number of factors, such as wind speed, sunlight and the geographical

features cause the lapse rate in the real atmosphere to vary from the dry
adiabatic lapse rate.

This lapse rate in the real atmosphere is called ambient lapse rate (Г).

This is also called environmental lapse rate.

The difference between the ambient lapse rate and adiabatic lapse
rate determines the stability of the atmosphere.
 ATMOSPHERIC STABILITY

The tendency of the atmosphere to enhance or resist vertical motion is

termed as stability.

Three stability categories

Stable atmosphere:
The thermal structure of the atmosphere inhibits mechanical turbulence
Discourages the dispersion and dilution of pollutants

Unstable atmosphere:
Mechanical turbulence is enhanced by thermal structure
Rapid vertical mixing of air takes place
Encourages pollutant dispersal
Increases air quality

Neutral atmosphere:
The thermal structure neither enhances nor resists mechanical
turbulence
Limited pollutant dispersion; dispersion is mainly due to diffusion

Primarily stability depends on Lapse rate.

 NEUTRAL ATMOSPHERE

Ambient lapse rate = Dry adiabatic lapse rate

Air parcel experiences no buoyant force

No upward or downward movement of air parcel

Neutral atmosphere condition prevails

500
Very little pollutant dispersion
400

Height (m)
Dry adiabatic lapse rate
300

200 Ambient lapse rate

dT/dZ = -10 oC/km
100

19 20 21 22
Temperature (o C)
 UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE

Ambient lapse rate > Dry adiabatic lapse rate (the lapse rate is said to be superadiabatic)

Air parcel experiences buoyant force

Upward movement of air parcel

Air from different altitude mix thoroughly

Very effective condition for pollution dispersion

500

400
Height (m)

Dry adiabatic lapse rate

300
Ambient lapse rate
200
dT/dZ = -12.5 oC/km
100

19 20 21 22
Temperature (o C)
 STABLE ATMOSPHERE

Ambient lapse rate < Dry adiabatic lapse rate (the lapse rate is said to be subadiabatic)

Very little vertical mixing of pollutants

Pollutants disperse very slowly; results in pollutant build up

500 Dry adiabatic lapse rate

400
Height (m)

300 Ambient lapse rate

dT/dZ = -0.5 oC/km
200

100

19 20 21 22
Temperature (o C)
 NUMERICALS ON ATMOSPHERIC STABILITY

Q.
Given the following temperature and elevation data, determine the stability of the
atmosphere.

Elevation (m) Temperature (oC)

2.00 14.35
324.00 11.13

A.
ΔT/ΔZ = (11.13-14.35)/(324.00-2.00) oC/m = - 3.22/322.00
= - 0.01 oC/m
= - 10 oC/km

This is same as the dry adiabatic lapse rate.

Therefore, atmospheric stability is neutral.

 INVERSION

Two special cases of subadiabatic lapse rate

Isothermal lapse rate Temperature inversion

When there is no change of temp. When temperature increases
with elevation with elevation

Atmosphere is stable Atmosphere is stable

Both cases discourage pollutant dispersion

Dry adiabatic lapse rate

500
Ambient lapse rate (Isothermal)
400
Height (m)

300 Ambient lapse rate

(Temperature
200 inversion)

100

19 20 21 22
Temperature (o C)
 RELATIONSHIP OF THE AMBIENT LAPSE RATES
WITH THE DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATE

1.5

Su
bad
Sta

Isothermal
bl e
ia b

Stable
atic
Elevation, km

1.0
Dr
y
a
Ne

ion
ia
ut

ba
ra

ble
ers
tic
l

Sta
Inv
Su
0.5 pe
Un radi
s ta a
ble bati
c

T = 9.8 oC T
Temperature, oC
 TEMPERATURE INVERSION

An extreme case of atmospheric stability

Ambient temperature increases with altitude, called negative lapse rate

Results in a virtual lid on the upward movement of the pollutant

TYPES OF INVERSION

Radiation Inversion
Subsidence Inversion
Frontal Inversion
 RADIATION INVERSION

Surface of the earth cools after sunset by radiation energy towards space

On a clear night, surface more rapidly radiates energy to space and ground
cooling occurs much more rapidly

As the ground cools, the temp of the air in contact with the ground also drops

Therefore low level air close to ground is colder than the air above it, a case
of temperature inversion

Radiation inversion begin to form at about dusk

As the evening progresses, the inversion extends to higher and higher

elevation

Radiation inversion is more prevalent in winter season and in nights with

clear sky

On a cloudy night, earth’s radiation gets absorbed by water vapour, which in

turn reradiates some of the heat energy back to the ground.
 RADIATION INVERSION

Next day morning sunlight warms the ground and destroys the inversion

Often begin at about the early evening traffic build up and therefore traps
the pollutant emitted from the traffic and increases the concentration of
pollutants to which commuters are exposed
 SUBSIDENCE INVERSION

Associated with high pressure weather system, known as Anticyclone

Air in the middle of the high pressure zone descends, gets compressed
and temperature of air rises

Air on the edges are rising and getting cooled

FRONTAL INVERSION

When a cold air mass passes under a warm air mass, the inversion is
called frontal inversion

Frontal inversion has short life

It tend to be accompanied by precipitation which cleanses the air

 MIXING DEPTH/MIXING HEIGHT

That height above earth’s surface to which related pollutants will extend,
primarily through the action of the atmospheric turbulence

OR

The height above the earth’s surface up to which pollutants are diluted and
dispersed in the available atmospheric condition; i.e. significant mixing of
the pollutants takes place

Varies between 100m and 500m above the ground level

Depends on ambient lapse rate at a given place and time

Usually related to wind direction, wind speed and turbulence

It depends on basic meteorological parameters, surface turbulent fluxes

and physical parameters, and follows a diurnal cycle.

The mixing height cannot be observed directly by standard measurements

 MAXIMUM MIXING DEPTH (MMD)

DRY ADIABATIC LAPSE RATE

AMBIENT LAPSE RATE

ALTITUDE

MMD MMD

MMD

TEMPERATURE

HIGHER MMD LOWER MMD

Unstable atmosphere Stable atmosphere
Summer season Winter season
Day time Night time
 THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Wein’s displacement rule: (gives the wavelength at which a blackbody
spectrum peaks as a function of its absolute temperature)

λmax (μm) = 2898/T(K)

SUN: A blackbody with temp. 5800 K
Spectrum peaks at 0.5 μm

EARTH: Average temp. about 288 K

Spectrum peaks at 10.1 μm
 THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Incoming solar radiation just outside Radiation from the earth’s

of the earth’s atmosphere Surface at 288 K

2000 30
Intensity (W/m2) / μm

Intensity (W/m2) / μm
Outgoing radiation from
Incoming Earth’s surface, 288 K
extraterrestrial 20 (long wavelengths)

1000 solar radiation, 5800 K

(short wavelengths)
10
λmax λmax

0 1 2 3 4
Wavelength (μm) 0 10 20 30 40 50
Wavelength (μm)

Short wavelength radiation:

Nearly all incoming solar energy has wavelength < 3 μm

Long wavelength or Thermal radiation:

Nearly all outgoing solar energy has wavelength > 3 μm
 THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

The infrared (IR) portion of the spectrum lies between 0.7 μm and 100 μm.

Some of the incoming solar radiation is IR

All the outgoing thermal radiation is IR

The Process

Radiation from Earth surface

Attempts to pass through atmosphere

Affected by gases and aerosols in the air

Result:
Radiant energy pass through atmosphere unaffected
Radiant energy gets scattered by reflection
Radiant energy gets absorbed and do not escape the lower atmosphere
(when frequency of molecular oscillation of gases is
close to the frequency of the passing radiant energy)

Key phenomenon for greenhouse effect

 Absorption of long wavelength
energy by atmospheric gases

The most important are

Water vapour (H2O), CO2, CH4, N2O, O3, O2 (molecular oxygen)

Water vapour: strongly absorbs at < 8 μm and >18 μm

(the most important greenhouse gas)

CO2: strong absorption centered at 15 μm and at 2.7 μm and 4.3 μm

O3: absorption band between 9.5 μm and 10.6 μm

O2 and O3: absorbs all incoming solar radiation < 0.3 μm (ultraviolet)
(cause of stratospheric ozone depletion)

Atmospheric radiative window

Wavelength band between 7 μm and 12 μm allows outgoing thermal radiation

Greenhouse gas:
Radiatively active gases that absorb wavelengths longer than 4 μm
 Reradiated IR from
Atmosphere to space
Through atmospheric
radiative window
SP
AC
E
H2O, CO2, CH4, N2O, O3
AT
M
OS
PH
ER
E

Most of the long wavelength Reradiated IR from

energy radiated from the earth’s Atmosphere to earth
surface is absorbed by
greenhouse gases in the Surface radiation
atmosphere EA
RT
H
 GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Absorption of radiation by greenhouse gases heats the atmosphere

The greenhouse gases act as a thermal blanket around the globe

Raises the earth’s surface temperature

Greenhouse effect is based on the concept of a conventional greenhouse with

Glass acting much like the aforementioned gases

Glass:

Easily transmits short wavelength solar energy into the greenhouse

Absorbs almost all of the longer wavelengths radiated by the greenhouse interior
GREENHOUSE EFFECT and TEMP OF EARTH