EVSC 2800 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Radiant Energy, Energy Intensity, Water Vapor
18 Feb 2016
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Document Summary
Infrared waves longer wavelengths and lower energy intensity. Ultraviolet waves shorter wavelengths and higher energy intensities. Earth maintains a radiation balance an equilibrium between incoming and outgoing radiant energy. Albedo fraction of the solar energy reflected by a surface. Earth"s albedo is about 31% - and without greenhouse gases, the average temperature would be about -19 c. Greenhouse gases absorb energy and reradiate it as infrared energy in all directions: greenhouse effect trapping of heat to increase the temperature at the surface relative to the temperature higher in the atmosphere. Water vapor a rise in temp increases tha mount of water vapor that moves to the atmosphere enhances the greenhouse effect and temperature rises further. Albedo rise in temp reduces the accumulation of ice and snow in cryosphere, decreases earth"s albedo, and increases energy stored in surface causes temp rise (positive) Radiative damping rise in atmospheric temperature increases the amount of ingrated energy radited back into space negative.
