Greenhouse effect

Project-Based Global Climate Change Education Curriculum Development Workshop

Clarkson University

Global radiation

Source: Trenberth et al. (2009). http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cas/Trenberth/trenberth.papers/10.1175_2008BAM2634.1.pdf

Earth-Sun Interaction

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/EnergyBalance/

Solar radiation• The sun emits energy in the form of

electromagnetic radiation – The emission characteristics of sun’s radiation can be

understood by considering it as a black-body– A blackbody is an idealized body which is a perfect

absorber of all electromagnetic radiation• The energy is spread over a range of wavelengths• The wavelength corresponding to the peak

energy is dependent on the temperature of the black body

Wavelengths

Black-body radiation• Blackbody radiation– Thermal radiation of a black body– Earth and Sun can be considered as blackbodies• i.e., perfect absorbers of radiation• Emission spectrum is dependent on the temperature of

the body

Source: PhET, University of Colorado. http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/blackbody-spectrumNote: Flash required to run this program (http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ )

Emission profiles

Sun (5777K)

Earth (300K)

Incoming solar radiation

Source: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/EnergyBalance/

Solar radiation balance at the surface

Source: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/EnergyBalance/

Greenhouse gases• Greenhouse effect

– Long-wave radiation absorbed by molecules in the atmosphere• Result in increase in temperature of the atmosphere• Radiate energy back to earth

– Visualization of the greenhouse effect• CO2 interaction with radiation

– Source: King's Centre for Visualization in Science,The King's University College, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada , http://www.kcvs.ca/site/projects/climate.html

• The different greenhouses gases– Source: http://www.kcvs.ca/site/projects/climate.html

• Earth’s temperature as a function of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration– Source: PhET, University of Colorado; http://phet.colorado.edu/)

Solar radiation spectrum

Source: Wikipedia

Atmosphere Energy Budget

Source: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/EnergyBalance/

Global radiation

Source: Trenberth et al. (2009). http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cas/Trenberth/trenberth.papers/10.1175_2008BAM2634.1.pdf

Radiation budget

Source: http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/energy_budget.html

Radiation spectra

Source: Wikipedia

Applets• Install Java

– To check if Java is already installed in your computer, go to, http://www.java.com/en/download/installed.jsp

– If not, download the program (http://www.java.com/en/)• Adobe Flash

– Test your Adobe Flash installation (http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/ )– Install Adobe flash (http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/)

• Applets source:– Radiation

• http://itg1.meteor.wisc.edu/wxwise/radiation/tez.html

– CO2-radiation interaction and IR spectra• http://www.kcvs.ca/site/projects/climate.html

– Greenhouse gas and Earth’s temperature• http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/greenhouse

– Carbon Cycle• http://es.carboncycle.aos.wisc.edu/carbon-budget-tool/

• Other References:– IPCC report, 2007– Hardy J.T., Climate change: Causes, Effects, and Solutions, Wiley Publications, 2006– www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov– Wikipedia