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The effect of atmospheric absorption of sunlight on the runaway greenhouse point

The longwave emission of planetary atmospheres that contain a condensable absorbing gas in the infrared (i.e., longwave), which is in equilibrium with its liquid phase at the surface, may exhibit an upper bound. Here we analyze the effect of the atmospheric absorption of sunlight on this radiation limit. We assume that the atmospheric absorption of infrared radiation is independent of wavelength except within the spectral width of the atmospheric window, where it is zero. The temperature profile in radiative equilibrium is obtained analytically as a function of the longwave optical thickness. For illustrative purposes, numerical values for the infrared atmospheric absorption (i.e., greenhouse effect) and the liquid vapor equilibrium curve of the condensable absorbing gas refer to water. Values for the atmospheric absorption of sunlight (i.e., antigreenhouse effect) take a wide range since our aim is to provide a qualitative view of their effects. We find that atmospheres with a transparent region in the infrared spectrum do not present an absolute upper bound on the infrared emission. This result may be also found in atmospheres opaque at all infrared wavelengths if the fraction of absorbed sunlight in the atmosphere increases with the longwave opacity

© Journal of Geophysical Research, 2002, vol. 102, núm. D21, p. 4566

American Geophysical Union

Autor: Pujol i Sagaró, Toni
Fort, Joaquim
Data: 2002
Resum: The longwave emission of planetary atmospheres that contain a condensable absorbing gas in the infrared (i.e., longwave), which is in equilibrium with its liquid phase at the surface, may exhibit an upper bound. Here we analyze the effect of the atmospheric absorption of sunlight on this radiation limit. We assume that the atmospheric absorption of infrared radiation is independent of wavelength except within the spectral width of the atmospheric window, where it is zero. The temperature profile in radiative equilibrium is obtained analytically as a function of the longwave optical thickness. For illustrative purposes, numerical values for the infrared atmospheric absorption (i.e., greenhouse effect) and the liquid vapor equilibrium curve of the condensable absorbing gas refer to water. Values for the atmospheric absorption of sunlight (i.e., antigreenhouse effect) take a wide range since our aim is to provide a qualitative view of their effects. We find that atmospheres with a transparent region in the infrared spectrum do not present an absolute upper bound on the infrared emission. This result may be also found in atmospheres opaque at all infrared wavelengths if the fraction of absorbed sunlight in the atmosphere increases with the longwave opacity
Format: application/pdf
ISSN: 0148-0227 (versió paper)
2156-2202 (versió electrònica)
Accés al document: http://hdl.handle.net/10256/7885
Llenguatge: eng
Editor: American Geophysical Union
Col·lecció: Reproducció digital del document publicat a: http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2001JD001578
Articles publicats (D-F)
És part de: © Journal of Geophysical Research, 2002, vol. 102, núm. D21, p. 4566
Drets: Tots els drets reservats
Matèria: Radiació atmosfèrica
Atmospheric radiation
Efecte hivernacle (Meteorologia)
Greenhouse effect, Atmosphere
Gasos -- Absorció i adsorció
Gases -- Absorption and adsorption
Títol: The effect of atmospheric absorption of sunlight on the runaway greenhouse point
Tipus: info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Repositori: DUGiDocs

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