GEO 303 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Convection Cell, Thermosphere, Solar Wind
21 Dec 2017
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Lecture 16: surface temperature received from the sun, heat from the interior, & the energy radiated back into space. The surface temperature of any planet is controlled by the balance b/w energy. The fraction that is reflected is called . Sunlight that is absorbed heats the surface & atmosphere. These in turn radiate energy back into space, primarily as ir. The glass of a greenhouse lets visible light from the sun in, but traps ir light & keeps it. Certain gases in the atmosphere (h2o & co2) have the same effect as the glass of a. They trap heat in the atmosphere & keep it from radiating. Without this effect, earth"s surface temperature would be -18 degrees c on average greenhouse: gases: 49% co2; 18% ch4; 14% cfcs; 6% nitrous oxides; 13% others: runaway greenhouse effect for earth. Venus"s clouds reflect most sunlight back into space, so the albedo is much higher than.
