A) What are the surface and atmospheric temperatures when the solar transmissivi

Question

A)

What are the surface and atmospheric temperatures when the solar transmissivity is equal to 1? Explain why the surface temperature in this case is higher than the surface temperature found for the astronomical problem when we considered only the outgoing infrared radiation budget (where we obtained a brightness temperature of 255 K).

B)

Now adjust the solar transmissivity until the surface temperature is lowered by 1 Kelvin. What is the solar transmissivity that gives a reduction of surface temperature by 1 Kelvin? What is the corresponding atmosphere temperature? Comparing the atmospheric temperature difference between parts A and B, what is likely to happen with the atmosphere that changes temperature by the amount you find?

Explanation / Answer

A)The effective temperature of 255 K is the temperature the Earth's Surface would have if it didn't have an atmosphere. It would be awfully cold! In reality, the Earth's surface temperature is closer to 288 K (15 °C, 59 °F). This difference of 33 K is the magnitude of the greenhouse effect.

The surface temperature in this case is higher than the surface temperature found for the astronomical problem when we considered only the outgoing infrared radiation budget because By absorbing the incoming solar radiation, the Earth warms up, like a black body and its temperature rises. If the Earth would have had no atmosphere or ocean,it would get very warm on the sunlit face of the planet and much colder than we experience presently.

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