Radiation Processes in the Lower and Middle Atmosphere
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Date
2022-01-28
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The movement and causes of this movement in Earths atmosphere depend merely on the magnitude
and distribution of the net radiative heating of the earth atmosphere system. In the
troposphere, the net adiabatic heating rate is dominated by the imbalance between the transfer
of heat from the surface and the thermal emission of radiation to space. Latent heat is the
major component of the flux from the surface to the atmosphere, and clouds play a major role
in the emission of radiation to space. In the stratosphere the net heating depends solely on the
imbalance between local absorption of solar UV radiation and infrared radiative loss.
In this region, ozone is the principal absorber and carbon dioxide is the dominant emitter.
Infrared emission by ozone and water vapor, molecular oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen
dioxide play a secondary roles. The distribution of the radiative sources and sinks due to the
above gases exerts a zero order control on the large-scale seasonally varying mean temperature
and zonal wind fields of the stratosphere.
These radiative process are therefore, significant to understand the stratosphere- troposphere
interactions. In generally, this study (project) introduces the basic principles of radiation, solar
radiation and their process in the stratosphere and troposphere.
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Keywords
Radiation Processes, Lower, Middle Atmosphere