In Search of Balance

The climate of the Earth and its global mean surface temperature are the consequence of a balance between the amount of solar radiation absorbed by Earth's surface and atmosphere and the amount of outgoing long-wave radiation emitted by the system. Although the theory of absorption of infrared...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2005-05, Vol.308 (5723), p.806-807
Main Authors: Charlson, Robert J., Francisco P. J. Valero, Seinfeld, John H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerosols
Aerospace Education
Albedo
Analysis
Artificial satellites
Atmosphere
Climate
Climate change
Climate models
Clouds
Clouds (Meteorology)
Company growth
Earth
Earth surface
Energy
Global climate models
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Growth
Infrared radiation
Modeling
Observation
Perspectives
Radiation
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Summary:The climate of the Earth and its global mean surface temperature are the consequence of a balance between the amount of solar radiation absorbed by Earth's surface and atmosphere and the amount of outgoing long-wave radiation emitted by the system. Although the theory of absorption of infrared radiation by gases in the atmosphere is well accepted and embodied in climate models, the observational and theoretical treatments of albedo, aerosols, and clouds are still under development. Charlson et al comments on two reports on the estimates of Earth's albedo and of solar radiation reaching the surface.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1108162