Radiation and Climate

Radiation theory and measurements are at the core of the climate change debate. This new book describes in detail the basic physics used in the radiative transfer codes that are a key part of climate prediction models. The basic principles are extended to the atmospheres of the Earth and the other planets, illustrating the greenhouse effect and other radiation-based phenomena at work. Several chapters deal with the techniques and measurements for monitoring the Earth's radiation budget and thus tracking global change and its effects. Remote sensing instruments on satellites and the theory of remote sensing are also covered. The book is the first comprehensive new publication on atmospheric radiation in more than a decade, and the first to link the theoretical and experimental aspects of the subject to the contemporary climate problem.1. The Climate System ; 2. Atmospheric Physics and Thermodynamics ; 3. Radiation Transfer Theory ; 4. Thermal Infrared Transfer in the Atmosphere ; 5. Incoming Solar Radiation ; 6. Solar Radiation Transfer in the Atmosphere ; 7. Atmospheric Photochemistry ; 8. The Earth's Radiation Budget ; 9. Theory of Radiation Measurements ; 10. Climate Observations by Radiometry and Spectrometry ; 11. Climate Modelling ; 12. Planetary Evolution and Comparative Climatology