Composition of Atmosphere
Slide 13 in this series.
The atmoshpere is largely made up of N2 and O2, neither being IRGs. Water Vapor and CO2 are the 2 most important IRGs, with CO2 being a small fraction of WV in concentration.
As we consider how the atmosphere warms the planet, having gases conduct heat away from the surface until gravity forces the gases back to earth is a part of the puzzle. Of course the 3 energy release mechanisms of evaporation, radiation, and conduction/convection are the means of energy release from the earth's surface. The so-called greenhouse effect is not the dominant mechanism as far as warming the atmosphere. It is just one of several. AGW sees GHGs or IRGs as the dominant means to warm the planet. This is but another condition required for AGW to be real.
NEXT: The earth energy cycle is our next stop.
These links are the topics for this section.
Modelling Temp Natural Factors
Earth and the Science of Radiation
Milankovith Overlapping Cycles
