Atmospheric Radiation Theoretical Basis [Paperback]

A complete revision of Goody's classic 1964 work, this volume offers a systematic discussion of atmospheric radiation processes that today are at the center of worldwide study and concern. It deals with the ways in which incident solar radiation is transformed into scattered and thermal radiation, and the thermodynamic consequences for the Earth's gaseous envelope, identifying aspects of the interaction between radiation and atmospheric motions as the central theme for atmospheric radiation studies. As a complete treatment of physical and mathematical foundations, the text assumes no prior knowledge of atmospheric physics. The theoretical discussion is systematic, and can therefore be applied with minor extension to any planetary atmosphere.

1. Introduction
1.1. The Nature of the Problem
1.2. The Thermal Structure of the Atmosphere
1.3. The Chemical Composition of the Atmosphere
2. Theory of Radiative Transfer
2.1. Definitions
2.2. Thermal Emission
2.3. The Integral Equations
2.4. Approximate Methods for Thermal Radiation
3. Vibration-Rotation Spectra of Gaseous Molecules
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Vibration-Rotation Spectra
3.3. The Shape of a Spectral Line
3.4. Collision-Induced and Polymer Spectra
3.5. Overview
4. Band Models
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Isolated Lines
4.3. Distributed Line Intensities
4.4. The Effect of Overlap
4.5. Regular Models
4.6. Random Models
4.7. Generalized Transmission Functions
4.8. K-Distributions
4.9. Models of Complete Bands
5. Absorption by Atmospheric Gases
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Nitrogen
5.3. Oxygen
5.4. Water Vapor
5.5. Carbon Dioxide
5.6. Ozone
5.7. Nitrous Oxide, Carbon Monoxide and Methane
6. Radiation Calculations in a Clear Atmosphere
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Transmission Through a Nonhomogeneous Atmosphere
6.3. Topics Concerning Heating Rates
6.4. Approximate Methods
6.5. The Inverse Problem for Thermal RadiationlS,