Radiation

A method of heat transfer through space without the presence of any material substance or medium.

I takes place in the form of waves or electromagnetic vibrations

All radiations of whatever wavelength travel through a air and space with the speed of light is , at the
rate of 2.9979 x 10 8 meter per second.

The nature of all forms of radiation is difficult to define but with resect to many of its most important
properties, radiation can be transmitter; when portions of radiation pass through certain kinds of matter

Light rays travelling through air, water and glass

Reflected when waves are turned back without entering; or absorbed,

Waves enter a substance but not transmitted through it in the form of waves when it strikes any surface
of a body

The amount of energy radiated depends largely on the temperature of a body. There is an upper limit to
the amount of energy that can be emitted in a given time by unit surface of the body.

The maximum amount of radiation for a given temperature is called a black body radiation

The body that radiates for every wavelength the maximum intensity of radiation possible at a given
temperature is known as “black body”.

All that radiant energy reaching the surface of a black body is being absorbed by the black body.

Radiation and the atmosphere

Radiation flux through the surface is referred to as the amount of radiant energy in a unit time passing
through any surface of an emitter, an absorber, or an imaginary surface in the space between.

The total flux from an emitting body is often called as its luminosity.

Three factors determine the flux of radiation though the atmosphere

1. Vertical distribution of temperature

2. Vertical distribution of absorbing gases
3. Presence or absence of clouds
Note: the flux, thereof, must decrease with height since temperature normally decreases with height

Images

Solar radiation or short wave radiation

The radiant energy received from the sun and travelling with the speed of light is called solar radiation
or insolation,
The great distance of the earth from the sun, however, decreases the amount of solar radiation received
by the earth.
Sun’s radiation
Wavelength 0.15 microns to 4.0 microns
9 % occurs in ultraviolet
45 % in the visible
46 % in the infrared potions of the electromagnetic spectrum

Note: Not all solar radiation, however, comes directly from the sun. we have sky radiation which is the
downward directed component of the solar radiation that is scattered in all directions by the air
molecules and by dust-like particles that are suspended in the atmosphere
The total radiation is direct solar radiation plus the sky radiation

The insolation received at the surface of the earth depends upon the solar constant (the amount of solar
energy received per minute outside the atmosphere on a surface of 1 cm 2 normal to the incident
radiation at the earth’s mean distance from the sun), the inclination of the sun’s rays and the amount of
depleted while passing through the atmosphere and the duration of the sunshine

Solar radiation is measured by the by the instrument pyrheliometer

They operate on the principle of an indirect measurement based upon temperature effects of the
radiation falling on an absorbing element. For the total solar and sky radiation on the on the horizontal
surface, the instrument to a pyranometer
Measurements maybe expressed in watts/square meter, in ergs/square centimeter/ second square or in
gram-calorie/square centimeter/minute.
Langley is frequently used as a unit, equivalent to 1 gram-calorie/centimeter squared

Absorption on the atmosphere

Gas molecules, dust, haze, smoke and cloud particles absorb part of the radiant energy passing through
the atmosphere. Absorption by the atmosphere depends upon; the length of passage – more loss of
energy as it passes through a thicker mass of atmosphere; transparency of various wavelength – the
gases absorb only in certain wavelengths to from an absorption spectrum characteristic.

The most important gases, nitrogen have appreciable absorption bands only in the ultraviolet. Ozone
(O3), which is concentrated at heights of 20 km is a strong absorber of ultraviolet radiation

The most important absorption by gases is the infrared, and two variable gases, water vapor and carbon
dioxide, are mainly responsible. Water vapor absorbs strongly in several bads from1 to about 6.5
microns, that is essentially transparent from 7 ro 12 microns. Carbon dioxide most marked absorption is
at 14 microns and higher,

Clouds play a dominat role in all aspects of radiation. They are the most imporantn absorbers of
radiation at essentially all wavelengths. In sunlight, they reflects a high percentage of the incident solar
radiation and account for most of the brightness of the earth as seen from space. Their role in absorbing
and reradiating terrestrial radiation from the surface is most strking at night.
Scattering
Sky radiation is the results of the scattering of the enrgy form the sun by the air molecules and idne
dust. The blueness of the sky is accounted for by thus process. In the visible range,, the violets and the
blues are most subject to scattering
Each scattering molecule or particle distributes the energy in all directions, forward, backward. The part
scattered towards the eye of an observer within the atmospehere form any sky is blue sky radiation

Sunlight, which is basically white, often reaches the earth with a reddish tinge

Reflection
When radiant energy is truned back without entering a material subtnace, it is said to be refelected.
Only solar radiation is reflected sppreciably, while only a portion of the long wave radiation from the
earth and the atmosphere maybe reflected.
The general refelxiity is called “albedo”. It is defined as the ration of the total solar radiation from the
sun and sky relefcetd by the surface to that which falls on it. the a;bedo of the enrite planet eart is , on
the average, considere to be about 0.36 (36 % reflected into space). The most important part of this
reflectivity comes from cloud cover. The albedos surfaces are:

Upper surfaces of slouds - from 40 to 80 %, depending on the thickness, but with an average of about
55 %.
Snow surfaces – over 80% for cold, fresh snow; a slong as 50 % fro snow several day old
Land surfaces – forest, grassy fields, plowed fields and rocky deserts, averaging 10 to 20 % but ranging
from 5 % for dark coniferous forest to 45 % for dry sand.
Water – lowest albedos are found over water with an average to 5 %.

Terrestial Radiaton
The earth radiates long wave radiation between the range ftom 4.0 to 80 microns
The earth radiates energy most intensely at waveleghths of approximatelt 10 microns. Thi is in form of
infrared radiation rather than visible radiation.

Heat Balnce of the Earth

For the system earth-atmosphere as a whole, the average outgoing radiation must be equal to incoming
solar radiation which is about 30 x 10 -2 cal/cm2/ min. This is the so-called radiation balance in the
atmosphere.

Note:
The earth is also a source of radiant energy but its radiation is a t longer wavelength than the solar
radiation. It plays a great role in heating the atmosphere since it is not transparent to terrestrial
radiation

Greenhouse Effect
The atmosphere absorbs only a small amount or portion of the insolation. Most of its in clear skies is
transmitted to the earth’s surface, but a large portion of the outgoing terrestrial radiation is absorbed
and radiated back to the surface, preventing it from going out to space. A great amount of energy is
preserved near the earth’s surface. This is called the “the greenhouse effect”.

The green house permits most the short-wave solar radiation to pass through the glass roof and sides to
be absorbed by the floor or ground and plants inside. These object re radiate energy at temperature of
about 300 K with a principal intensity of about 10 microns. The glass absorbs the energy at these
wavelengths and sends part of it back into the greenhouse, causing the inside of the structure to
become warmer that the outside. The atmosphere acts similarly, transmitting and absorbing energy the
same way as the glass

The glass in the roof and sides of the greenhouse, like atmosphere, is relatively transparent to short –
wave solar energy, but relatively opaque to long-wave earth radiaton.