MEC655B

Greenhouse gases (GHG) - Challenges and observations

Chapter 1
Greenhouse gases and greenhouse effect

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 1

 MEC655B
Greenhouse gases (GHG) - Challenges and observations

Chapter 1
Greenhouse gases and greenhouse effect

1. Radiative budget
2. Earth atmosphere
3. Greenhouse gases
4. Classification of GHG
5. Recent evolution
6. Impact of GHG on radiative budget

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 2

Radiative budget
The Earth system

•Solar radiation (UV, visbile, IR) is the main source of energy for the Earth. A
equilibrium is reached between incoming solar radiation and thermal IR emitted by the
Earth system.
•Earth surface adjusts itself to maintain this equilibrium between absorbed and
emitted energies. MEC655B - GHG - 2022 3
Radiative budget
Earth system: energy budget.

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 4

Radiative budget
Basic radiative quantities
•Hypotheses : - the source behavior depends only of its temperature (T).
- the source emits a radiation coming from its radiant energy (énergie
calorifique) Q.
•Radiant flux
It is the radiant energy emitted/recieved/transported per unit time.

In: Watt (W)

•Radiant flux density (or net flux)

It is the radiant flux across any surface element (source).

n Received flux= Irradiance: E

In: W.m-2
dS
s Emitted flux= Exitance: M
Emittance
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 5
Radiative budget
Earth greenhouse effect

Solar flux at the top of the atmosphere: 342 W m-2.

Earth albedo: ~0.3.

à the planet absorbs approximately 342 X 0.7 = 240 W m-2.

Assumption of energy balance:

incoming = ougoing radiation
à we can convert this into an effective radiating
temperature.
From Stefan-Boltzmann law, the emitted power per
unit area is σT4.
Hence: : Tsurf=254 K.

Earth’s surface temperature: 288 K

The explanation for this huge discrepancy is the planet’s greenhouse effect.

Earth’s greenhouse effect is crucial for the planet’s habitability. Without the greenhouse
effect, the average surface temperature today would be -18°C, instead of 15°C.
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 6
Radiative budget
Greenhouse effect of… Venus

Averaged solar flux over the surface of Venus: ~661 W m-2.

Venus is very reflective of solar radiation:

à reflectivity/albedo = 0.8
à the planet absorbs approximately 661 X 0.2 = 132 W m-2.

Assumption of energy balance:

Tsurf=220 K.

But Venus’ surface has a temperature of 730 K!

The explanation for this huge discrepancy is the planet’s greenhouse effect, which is
much stronger than on Earth.

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 7

 MEC655B
Greenhouse gases (GHG) - Challenges and observations

Chapter 1
Greenhouse gases and greenhouse effect

1. Radiative budget
2. Earth atmosphere
3. Greenhouse gases
4. Classification of GHG
5. Recent evolution
6. Impact of GHG on radiative budget

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 8

Earth atmosphere
Atmospheric composition

Trace gases
(Less than 1 % of
total mass)
Atmospheric
absorption/
emission

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 9

Earth atmosphere
Atmospheric temperature: the idealized profile

Mesosphere

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 10

Earth atmosphere
Atmospheric temperature

Latitudinal variation of surface

temperature

Annual mean of atmospheric

temperature profiles in 3 latitudinal
bands
Data from TIROS Operational
Vertical Sounder [TOVS]
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 11
Earth atmosphere
Main Constituents of the Earth’s Atmosphere

Nitrogen 78 %
Oxygen 21 %
Argon 1%
Water vapor 0-4 %
Carbon dioxide 0.04% and increasing

Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Argon hardly interact with radiation.

On the other hand water vapor and carbon dioxide both interact with infrared
radiation, that is emitted by the Earth and its atmosphere.

A greenhouse gas is defined as a gas that absorbs significantly the radiation

emitted by the Earth and its atmosphere (Infrared, IR, or longwave radiation).

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 12

 MEC655B
Greenhouse gases (GHG) - Challenges and observations

Chapter 1
Greenhouse gases and greenhouse effect

1. Radiative budget
2. Earth atmosphere
3. Greenhouse gases
4. Classification of GHG
5. Recent evolution
6. Impact of GHG on radiative budget

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 13

Greenhouse gases
Major greenhouse gases

Major GHG (concentration in parts per million)

Water vapor 0.1 – 40,000
Carbon dioxide 412
Methane 1.867
Nitroux oxide 0.3
Tropospheric ozone 0.01
Chlorofluoro-carbons 0.0007

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 14

 Greenhouse gases
Why do GHG interact with TIR radiation?

When a given radiation reaches a molecule, it can excite the molecule, either by
vibrating (vibrational energy) or rotating (rotational energy) it.

Electronic transitions associated to Combinaison of vibrational and Close energy levels

vibrational and rotational rotational transitions
transitions

Complex spectra Group of lines in a band of Rotation lines in the MW and

vibration-rotation far IR (IR lointain)
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 15
Greenhouse gases
Why do GHG interact with TIR radiation?

Molecules of a particular kind of gas have a

different shape from molecules of another
type of gas, and so are excited by radiation in
different ways.

Because of their varying geometries

and sizes, different molecules
absorb radiation at different
wavelengths.

Molecules with more than two atoms

tend to absorb radiation more effectively
than diatomic molecules such as N2 and
O2. This is because of the net balance of
their electron configuration. That is why
diatomic nitrogen and oxygen are not
greenhouse gases.

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 16

Greenhouse gases
Absorption spectrum of Earth, Venus and Mars

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 17

 MEC655B
Greenhouse gases (GHG) - Challenges and observations

Chapter 1
Greenhouse gases and greenhouse effect

1. Radiative budget
2. Earth atmosphere
3. Greenhouse gases
4. Classification of GHG
5. Recent evolution
6. Impact of GHG on radiative budget

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 19

Classification of GHG
Biogeochemical cycles

Photo-chemical Photo-chemical
production destruction

Atmospheric Photo-chemical
transport reaction

Emissions Absorptions

All these interactions form the biogeochemical cycles.

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 20

Classification of GHG
Vertical distribution of main atmospheric gases

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 21

Classification of GHG
Life time of atmospheric gases in Earth atmosphere after emission
Remaining fraction

Years
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 22
Classification of GHG
Typical atmospheric transport time
Horizontal transport Vertical transport
2-4 weeks
1 year Altitude (km)

Stratopause
1-2 1-2 50
months months

80 N EQ 80 S
10 years
Latitude (°)
10-16 Tropopause

2 years

1 month
Boundary layer
1-4
1 day

Adapted from ‘Physico-chimie de l’atmosphère’, Belin Ed., 2005

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 23
Classification of GHG
Life time vs. spatial impact

XXX: contribute to O3 depletion

Time scale XXX: GHG
*: polyethyleneglycols
1 century **: toxicity
Long-lived ***: acidification

10 years gases
Inter-hemispheric
1 year mixing
Intra-hemispheric
1 month
mixing

1 day H2O Mixing in the

boundary layer
1 hour

100 s
Radicals
1s
Regional
impact
Source: IPCC
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 24
Classification of GHG
GHG responsible for natural greenhouse effect

CO2: 26%

O3

CH4
Natural N2O
greenhouse effect
(clear sky)

H2O: 60%

NB: this diagram is for clear-sky average. It does not include cloud effect.

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 25

Classification of GHG

Water vapour cycle Carbon cycle Oceanic cycle

(very fast ~ 11days) (fast ~100 years) (slow ~ 1000 years)

Melankovitch cycles
(11,000-100,000years)
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 26
 MEC655B
Greenhouse gases (GHG) - Challenges and observations

Chapter 1
Greenhouse gases and greenhouse effect

1. Radiative budget
2. Earth atmosphere
3. Greenhouse gases
4. Classification of GHG
5. Recent evolution
6. Impact of GHG on radiative budget

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 27

Recent evolutions
Recent evolution of major anthropogenic GHG

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 28

Recent evolutions
A look at the past…

Study of ice cores (Vostock site).

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 29

Recent evolutions
gases and
A look at radiation
the past...

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 30

 Recent evolutions
gases and
Additional radiation
greenhouse effect

4 Tsurface (K)
Increase of CO2 burden in the atmosphere
due to human activities

Current time
-8 408 in 2017
Vostock ice core
Additional
CO2 (ppmv)
310 greenhouse
effect
1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000

180
400
Age (milliers d’années)
0 Earth surface
+0,4 temperature

-0,4

1860 2000

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 31

Recent evolutions
gases and
Evolution radiation
of the 3 main anthropogenic GHG

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 32

Recent evolution
GHG responsible for natural and additional greenhouse effect

Additional
greenhouse effect
CO2: 26%
CH4
O3 O3 N2O

CH4
CFC
Natural N2O
greenhouse effect
(clear sky)

CO2
H2O: 60%

NB: this diagram is for clear-sky average. It does not include cloud effect.

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 33

Recent evolutions
gases and radiation
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Montréal protocol
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 34
Recent evolutions
gases and radiation
Ozone: production and depletion mechanisms

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 35

 Recent evolutions
gases and
Impact of radiation
CFCs on stratospheric ozone

Copernicus analyses of total ozone column over the Antarctic

https://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 36
 MEC655B
Greenhouse gases (GHG) - Challenges and observations

Chapter 1
Greenhouse gases and greenhouse effect

1. Radiative budget
2. Earth atmosphere
3. Greenhouse gases
4. Classification of GHG
5. Recent evolution
6. Impact of GHG on radiative budget

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 37

Impact of GHG on radiative budget
GHG responsible for natural and additional greenhouse effect

Additional
greenhouse effect
CO2: 26%
CH4
O3 O3 N2O

CH4
CFC
Natural N2O
greenhouse effect
(clear sky)

CO2

H2O: 60%

NB: this diagram is for clear-sky average. It does not include cloud effect.

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 38

Impact of GHG on radiative budget
Contributing sectors to GHG emissions

Contribution in mass: 95 % 5% < 0.1%

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 39

Impact of GHG on radiative budget
‘CO2 equivalent’ of other GHG

All gases do not have the same ability to trap radiation.

Emissions are often converted in terms of ‘CO2 equivalent’ through the gas ‘global
warming potential’.

GWP is the cumulative radiative forcing, on a given duration, relative to CO2 for a 1 kg
emission of the gas.

GWP is currently widely used, but suffers from limitations. Other concepts are developed.
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 40
Impact of GHG on radiative budget
Contributing sectors to GHG emissions

Contribution in mass: 95 % 5% < 0.1%

Contribution in GWP: 56 % 32 % 6%
MEC655B - GHG - 2022 41
 Impact of GHG on radiative budget
‘CO2 equivalent’ of other GHG

Total anthropogenic GHG emissions (GtCO2-equivalent per year) from economic sectors in 2010

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 42

Impact of GHG on radiative budget
Earth system: energy budget.

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 43

Recent evolutions
gases and
Aerosols: radiation
direct and indirect radiative effects

•Aerosols, by scattering and absorbing solar radiation have an albedo effect or direct effect, which
tends to cool Earth surface.

•Aerosols also have an indirect effect on the radiative budget: by influencing cloud nucleation they
modify the corresponding cloud albedo effect, their life time and precipitation.

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 44

Impact of GHG on radiative budget
Earth system: energy budget.

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 45

Assignment 1
Impact of 2020 lockdowns on gas emissions

Maps of NO2 tropospheric column as seen from TROPOMI/Sentinel-5p.

over China in January (left) and February (right) © NASA

No such maps for CO or CO2. Why??

à A simple one-box model explanation.
over Europe in March-April 2019
Due date: next Tuesday.
(top) and 2020 (bottom) © ESA

MEC655B - GHG - 2022 46