Climate Change and the Oceans

The Basics


The Role of the Greenhouse Gases in the Radiation Balance


The balance between radiation that is absorbed versus what is emitted has created a unique environment on Earth that has allowed life to thrive. If too much is absorbed, the earth would warm up. If too much were emitted, we would be too cold.

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 The diagram to the right illustrates the effect of greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere. Greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit some of the infrared radiation that would normally be radiated out into space. Some of the re-emitted radiation is re-absorbed by the earth's surface, warming it.



   


Relevance to climate change?

As we change the balance of gases in the atmosphere, we change the radiation balance.

As the amount of greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere increases, so does the re-absorption of solar radiation, and therefore so does the earth's temperature.