DEFINATION:

The warming of the atmosphere by the trapping of longwave radiation being radiated to space. The
gases most responsible for this effect are water vapor and carbon dioxide.

The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon based on the fact that the Earth's atmosphere acts a
little like the glass of a greenhouse, allowing the heat of the Sun to enter, then capturing it. Greenhouse
gases present in the atmosphere trap the infrared rays emitted by the Earth. The greater their quantity,
the more the atmosphere and surface heat up.

The phenomenon whereby the earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation, caused by the presence in the
atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane that allow incoming sunlight to
pass through but absorb heat radiated back from the earth's surface

Energy radiated by the sun converts to heat when it reaches earth. Some heat is reflected back through the
atmosphere, while some is absorbed by atmospheric gases and radiated back to earth.

The Biggest Danger

This effect moderated temperature on the Earth long before humans began changing the
chemistry of the atmosphere. Like a well managed greenhouse, the Earth’s surface remained
warm, but not too hot, and thus allowed the growth of the lush ecosystems we have inherited.
The increase in heat-trapping gases in the Earth’s atmosphere caused by human activity means
the greenhouse effect could, like a poorly managed greenhouse that is left closed up on a hot
summer day, overheat and do great damage to all the living creatures on the Earth.

The Main Causes: Human Emissions

The primary greenhouse gases include:

 carbon dioxide
 methane
 nitrogen oxides, and
 fluorinated gases

These make up only one percent or less of the Earth’s atmosphere, but they are almost entirely
responsible for all of it’s heat trapping capacity.

Greenhouse gas levels have increased dramatically since the start of the industrial revolution.
Based on scientific study of the Earth’s past, it is believed that the atmosphere of the Earth
contained about 280 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide before the industrial revolution
began, and about .72 ppm of methane. Now the Earth’s atmosphere has about 385 ppm of carbon
dioxide and about 1.8 ppm of methane.

Impacts of Different Greenhouse Gases

Carbon dioxide is the largest contributor to global warming, and occurs in relatively high
concentrations. On the other hand, methane occurs in low concentrations, but it has a much
higher heat-trapping capacity than carbon dioxide per unit volume. In fact, methane is 20 times
more potent per unit as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide measured on a 100 year scale, and
100 times more potent measured on a 10 year scale. (Methane breaks down relatively quickly in
the atmosphere to simpler molecules.)

Other trace gases, like nitrogen oxides, and other human-created fluorinated gases have heat
trapping capacities 200-300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Humans Are Enhancing the Effect

We have initiated a new geological age: the Anthropocene — the age created by humans. We are
brining this new geological era into being by radically increasing the impact of the greenhouse
effect.

Carbon levels have increased in the atmosphere as a result of our burning large volumes of
fossil fuels that have been trapped underground for millions of years. We have cut down millions
of acres of forest and every tree contains carbon, and as a tree is burned or decomposes, that
carbon is released into the atmosphere.

We have dangerously increased methane levels in the atmosphere as well. Methane leaks from
natural gas wells and coal mines. It is also created anytime organic matter decays under oxygen-
staved conditions. This occurs in rice paddies, and in the guts of herbivorous animals. As humans
have cleared forests to make farms and expanded the number of cows, sheep, and goats, we have
increased the amount of methane in the atmosphere. The arctic tundra is also now melting, and
releasing enormous volumes of methane and carbon dioxide.

We Are Creating New Greenhouse Gases

Humans are now synthesizing more artificial nitrogen, for use as fertilizer, than all of the natural
nitrogen fixing process of all of the plants on Earth. In nature, nitrogen is pulled from plants out
of the atmosphere in a process called nitrogen fixation. But when this artificial nitrogen is
applied to farmland, some of it is released into the atmosphere as nitrogen oxide, a powerful
greenhouse gas that is several hundred times more potent per unit volume than either carbon
dioxide or methane.

Another set of highly potent gases are fluorinated gases. These are accumulating in our
atmosphere. Fluorinated gases are a set of chemicals used as refrigerants, for insulation, and for
other industrial purposes.
A step by step explanation of the greenhouse effect
Planet Earth luckily posses a blanket of gasses called atmosphere. The atmosphere is a mixture
of different gases such as Nitrogen (78%) Oxygen (21%) Argon (less than 1%), other inert gases
(Neon, Krypton), Carbon dioxide (0.04%), Methane (0.0018%), Water Vapors and traces of
other gases (including Ozone).
The sun is a gargantuan hot object that acts like a gigantic Fusion Reactor and radiates its energy
over a wide range of the spectrum (ultraviolet, visible light and infrared). Each gas behaves like a
filter – it can absorb certain wavelengths, it can scatter other wavelength. The Ozone absorbs
efficiently ultraviolet wavelengths, ultraviolet is not good and present a life hazard to living
organisms. The radiation in the visible wavelengths is scattered by the atmosphere and partly
finds its way to Earth surface. Earth surface (land, buildings, roads, etc.) warms up and radiates
back to the atmosphere in longer wavelength known as infrared. The longer wavelength radiation
is absorbed by the Carbon Dioxide, the Methane and other greenhouse effect gasses (Earth and
its atmosphere behave like a global scale greenhouse). The end result is what is now called
Global Warming

The greenhouse effect, is it good or bad?

For eons there was a delicate balance between how much radiation energy went through the
atmosphere and how much energy was reflected back to deep space. The Carbon Dioxide was
"just right" to keep this delicate equilibrium in place. Animals inhale Oxygen and exhale carbon
dioxide while plant "inhale" carbon dioxide and "exhale" oxygen so the carbon dioxide
concentration was right. Planet Earth was inhabitable, predators hunted grass eaters, grass eaters
fed on grass and the ecological system was dynamically balanced. At that time the green house
effect was "just right" and was beneficial to life.
With the increasing industrialization and with the increasing burning of fossils, more and more
carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere and more and more heat is absorbed in the
atmosphere (and not free to go to deep space). Adding to that our appetite to beef increased. The
impact is double: rain forests are burned down to make room for grazing fields (less trees to
inhale carbon dioxide) and more cows (and sheep) are releasing more methane to the
atmosphere.
Al Gore in his film "An Inconvenient Truth" depicted a chilling view of what might happen if
this trend continues. Global Warming is a fact that might get into a thermal runaway (Earth will
be like Venus – inhabitable). Governments are starting to have carbon dioxide under control
through legislation, taxation and education. Although the Copenhagen convention did not
fulfilled all our hopes, it was a small step in the right direction.
It is up to each one of us to reduce his family carbon dioxide footprint, to save energy and to use
renewable energy (solar and wind)
The Benefits of the Greenhouse Effect
For millenniums people were using Green House to get crops not in the season, earlier than usual
or in a bigger quantity per acre. Plastic sheets or glass are used as a material transparent to light
and opaque to heat (at infrared wavelengths)
A modern use is for solar hot water heaters. Solar hot water collectors use the effect to heat up
water for domestic use. In this application the benefit of greenhouse effect to the household
economy is tremendous, It can save 20-30% on the domestic energy bills.

Carbon Dioxide

       Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a colorless, odorless non-flammable gas and is the most prominent
Greenhouse gas in Earth's atmosphere.  It is recycled through the atmosphere by the process
photosynthesis, which makes human life possible. Photosynthesis is the process of green plants
and other organisms transforming light energy into chemical energy.  Light Energy is trapped
and used to convert carbon dioxide, water, and other minerals into oxygen and energy rich
organic compounds.  (Encyclopaedia Britannica Volume 25)    Carbon Dioxide is emitted into
the air as  humans exhale,  burn  fossil fuels for energy, and deforest the planet.  Every year
humans add over 30 billion tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by these processes, and it is
up thirty percent since 1750

Deforestation is another main producer of carbon dioxide.  The causes of deforestation are logging for
lumber, pulpwood, and fuel wood.  Also contributing to deforestation are clearing new land for farming
and pastures used for animals such as cows.  Forests and wooded areas are natural carbon sinks.  This
means that as trees absorb carbon dioxide, and release oxygen, carbon is being put into trees.  This
process occurs naturally by photosynthesis, which occurs less and less as we cut and burn down trees. 
As the abundance of trees declines, less carbon dioxide can be recycled.  As we burn them down, carbon
is released into the air and the carbon bonds with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, adding to the
greenhouse effect.  About 860 acres, the size of Central Park in New York, is destroyed every 15 minutes
in the tropics.

Methane
      Methane is a colorless, odorless, flammable gas.   It is formed when plants decay and where
there is very little air.  It is often called swamp gas because it is abundant around water and
swamps.  Bacteria that breakdown organic matter in wetlands and bacteria that are found in
cows, sheep, goats, buffalo, termites, and camels produce methane naturally.  Since 1750,
methane has doubled, and could double again by 2050.  Each year we add 350-500 million tons
of methane to the air by raising livestock, coal mining, drilling for oil and natural gas, rice
cultivation, and garbage sitting in landfills.(www.envirolink.org/orgs/edf/sitemap.html)  It stays
in the atmosphere for only 10 years, but traps 20 times more heat than carbon dioxide.
Livestock such as cows, sheep, goats, camels, buffaloes, and termites release methane as well. 
Bacteria in the gut of the animal break down food and convert some of it to methane. When these
animals belch, methane is released.  In one day, a cow can emit ½ pound of methane into the air. 
Imagine 1.3 billion cattle each burping methane several times per minute!

Nitrous Oxide
     Nitrous oxide is another colorless greenhouse gas, however, it has a sweet odor .  It is
primarily used as an anesthetic because it deadens pain and for this characteristic is called
�laughing gas.�  This gas is released naturally from oceans and by bacteria in soils.  Nitrous
oxide gas risen by more than 15% since 1750.   Each year we add 7-13 million tons into the
atmosphere by using nitrogen based fertilizers, disposing of human and animal waste in sewage
treatment plants, automobile exhaust, and other sources not yet identified.  It is important to
reduce emissions because the nitrous oxide we release today will still be trapped in the
atmosphere 100 years from now. (World Book Volume 13)

Nitrogen based fertilizer use has doubled in the past 15 years.  These fertilizers provide nutrients
for crops; however, when they breakdown in the soil, nitrous oxide is released into the
atmosphere.  In automobiles, nitrous oxide is released at a much lower rate than carbon dioxide,
because there is more carbon in gasoline than nitrogen.

Fluorocarbons
    Fluorocarbons is a general term for any group of synthetic organic compounds that contain
fluorine and carbon.  Many of these compounds, such as chlorofluorocarbons(CFC�s), can be
easily converted from gas to liquid or liquid to gas.  Because of these properties, CFC�s can be
used in aerosol cans, refrigerators, and air conditioners.  Studies in the 1970�s showed that
when CFC�s are emitted into the atmosphere, they break down molecules in the Earth's ozone
layer (World Book).  Since then, the use of CFC�s has significantly decreased and they are
banned from production in the United States.
The substitute for CFC�s are hydrofluorocarbons (HFC's).  HFC�s do not harm or breakdown
the ozone molecule, but they do trap heat in the atmosphere, making it a greenhouse gas, aiding
in global warming.  HFC�s are used in air conditioners and refrigerators.  The way to reduce
emissions of this gas is to be sure that in both devices the coolant is recycled and all leaks are
properly fixed .  Also, before throwing the appliances away, be sure to recover the coolant in
each.
 
 Effects of Global Warming on Environment
     There are many  environmental problems coming from the increase concentration of
greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere.  As Jeff Rubin of ABC NEWS reported, �Several signs
indicate that we've begun changing Earth's climate:  increased water vapor in the atmosphere,
glaciers and polar ice caps appear to be melting, floods and droughts are becoming more severe,
and sea levels have risen, on average, between 4 and 10 inches since 1990.� 
(www.abc.com/sections/us/global106.html)  Experts concur, �We are already beginning to see
this (global warming) taking place - a lot more flooding, a lot more droughts,� Jane Lubchenco
said. Jerry Malham added, �By 2100, we might get a 2 foot sea level rise, but the catch is,
levels might continue to rise 2 or 3 feet per century, for 1000
years.�(www.abcnews.com/sections/us/global106.html)  These rises in sea level can increase
the salinity of freshwater throughout the world, and cause coastal lands to be washed under the
ocean.  Warmer water and increased humidity may encourage tropical cyclones, and changing
wave patterns could produce more tidal waves and strong beach erosion on the coasts.
 

The Problem

Although the greenhouse effect is essential to the survival of life on earth, too strong a
greenhouse effect has adverse effects.  The greenhouse effect on earth is currently too strong and
the Earth is heating up too quickly. There are too many greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at
the moment. The world is getting hotter and hotter as the concentration of greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere increases.

Increasing amounts of greenhouse gases, especially Carbon Dioxide are being emitted into the
air primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.
What is Global Warming:
Global Warming Causes & Effects

The main fundamental causes of global warming are two-fold:

The first one is our total dependence on the burning of fossil fuels to generate energy to power
our industrialized lifestyles.

The second one is the way we use our land to produce food, timber products etc.

These economic activities are the major drivers of an increase of greenhouse gas concentrations
in the Earth's atmosphere.

See the Global Warming Causes article for more detail.

The effects of global warming are indeed numerous and far-reaching.

Among other things, they include: changed climate patterns and the rise global sea level,
reduction in snow cover & glacier retreat, rise in extreme weather events such as floods &
droughts, loss of plant & animal diversity, reduced water supplies and decrease in agricultural
productivity.

See the Global Warming Effects article for more detail.

What is Global Warming:

Case Study – Dramatic Shrinkage of the Arctic Ice Cover

What is global warming:

Alaskan Ice Melting
Courtesy: Flickr.com
As global warming marches on and its effects unfold, the shrinkage of the Arctic ice cover that
has been observed by the beginning of the 21st century .This particular region is not only a
passive recipient of the global warming phenomenon with all its effects following, it is also an
active agent in bringing about further global changes as a direct result (feedback) of the warming
effects it is experiencing now.

In other words, it is both a result and a cause of global warming.

Here is some evidence that global warming is indeed affecting the Arctic region:

 In the past few decades the Arctic average temperature increased at twice the rate as the
rest of the world

 Declining snow cover; widespread melting of glaciers and sea ice

 Rising river flows: river discharge to the ocean has increased and spring peak river flows
are now occurring earlier

 Increased precipitation much of which comes in the form of rain, with the largest
increases in autumn and winter

 Rising permafrost temperature leads to permafrost thawing

Some of the current and potential future effects of the Arctic shrinkage:

 Removal of the highly reflective Arctic ice cover reduces the albedo of the Earth – the
ability of the planet to reflect a certain quantity of solar energy back to space. This leads
to the Earth absorbing more sunlight and further contributes to climate warming.

This is exactly when the Artic ice melt becomes a cause of global warming.

 Global and regional sea level has risen by 10 – 20 centimeters during the last century, as
a result of the warming process. This will affect the ocean circulation patterns and,
consequently, global and regional climate

 Arctic climate change will have an impact on global biodiversity because some migratory
species rely on the Arctic grounds for breeding and feeding

 Forests will replace a significant proportion of existing tundra, and tundra vegetation will
move into polar deserts. The larger tree cover is expected to increase carbon removal
from the atmosphere, though the reduced reflectivity of the surface will most likely
outweigh this effect.
Global warming is expected to increase forest fires and destruction of trees by insects. This will
lead to the loss of valuable biodiversity-rich old-growth forests.

 Reduction in sea ice will have a devastating effect on polar bears, ice-dependent seals and
local people who use these animals as a food source

 Reduced sea ice will allow for extraction and shipping of oil which will further damage
the marine habitat and negatively affect the health of local populations

 Many coastal communities face exposure to storms because rising sea level and a
reduction in sea ice will allow high waves and storm surges to reach the shore; these
storms in their turn will lead to coastal erosion

 Indigenous communities face major economic and cultural impacts whose lifestyles are
closely linked to the health of their ecosystems

It is becoming more obvious that changes to the Arctic system are happening much faster than
predicted even several years ago.

The WWF 2008 update report on the Arctic climate change makes a reference to ”the recent
severely accelerated melting of both the Greenland Ice Sheet and the Arctic sea ice.” (23)

For example, the extent of Arctic sea ice was the lowest on record in September 2007. During
this period, the extent of sea ice was 39% less than its 1979 – 2000 mean. The main reason for
this is believed to be climate warming which reduced both the area and thickness of multi-year
ice and made the remaining ice more vulnerable to summer thaw. (24)

The melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet would have a particularly significant effect on global sea
level. If this entire ice sheet melted, it would raise the sea level by 7.3 meters, with destructive
effects all over the planet. (25)

It is pretty clear that the real solution to the Arctic shrinkage problem lies in solving the issue of
global warming as such.

The sooner we sort it out, the better – the time is certainly running out fast.

What is Global Warming:

Conclusion
Global warming is probably the biggest challenge that humanity is facing right now. We can also
think of it as being part of air pollution.

The evidence is clear: global warming is caused by our own actions.

Up to today, we have already emitted such huge amounts of greenhouse gases that they will be
enough to cause the warming to continue for decades and possibly even centuries ahead.

There is a real need for every single citizen of the Earth to act, and act right now, no matter how
small our actions may seem to us.

As they say, tough times bring great opportunities.

Maybe, this period of trial for the whole planet is also a great opportunity for us to bury our
differences and come and act together - there is simply no other real way to beat this global
challenge.

Albedo: definition.
Albedo is the fraction of solar energy (shortwave radiation) reflected from the Earth back
into space. It is a measure of the reflectivity of the earth's surface. Ice, especially with
snow on top of it, has a high albedo: most sunlight hitting the surface bounces back
towards space. Water is much more absorbent and less reflective. So, if there is a lot of
water, more solar radiation is absorbed by the ocean than when ice dominates.
Albedo is not important at high latitudes in winter: there is hardly any incoming sunlight
to worry about. It becomes important in spring and summer when the radiation entering
through leads can greatly increase the melt rate of the sea ice.