TN-96 : Effect of increase in green house gases on radiation, albedo and evaporation

Abstract

Concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons have increased considerably from pre-industrial levels and are increasing at an alarming rate. The direct effect of this increase is the alteration in global radiation balance. The changes in radioactive components or the radioactive perturbations alter the temperature of the earth-atmosphere system, which in turn affects the wind fields and other climatic parameters. The change in climate has considerable impact on hydrological regime. Hence, the understanding of how the radiation balance is affected by increasing greenhouse gas concentrations, is a pre requisite for impact studies. The present report gives an over view of the radioactive energy budget of the earth atmosphere system, the role of greenhouse gases in affecting the radiation balance and the trends of increase of these radioactively active gases. A review has been presented on the global climate model implications for increase in greenhouse gases in relation to radiation, albedo and evaporation.