Atmospheric window

An atmospheric window is a wavelength range in which Earth’s atmosphere transmits electromagnetic radiation relatively well, allowing radiation to pass through with limited absorption or scattering.

Atmospheric absorption: The removal of electromagnetic radiation from a beam as atmospheric molecules absorb its energy. Absorption bands define the gaps between wavelengths that transmit well.
Infrared astronomy: The study of astronomical objects through their infrared radiation. Observatories exploit infrared windows to detect radiation from celestial sources.
Electromagnetic spectrum: The full range of electromagnetic radiation, ordered by frequency or wavelength. Atmospheric windows are intervals within this broader spectrum.
Atmospheric opacity: The degree to which a medium prevents radiation from passing through it. Opaque wavelengths mark the intervals between atmospheric windows.
Water vapor: The gaseous form of water, present in variable amounts throughout Earth’s atmosphere. Its strong, numerous absorption bands interrupt infrared transmission.
Radio astronomy: The study of astronomical objects by detecting their radio emissions. Ground-based radio telescopes operate in frequency ranges that reach the surface.
Wavelength: The distance between successive corresponding points of a wave, such as adjacent peaks. Atmospheric transparency varies with wavelength.
Greenhouse effect: The warming of a planetary surface and lower atmosphere as gases absorb and re-emit infrared radiation. Greenhouse-gas absorption limits infrared escape outside the main atmospheric window.
Ozone layer: A stratospheric region enriched in ozone that absorbs most incoming ultraviolet radiation. Ozone blocks ultraviolet wavelengths that otherwise might form atmospheric windows.
Atmospheric remote sensing: The use of measured radiation to infer atmospheric properties and processes. Selected windows let sensors observe the surface or specific atmospheric layers.

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