Greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect is warming caused when atmospheric gases absorb and re-emit outgoing infrared radiation, reducing heat loss from a planet’s surface and lower atmosphere.

Radiative forcing: A change in Earth’s energy balance caused by factors such as greenhouse gases, aerosols, or solar variability. It quantifies how changes in atmospheric absorption alter the energy available to warm the climate.
Thermal radiation: Electromagnetic radiation emitted by matter because of its temperature. Earth’s surface and atmosphere exchange energy through this radiation.
Earth's energy budget: The accounting of energy entering, leaving, and moving within the Earth system. The greenhouse effect changes how much outgoing energy escapes to space.
Enhanced greenhouse effect: The additional warming caused by rising concentrations of greenhouse gases, especially from human activities. It distinguishes recent human-driven changes from the natural greenhouse effect.
Infrared window: Wavelength bands where atmospheric gases absorb relatively little outgoing infrared radiation. Radiation escapes most directly through these bands, limiting the atmosphere’s heat-trapping effect.
Black-body radiation: The characteristic spectrum of radiation emitted by an ideal absorber in thermal equilibrium. It provides the reference spectrum for understanding Earth’s infrared emission.
Climate sensitivity: The temperature response of the climate system to a specified change in radiative forcing. It measures the total warming that follows an enhanced greenhouse effect.
Ozone depletion: The reduction of stratospheric ozone, chiefly caused by ozone-depleting substances. It is often confused with greenhouse warming, but primarily changes ultraviolet shielding.
Atmospheric absorption: The uptake of radiation by atmospheric molecules at wavelengths matching their energy transitions. Greenhouse gases warm the atmosphere by absorbing infrared radiation emitted from the surface.
Electromagnetic spectrum: The full range of electromagnetic radiation, ordered by wavelength or frequency. The greenhouse effect depends on gases absorbing particular infrared wavelengths.

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