Green World: Prof. Peter Terezakis • OART-UT 1057 • NYU Tisch

Greenhouse gases

Sophie's Planet, Dr. James Hansen Chapter 10. Runaway Greenhouse Mars, Venus and Earth are the Goldilocks planet -- too cold, too hot, and just right. These planets nicely show how the greenhouse effect depends on atmospheric composition. Physics of the greenhouse effect is mainly energy balance: a planet sends back to space, in the form of heat radiation, the same amount of energy that it absorbs from sunlight.

Neither Al Gore or Doctor Hansen “invented” the idea of CO2 being a greenhouse gas.  That discovery goes to Eunice Foote in 1856.

CO2 Earth splash page

Circumstances Affecting the Heat of the Sun’s Rays, Eunice Foote 1856
“Circumstances Affecting the Heat of the Sun’s Rays,” Eunice Foote 1856

CO2 Levels for February Eclipsed Prehistoric Highs

NASA scientists react to 400 ppm carbon milestone

link to NOAA page: How much is the human influence on climate changing, owing to continued emission of greenhouse gases?

Methane, EDF

Interactive map of Methane at wells

EPA Greenhouse Gases Overview

methane is far less abundant in the atmosphere than CO2, it absorbs thermal infrared radiation much more efficiently and, in consequence, has a global warming potential (GWP) ~86 times stronger per unit mass than CO2 on a 20-year timescale and 28-times more powerful on a 100-year time scale (IPCC 2014)