Chapter 1 - Earth's Atmosphere and Its Surface Systems

Abstract

This chapter discusses the earth's atmosphere and its surface systems. Earth's atmospheric air is a mixture of various constituents, the principal ones being nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. Suspended solid and liquid particles of natural and man-made origin are always present in the atmosphere; they are called atmospheric aerosol. Its state and properties vary with the altitude and from time-to-time. The atmosphere may be divided vertically into a number of layers differing in composition, temperature, and other physical properties. Radiation emitted from the earth's surface can be considered black-body radiation and is a function of the surface temperature and the wave-length. There are passive and active methods for space remote imaging of the earth's surfaces and clouds. Reflected solar radiance and the earth's thermal emission radiance are the major sources for passive space sensor system applications. Radiance in bands of gases with a fixed concentration can be used to measure vertical temperature profiles. For gases with a variable concentration, space remote sounding can be used to estimate the vertical concentration profiles.