Parameterization of the Infrared Molecular Absorption in the Earth’s Lower and Middle Atmosphere

Abstract

A new algorithm for parameterizations of molecular absorption in the Earth’s atmosphere is presented, which takes into account the change in atmospheric gas composition with altitude and has a number of other advantages, as well as a parameterization constructed using this algorithm, in the frequency region from 10 to 2000 cm−1 and altitude range from the Earth’s surface to 76 km. Comparison of the calculation results of the Earth’s atmospheric radiation field (carried out using this parameterization) with the results of reference calculations (line-by-line) shows that the parameterization suggested has good accuracy in the lower and middle atmosphere both in the absence and in the presence of cloud layers with a large optical thickness.