The state of atmosphere is determined by composition and characteristic parameters. The components of the atmosphere are nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%) and other gases (1%), for example carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), ozone (O₃) …. The atmosphere is a gas mix, it characteristics the pressure, temperature, volume. Let’s examine the connection between the human activity and the temperature of atmosphere. The carbon dioxide, and the methane is increasing by human activity. If the carbon dioxid and methane is increasig in the atmosphere then the temperature is increasing too. The human activity reduces the ozone in stratosphere. It is a problem for life on Earth. The people watch the state of atmosphere: It’s very hot. The sun burns. Has changed the atmosphere? Has changed the climate? Yes, it is changing now too. The scientist answers: it has changed unfortunately the wrong direction.

The cavemen (Homo erectus) began to use the fire about million years ago. The cavemen started to breed animals. He developed the livestock breeding. The burning of fossil materials emit carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The animals emit carbon dioxide and methane. This was not a problem in the atmosphere until the eighteenth century.  Carbon dioxide and methane have greenhouse effect. Pollution of atmosphere is growing since industrial revolution.

The population of the world is about seven billion people. China is building many thermal power plants, the carbon dioxide emission is big. The thermal power plants emit many-many carbon dioxide. The emission doesn't grow in the US. It is reduced in the European Union.

The livestock breeding brutally increased in the world. Today the cattle population is 1.3 billion. The cattle produces milk and meat. The cattle emits a lot of methane (and carbon dioxide) during production. Methane has greenhouse effect, its 23-times stronger, as carbon dioxide.

The sheep population is 1.8 billion animals. The chicken population is 15.4 billion animals. The pig population is 1 billion animals. Many carbon dioxide and methane gases goes from livestock breeding into atmosphere. The world cannot to maintain a gigantic meat production.

The figure shows that the carbon dioxide content of atmosphere was low 800 thousand and 450 thousand years ago. The event was eight hundred thousand or four hundred and fifty thousand years ago. How can to measure the carbon dioxide? In the picture is an ice sample from Greenland. The ice actually is frozen snow in Greenland. The ice contains air. The air age is many thousands years ago.

The carbon dioxide content significantly increased (blue line) between 1900 and 2000. In 2000, the concentration of carbon dioxide reached 340 parts per million. Ppm means part per million, example if in 1 million cubic meters air is 1 cubic meter carbon dioxide, then concentration is 1 ppm.

Look at the blue line in figure.

Let's consider the very hot days. The average temperature is higher than 25 degrees Celsius. The figure shows number of days per year from 1900 to 2000. We find that the warm days is increasing. The black line is the regression line, it's increasing.

If the atmospheric carbon dioxide was increased then the temperature as well will increase.

It is the global warming. It is climate change.

The climate change is an interdisciplinary science. Al Gore is a climate change specialist and leading activist in the U.S.A. 

The atmosphere is a thin film. Now the carbon dioxide content of atmosphere is 0.034 % = 340 ppm. Increase of the carbon dioxide concentration will do global warming in the Earth. The air state determines life on Earth. The world's biggest carbon emitters are China and U.S.

Is greenhouse effect other planet in the Sun system? Yes.

In the picture we can see the Sun system. The Venus has atmosphere. The carbon dioxide concentration is high in the atmosphere of Venus. The Sun is shining and the temperature will be four hundred and sixty centigrade on the Venus. The planet cannot cool. It is a greenhouse effect. The carbon dioxide ideal concentration is 280 ppm for life on Earth. It also has a greenhouse effect, but doesn't make global warming on Earth. If would not have been carbon dioxide in the atmosphere the average temperature would be -18 degree Celsius.

What does mean the greenhouse effect? The carbon dioxide causes this effect. The solar energy arrives from Sun, its wavelength is 400 ... 800 nano meter. The radiation warms the Earth's surface. The clouds reflect a part of solar radiation. The warmed Earth radiates in infrared wave (wavelength is >> 800 nm). The effect of this is warm Earth’s surface and the lower atmosphere. Part of the radiation is absorbed by carbon dioxide. The effect of this is warm Earth’s surface and the lower atmosphere. Other part of radiation goes out into space. If the carbon dioxide concentration more 280 ppm (today 340 ... 380 ppm) then more energy is absorbed in the atmosphere. It is global warming.

Not only carbon dioxide and methane have greenhouse effect. Nitrous oxide gases are used in medicine, the synthetic fertilizers are emitting into atmosphere. F-gases are in refrigerator, in the clime device. The use of nitrous oxide and F-gases well regulated by international standards. The greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, F-gases. Global Warming Potential: Methane has greenhouse effect, its 23-times stronger, as carbon dioxide. The nitrous oxide (N₂ O) has greenhouse effect, its 314-times stronger, as carbon dioxide. The F-gases have greenhouse effect, they are 23 thousand times stronger, as carbon dioxide. There are water cycle (cycle time 10 days) and carbon cycle (cycle time 50 … 200 years) are yet in the atmosphere. The water vapor has greenhouse effect. The human activity doesn't affect the water vapor in the atmosphere, its cycle time is short.

The high carbon dioxide concentration is in atmosphere by human activity. If today we reduce emissions, the impact will be after 50 ... 200 years. The carbon dioxide is a main greenhouse gas. Carbon dioxide is generated in the combustion of coal, of gas, of petroleum. If the carbon dioxide increases, then causes warming of Earth. In the atmosphere aren't frontier, had to an agreement which limited the carbon dioxide emission for every country.

This agreement was born in Kioto. The Kioto Convention has regulated emissions of carbon dioxide in each state. 169 countries have signed and ratified the Kioto Convention. The industrial countries had to reduce carbon dioxide emissions significantly (5.2%). The U.S.A. signed but not ratified, Canada later quitted the Kioto Convention.  China and India have not undertaken to reduce the carbon dioxide emission.

 

The Kyoto Convention aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The member countries get carbon quotas (in tons), which may emit without consequences. The United Nations Association checks the emissions in every countries. We can buy quota, when it is not enough. You can sell your emission saving. There is an emission market. The price of one ton carbon dioxide emission is one carbon credit. The carbon credit similar as dollar, euro, on the emission market.

Let's examine the greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, F-gases). The thermal power plants, the transport a lot of carbon dioxide emit into the atmosphere. The livestock breeding emit carbon dioxide and very much methane. We can see in the picture rice production. The rice is in water. This system emits a lot of methane.

The nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas and air pollutant. It has 314 times more greenhouse impact than carbon dioxide. The urea based synthetic fertilizer emits this gas at the agriculture. In foam cartridge there is nitrous oxide. The medical anesthetic gas is too nitrous oxide. Their use is regulated in all states.

F-gases are man-made gases that can stay in the atmosphere for a long time. F-gases are greenhouse gases. The refrigerators, the air conditioners are operated F-gases.

Summary:

Greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, F-gases. Theirs concentration are increasing by human activity. Will be global warming on the surface of Earth.

Continue: Ozone in atmosphere

 

 

 

 

 

Oldal: Greenhouse effect
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