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2
Radiatively Important
Atmospheric Constituents
Donald J. Wuebbles and Darienne Ciuro
2.1 Introduction
This chapter discusses the chemical constituents and radiative properties
that characterize our atmosphere and drive our climate system. Earth’s cli-
mate system is always at work; it receives, absorbs, and reects radiative
energy from the sun in higher quantities at the tropics and redistributes the
heat from low to high latitudes to compensate for the lack of heat received
at the poles. This transport and exchange of heat determines the global
atmospheric circulation patterns and, thus, the distribution of temperature
and precipitation across ...