Global Warming by Greenhouse Gases

Gases with strong absorption in the infrared (IR) light range are called greenhouse gases. These gases absorb the IR radiation reflected by the earth's surface in the Troposphere and transmit it in no particular direction, so that it is partially reflected back to the earth. Like a glass-enclosed greenhouse, they do not impede the entry of short-wave sunlight.

The most significant IR-active gas is water vapor. It occours in large amounts in the Troposphere. Increase surface temperature raise the rate of evaporation and thus increase the water vapor concentration. The result is a reinforcement of the effect (so-called positive feedback).

The increase of anthropogenic greenhouse gases is linked to the increase in energy consumption in numeruos ways. The particularly extreme increase of the trace gases Methane and Carbon Dioxide is additionally connected to massive changes in agricultural utilization, above all the Third World. The Greenhouse Effect of Carbon Dioxide will be exceeded by that of the other greenhouse gases in the near future. Although they only occur in small amounts these absorb IR radiation much more effectively than Carbon Dioxide.

Prognoses pertaining to the temperature development of the earth's surface due to greenhouse gases are, however, still vey unreliable.