{"id":369252,"date":"2025-03-10T08:09:56","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T07:09:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=369252"},"modified":"2025-03-10T08:09:58","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T07:09:58","slug":"r-i-p-climate-back-radiation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=369252","title":{"rendered":"R.I.P. Climate Back\u00a0Radiation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"482\" data-attachment-id=\"369272\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=369272\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?fit=1980%2C1320&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1980,1320\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;4.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Getty Images\/iStockphoto&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark III&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Beautiful cloudscape over the sea, sunrise shot&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1476169387&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;valio84sl&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;16&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.003125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Beautiful sunrise over the sea&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Beautiful sunrise over the sea\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Beautiful cloudscape over the sea, sunrise shot&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?fit=723%2C482&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?resize=723%2C482&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?w=1980&amp;ssl=1 1980w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Beautiful cloudscape over the sea, sunrise shot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From <a href=\"https:\/\/rclutz.com\/2025\/03\/08\/r-i-p-climate-back-radiation\/\">Science Matters<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/rclutz.com\/author\/ronaldrc\/\">Ron Clutz<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"510\" data-attachment-id=\"369253\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=369253\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-278.png?fit=758%2C535&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"758,535\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-278.png?fit=723%2C510&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-278.png?resize=723%2C510&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369253\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-278.png?w=758&amp;ssl=1 758w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-278.png?resize=300%2C212&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Beware false and misleading Cartoons.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A brief recent video by Markus Ott explains why the notion of \u201cback radiation\u201d in Earth\u2019s climate should be laid to rest.&nbsp; I provide a transcript text in italics with my bolds and key exhibits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"723\" height=\"407\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nvakBfl4pNU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ott\/Shula: The second law of thermodynamics and the greenhouse effect<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This is the first of a\u00a0<strong>short series of physics videos<\/strong>. This series is intended to be a follow up to Tom Shula\u2019s presentation in which we can take more time<strong>\u00a0to go into the fundamentals and derivations<\/strong>\u00a0of our results. \u00a0Since Tom and I are attacking the foundations of modern climate science, it makes sense to\u00a0<strong>start with the thermodynamic aspects of the greenhouse effect.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>In this video I will not talk&nbsp;about greenhouse gas&nbsp;molecules.&nbsp;I will look at the Green House&nbsp;Effect&nbsp;<strong>from the perspective of classical&nbsp;thermodynamics<\/strong>. Classical thermodynamics&nbsp;describes<strong>&nbsp;matter as a continuum<\/strong>&nbsp;and does&nbsp;not care about the atomic or molecular&nbsp;structure of matter. &nbsp;The&nbsp;<strong>laws of&nbsp;thermodynamics have proven to be&nbsp;universally valid<\/strong>&nbsp;hypotheses,&nbsp;and&nbsp;theories that contradict the laws of&nbsp;thermodynamics have always proved to be&nbsp;wrong<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>In connection with the greenhouse\u00a0effect,\u00a0the<strong>\u00a0second law of Thermodynamics<\/strong>\u00a0is particularly\u00a0interesting. \u00a0There are various equivalent\u00a0formulations for the second law of\u00a0thermodynamics which states that thermal\u00a0energy cannot be completely converted\u00a0into other forms of energy. \u00a0<strong>Rudolf\u00a0Clausius<\/strong>\u00a0was the first to formulate the<strong>\u00a0second\u00a0law in the form that heat does not flow\u00a0spontaneously from cold to hot\u00a0bodies.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Later in 1865 he developed on\u00a0that\u00a0<strong>basis<\/strong>\u00a0the concept\u00a0<strong>of\u00a0entropy.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"431\" data-attachment-id=\"369256\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=369256\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-279.png?fit=1810%2C1080&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1810,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-279.png?fit=723%2C431&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-279.png?resize=723%2C431&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-279.png?resize=1024%2C611&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-279.png?resize=300%2C179&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-279.png?resize=768%2C458&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-279.png?resize=1536%2C917&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-279.png?resize=1200%2C716&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-279.png?w=1810&amp;ssl=1 1810w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-279.png?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Those who believe in&nbsp;thermodynamics categorize this statement&nbsp;as an eternal truth and therefore find&nbsp;it very difficult to understand how the&nbsp;greenhouse effect is supposed to work. &nbsp;How can the atmosphere which is mostly&nbsp;colder than the Earth\u2019s surface heat the&nbsp;Surface by means of back&nbsp;radiation,&nbsp;and by as much as 33\u00b0C?<strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;Greenhouse effect believers like to&nbsp;refer to Carl Schwarzschild\u2019s 1906 paper<\/strong>&nbsp;About the equilibrium of the solar atmosphere&nbsp;to answer this question.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>In&nbsp;order to clarify this question of faith&nbsp;we will take a closer look at this much&nbsp;cited and probably rarely read&nbsp;article which was&nbsp;written&nbsp;in a German adequate to a highly&nbsp;educated man. &nbsp;I posted a manual translation of&nbsp;the text on my substack page. &nbsp;Without&nbsp;going into the details of his&nbsp;calculations we will look at&nbsp;<strong>how Schwarzschild&nbsp;comes to the conclusion<\/strong>&nbsp;that the&nbsp;<strong>sun\u2019s atmosphere not only radiates&nbsp;outwards<\/strong>&nbsp;into space but that a&nbsp;significant proportion of<strong>&nbsp;radiation is&nbsp;also directed inwards<\/strong>&nbsp;towards the base&nbsp;of the sun\u2019s&nbsp;atmosphere.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Such an<strong>&nbsp;inward or downward back&nbsp;radiation can also be measured at&nbsp;the bottom of the Earth\u2019s&nbsp;atmosphere.<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;This observation is taken as&nbsp;a reason to postulate a similar&nbsp;radiation equilibrium in the Earth\u2019s&nbsp;atmosphere. &nbsp;The<strong>&nbsp;greenhouse effect is said&nbsp;to be the result of that back&nbsp;radiation.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The starting point for Schwarzschild\u2019s article is the&nbsp;<strong>observation that the brightness of the visible solar disc is not evenly distributed.<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;The brightness decreases towards the edge. &nbsp;The diagram shows the observed brightness distribution as a blue line. Schwarzschild compares two conceivable mechanisms of heat transport through the solar atmosphere in order to determine the cause of this brightness distribution. Heat transport through radiative transfer which requires a radiative equilibrium in the Solar atmosphere, and heat transport by convection with an adiabatic equilibrium in the Solar atmosphere.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"407\" data-attachment-id=\"369258\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=369258\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-280.png?fit=1920%2C1080&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-280.png?fit=723%2C407&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-280.png?resize=723%2C407&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-280.png?resize=1024%2C576&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-280.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-280.png?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-280.png?resize=1536%2C864&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-280.png?resize=1200%2C675&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-280.png?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-280.png?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>He calculates how the brightness distribution on the solar disc should be for these two cases. \u00a0Because<strong>\u00a0his results for the radiative equilibrium Orange Line<\/strong>\u00a0in the diagram\u00a0<strong>matched the observed brightness distribution Blue Line bette<\/strong>r than his results for the adiabatic equilibrium Gray Line, he<strong>\u00a0assumes that a radiative equilibrium prevails in the Solar atmosphere<\/strong>. We will disregard his description of the adiabatic equilibrium here and restrict ourselves to his description of the radiative equilibrium.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"376\" data-attachment-id=\"369260\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=369260\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-281.png?fit=1791%2C933&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1791,933\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-281.png?fit=723%2C376&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-281.png?resize=723%2C376&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369260\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-281.png?resize=1024%2C533&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-281.png?resize=300%2C156&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-281.png?resize=768%2C400&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-281.png?resize=1536%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-281.png?resize=1200%2C625&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-281.png?w=1791&amp;ssl=1 1791w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-281.png?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Kirchhoff\u2019s law of radiation plays a central role in\u00a0Schwarzschild\u2019s model.<\/strong>\u00a0Kirchhoff\u2019s law of radiation describes the relationship between absorption and emission of a real body in thermal equilibrium.\u00a0<strong>\u00a0It states that radiation absorption and emission correspond to each other for a given wavelength.\u00a0<\/strong>A\u00a0body\u00a0that absorbs well also radiates well. \u00a0This can be visualized as follows:\u00a0We\u00a0consider a body 2\u00a0that is located in a\u00a0cavity of another body 1.\u00a0Vacuum\u00a0prevails in the intermediate\u00a0space. \u00a0<strong>\u00a0If both bodies have the same temperature the radiant power absorbed by Body 2 must be the same as the radiant power emitted\u00a0<\/strong>by it because otherwise the temperature of body 2 would change. \u00a0This means that in thermal equilibrium Kirchhoff\u2019s law of radiation represents\u00a0<strong>a kind of radiation energy\u00a0conservation law<\/strong>\u00a0for body\u00a02.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"453\" data-attachment-id=\"369261\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=369261\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-282.png?fit=1722%2C1080&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1722,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-282.png?fit=723%2C453&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-282.png?resize=723%2C453&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-282.png?resize=1024%2C642&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-282.png?resize=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-282.png?resize=768%2C482&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-282.png?resize=1536%2C963&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-282.png?resize=1200%2C753&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-282.png?w=1722&amp;ssl=1 1722w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-282.png?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>The\u00a0layout of Schwarzschild\u2019s radiative\u00a0transfer model of the solar atmosphere<\/strong>\u00a0is quite simple. \u00a0An unknown heat source\u00a0in the core of the Sun generates heat; a\u00a0possible liquid outer core transports\u00a0this heat by convection to the bottom of\u00a0the solar\u00a0atmosphere;\u00a0the heat is then transported\u00a0outwards into space solely by radiative\u00a0transfer. \u00a0He does not go any further into\u00a0the properties of the sun\u2019s core. \u00a0He only\u00a0assumes that the core heats the solar\u00a0atmosphere evenly at its boundary\u00a0surface. \u00a0It is very important that this\u00a0heating occurs so evenly that convection\u00a0currents do not form in the Solar\u00a0atmosphere.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>In Schwarzschild\u2019s model the&nbsp;<strong>solar atmosphere is assumed to have the&nbsp;following&nbsp;properties<\/strong>:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u2666 the solar atmosphere is stably stratified without convection.<\/em><br><em>\u2666 temperature and density increase continuously from the top of the atmosphere to the ground<\/em><br><em>\u2666 the vertical profile of temperature is smaller than the adiabatic vertical profile.<\/em><br><em>\u2666 each layer of the sun\u2019s\u00a0atmosphere absorbs and emits radiation\u00a0without loss.<\/em><br><em>\u2666 the energy flow which flows from an unknown source inside the Sun through the solar atmosphere into the outer space is in a steady state.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Since a downwelling radiation is also measurable on the ground of Earth\u2019s atmosphere,&nbsp;<strong>modern climate science assumes that Schwarzschild\u2019s radiation transfer model is also applicable to our atmosphere.<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;Now let\u2019s take a look at the applicability of &nbsp;Schwarzschild\u2019s&nbsp;&nbsp;model to the Earth\u2019s atmosphere.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"410\" data-attachment-id=\"369263\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=369263\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-283.png?fit=1787%2C1014&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1787,1014\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-283.png?fit=723%2C410&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-283.png?resize=723%2C410&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369263\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-283.png?resize=1024%2C581&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-283.png?resize=300%2C170&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-283.png?resize=768%2C436&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-283.png?resize=1536%2C872&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-283.png?resize=1200%2C681&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-283.png?w=1787&amp;ssl=1 1787w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-283.png?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>It is striking that Schwarzschild has practically constructed his model around Kirchhoff\u2019s law of radiation. He has to make a number of&nbsp;<strong>not particularly plausible assumptions in order to create a local thermal equilibrium<\/strong>&nbsp;between the layers of his solar atmosphere. &nbsp;As mentioned before most of these assumptions serve to prevent convection in his model. &nbsp;This is critically important because as soon as convection comes into play, the condition of local thermal equilibrium is no longer fulfilled. &nbsp;The&nbsp;<strong>vertical convection currents and the associated turbulence destroy Schwarzschild\u2019s homogeneous stratification<\/strong>&nbsp;of the atmosphere. &nbsp;Large local temperature jumps occur Kirchhoff\u2019s law of radiation is therefore no longer applicable.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>To summarize and formulate\u00a0this somewhat more abstractly: \u00a0In order\u00a0to create the conditions for Pure\u00a0radiation transport through the solar\u00a0atmosphere Schwarzschild\u00a0must construct an\u00a0atmosphere with a very high degree of\u00a0order. \u00a0I<strong>n liquid or gaseous systems even,\u00a0minor disturbances will cause such a\u00a0state to change into a disordered\u00a0convective State.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Under convective\u00a0conditions Kirchhoff\u2019s\u00a0law of radiation\u00a0and thus the radiative transfer equation\u00a0are not valid.<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/rclutz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ott-fig3.png\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"414\" data-attachment-id=\"369264\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=369264\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-284.png?fit=1805%2C1033&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1805,1033\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-284.png?fit=723%2C414&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-284.png?resize=723%2C414&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369264\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-284.png?resize=1024%2C586&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-284.png?resize=300%2C172&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-284.png?resize=768%2C440&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-284.png?resize=1536%2C879&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-284.png?resize=1200%2C687&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-284.png?w=1805&amp;ssl=1 1805w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-284.png?w=1446&amp;ssl=1 1446w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This transition to the&nbsp;convective state takes place with&nbsp;<strong>a&nbsp;large entropy gain.<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;It is therefore&nbsp;<strong>spontaneous and&nbsp;irreversible<\/strong>. &nbsp;Accordingly,&nbsp;there&nbsp;should be no radiative transfer and no&nbsp;greenhouse effect in our troposphere&nbsp;since it is dominated by convection&nbsp;currents.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Look at a volume element under convective conditions such as those that prevail in our troposphere.<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;The volume element absorbs radiation and converts the radiation energy into heat. Before it can convert the heat back into radiation it is caught by a convection current and lifted. &nbsp;This causes it to move into areas with lower ambient pressure. &nbsp;It expands and performs volume work in the process. &nbsp;It draws the energy for this volume work from its heat content and therefore cools down. &nbsp;The amount of heat that the volume element has converted into volume work can no longer be converted back into radiation. The conservation of radiation energy is therefore no longer given.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Kirchhoff\u2019s\u00a0law of radiation can no longer\u00a0be applied to the volume element.\u00a0The\u00a0entropy of the volume element\u00a0increases\u00a0the process is\u00a0irreversible lifting and acceleration. \u00a0<strong>Work performed by the volume element\u00a0derives\u00a0their energy from the heat\u00a0content<\/strong>\u00a0of the volume element and also\u00a0contribute to the irreversibility of\u00a0radiation absorption under convective\u00a0conditions. \u00a0Global circulations\u00a0also affect these processes but that will be\u00a0discussed in another\u00a0video.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>I would like to&nbsp;point out that&nbsp;<strong>radiation absorption and&nbsp;emission are irreversible processes.<\/strong>&nbsp; In themselves the reemission of radiation from an excited molecule occurs randomly in any direction. &nbsp;This means that the information about the direction of the previously absorbed radiation is lost during emission The emitted Photon transfers part of its momentum to the emitting molecule. Its energy and therefore also its frequency are therefore different from that of the previously absorbed Photon. &nbsp;Schwarzschild also excludes these effects through his choice of boundary conditions: steady state radiation flux and frequency independence of absorptivity and emission.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>In one of my previous videos, I made fun about the fact that\u00a0<strong>the 33\u00b0 greenhouse effect<\/strong>\u00a0is calculated by\u00a0<strong>assuming that the solar Radiance is homogeneously distributed<\/strong>\u00a0over the Earth\u2019s surface with 240 W per square meter. Now with a deeper understanding of Schwarzschild\u2019s model we get an idea about the origin of this rather\u00a0<strong>strange assumption<\/strong>. \u00a0In his radiation transfer model, the base of the solar atmosphere is heated internally and homogenously by the solar core. \u00a0This homogeneous heating is very important since an inhomogeneous heating would cause convection which is incompatible with Kirchhoff\u2019s law of radiation and would spoil his model. \u00a0<strong>In a rather hapless attempt to apply Schwarzschild\u2019s radiation transfer model, the same is done to the externally and unevenly heated surface of the Earth.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>To summarize briefly the&nbsp;irreversibility of radiation absorption&nbsp;in air under convective conditions makes&nbsp;back radiation and thus the greenhouse&nbsp;effect impossible. &nbsp;This statement seems&nbsp;to be in direct contradiction to the&nbsp;observation that a downwelling&nbsp;atmospheric radiation can be measured at&nbsp;the bottom of the Earth\u2019s&nbsp;atmosphere. &nbsp;The diagram here shows the&nbsp;measured values from a measuring station&nbsp;near Munich. &nbsp;In the next video I will&nbsp;show that&nbsp;<strong>back radiation is not what&nbsp;most people think of it to be,&nbsp;and how it&nbsp;is compatible with the laws of&nbsp;thermodynamics.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The most important\u00a0takeaway from this video is that Kirchhoff\u2019s law of radiation presents a kind of\u00a0radiation energy conservation law,\u00a0and\u00a0that this\u00a0<strong>radiation energy conservation\u00a0is not given under convective conditions.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0As far as I know all radiation transfer\u00a0models assume a universal validity of\u00a0Kirchhoff\u2019s law of\u00a0radiation. \u00a0The only exception is at very\u00a0high altitudes where the air molecules\u00a0only very rarely collide with\u00a0each other. \u00a0Since the results of the\u00a0radiation transfer models are based on\u00a0this false basic assumptions, they\u00a0are\u00a0wrong.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"571\" height=\"715\" data-attachment-id=\"369267\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=369267\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-286.png?fit=571%2C715&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"571,715\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-286.png?fit=571%2C715&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-286.png?resize=571%2C715&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-286.png?w=571&amp;ssl=1 571w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-286.png?resize=240%2C300&amp;ssl=1 240w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 571px) 100vw, 571px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is not to say that\u00a0<strong>Carl Schwarzschild\u2019s work<\/strong>\u00a0is\u00a0nonsense. \u00a0His original idea<strong>\u00a0is very\u00a0applicable to transparent systems\u00a0without convection,<\/strong>\u00a0for example in the\u00a0production of large telescope mirrors. The cooling behavior after the glass\u00a0mass has\u00a0solidified can be described very well\u00a0using radiation transfer methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Footnote Regarding Observation of Downwelling IR near Earth Surface<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"397\" data-attachment-id=\"369268\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=369268\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-287.png?fit=935%2C514&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"935,514\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-287.png?fit=723%2C397&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-287.png?resize=723%2C397&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-369268\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-287.png?w=935&amp;ssl=1 935w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-287.png?resize=300%2C165&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-287.png?resize=768%2C422&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Figure 1. This is a plot of the outgoing radiation spectrum from Earth. Within the normal IR thermometer and scanner range of 7.5 to 14 micrometers, only ozone (O3), which is mostly above cloud level absorbs and emits significant radiation. Within the 15 \u03bcm CO2 \u201cdivot\u201d nearly all surface emissions are absorbed within 1.5 meters of the surface, at the edges of the divot, emissions are absorbed within 690 meters. There is very little absorption and emission by GHGs in the IR thermometer range in the troposphere, aka the atmospheric window.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From Andy May<a href=\"https:\/\/wattsupwiththat.com\/2025\/03\/09\/beyond-co%e2%82%82-unraveling-the-roles-of-energy-water-vapor-and-convection-in-earths-atmosphere\/\"><strong>&nbsp;Beyond CO\u2082: Unraveling the Roles of Energy, Water Vapor, and Convection in Earth\u2019s Atmosphere<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Because the humid lower atmosphere is nearly opaque to most surface emitted radiation that is outside the atmospheric windows, surface emissions are absorbed by GHGs very close to the surface. According to Heinz Hug, at sea level, with a CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;concentration of 357 PPM and 2.6% water vapor,&nbsp;<strong>99.94% of all surface radiation in the main CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;frequency band at about 15 \u03bcm is normally absorbed in the lower 10 meters<\/strong>&nbsp;of the atmosphere (<a href=\"https:\/\/andymaypetrophysicist.com\/2025\/02\/17\/the-anthropogenic-greenhouse-effect-a-spectroscopic-triviality\/\">Hug, 2012<\/a>). Even at the edges of the deep CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;frequency band (see figure 1, as well as figures 4 &amp; 5&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/andymaypetrophysicist.com\/2025\/02\/17\/the-anthropogenic-greenhouse-effect-a-spectroscopic-triviality\/\">here<\/a>) where any increase in the CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;effect would be observed, 99.9% of the surface radiation is absorbed in the first 690 meters&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1260\/0958305001500437\">(Hug, 2000)<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Heinz Hug goes on to say that is&nbsp;<strong>why climate change caused by CO2 cannot be measured directly in the laboratory and can only be modeled.<\/strong>&nbsp;In our opinion, the effect of CO2 is so small it will likely never be measured. In a similar fashion, any \u201cback radiation\u201d that makes it to the surface, outside atmospheric windows, is from the lower 10 meters of the atmosphere, the&nbsp;<strong>remaining emissions from the lower 10 meters of the atmosphere are captured by other greenhouse gases, almost always water vapor molecules.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Surface emissions<\/strong>&nbsp;in the frequencies that cannot be absorbed or emitted by GHGs, those<strong>&nbsp;in the so-called \u201catmospheric windows\u201d are not captured<\/strong>, these are&nbsp;<strong>the frequencies utilized by IR thermometers and scanners<\/strong>, typically 7.5 to 14 micrometers as shown in figure 1. Water vapor is often a very weak absorber and emitter in portions of these windows. Carbon dioxide strongly absorbs and re-emits IR at two key frequencies: around 4.26 \u03bcm (microns) and 14.99 \u03bcm. The common vanadium oxide (VOx) based microbolometer long-wave infrared detectors&nbsp;<strong>cover wavelengths from 8-14 \u00b5m range.<\/strong>&nbsp;So, both&nbsp;<strong>CO2 absorption bands are outside the range<\/strong>&nbsp;of the common hand-held infrared thermometer\/bolometer.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>The radiation seen when IR thermometers and scanners are pointed at the sky is surface radiation scattered by atmospheric particles and clouds.<\/strong>&nbsp;The radiation seen by IR thermometers and scanners cannot be emitted by greenhouse gases or clouds because&nbsp;<strong>neither GHGs nor clouds emit in frequencies that can be detected by the devices.<\/strong>&nbsp;As noted in van Wijngaarden and Happer (2025) scattered longwave IR originates only in water droplets or ice or other particulates, there is negligible scattering of IR by molecules, especially in the atmospheric windows.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Background Paper with complete discussion<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Missing Link in the GHE, Greenhouse Effect, by Thomas Shula \u2013 Markus Ott,&nbsp; USA \u2013 Germany<\/strong><br><strong>2024.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From Andy May<a href=\"https:\/\/wattsupwiththat.com\/2025\/03\/09\/beyond-co%e2%82%82-unraveling-the-roles-of-energy-water-vapor-and-convection-in-earths-atmosphere\/\"><strong>&nbsp;Beyond CO\u2082: Unraveling the Roles of Energy, Water Vapor, and Convection in Earth\u2019s Atmosphere<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Because the humid lower atmosphere is nearly opaque to most surface emitted radiation that is outside the atmospheric windows, surface emissions are absorbed by GHGs very close to the surface. According to Heinz Hug, at sea level, with a CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;concentration of 357 PPM and 2.6% water vapor,&nbsp;<strong>99.94% of all surface radiation in the main CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;frequency band at about 15 \u03bcm is normally absorbed in the lower 10 meters<\/strong>&nbsp;of the atmosphere (<a href=\"https:\/\/andymaypetrophysicist.com\/2025\/02\/17\/the-anthropogenic-greenhouse-effect-a-spectroscopic-triviality\/\">Hug, 2012<\/a>). Even at the edges of the deep CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;frequency band (see figure 1, as well as figures 4 &amp; 5&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/andymaypetrophysicist.com\/2025\/02\/17\/the-anthropogenic-greenhouse-effect-a-spectroscopic-triviality\/\">here<\/a>) where any increase in the CO<sub>2<\/sub>&nbsp;effect would be observed, 99.9% of the surface radiation is absorbed in the first 690 meters&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1260\/0958305001500437\">(Hug, 2000)<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Heinz Hug goes on to say that is&nbsp;<strong>why climate change caused by CO2 cannot be measured directly in the laboratory and can only be modeled.<\/strong>&nbsp;In our opinion, the effect of CO2 is so small it will likely never be measured. In a similar fashion, any \u201cback radiation\u201d that makes it to the surface, outside atmospheric windows, is from the lower 10 meters of the atmosphere, the&nbsp;<strong>remaining emissions from the lower 10 meters of the atmosphere are captured by other greenhouse gases, almost always water vapor molecules.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Surface emissions<\/strong>&nbsp;in the frequencies that cannot be absorbed or emitted by GHGs, those<strong>&nbsp;in the so-called \u201catmospheric windows\u201d are not captured<\/strong>, these are&nbsp;<strong>the frequencies utilized by IR thermometers and scanners<\/strong>, typically 7.5 to 14 micrometers as shown in figure 1. Water vapor is often a very weak absorber and emitter in portions of these windows. Carbon dioxide strongly absorbs and re-emits IR at two key frequencies: around 4.26 \u03bcm (microns) and 14.99 \u03bcm. The common vanadium oxide (VOx) based microbolometer long-wave infrared detectors&nbsp;<strong>cover wavelengths from 8-14 \u00b5m range.<\/strong>&nbsp;So, both&nbsp;<strong>CO2 absorption bands are outside the range<\/strong>&nbsp;of the common hand-held infrared thermometer\/bolometer.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>The radiation seen when IR thermometers and scanners are pointed at the sky is surface radiation scattered by atmospheric particles and clouds.<\/strong>&nbsp;The radiation seen by IR thermometers and scanners cannot be emitted by greenhouse gases or clouds because&nbsp;<strong>neither GHGs nor clouds emit in frequencies that can be detected by the devices.<\/strong>&nbsp;As noted in van Wijngaarden and Happer (2025) scattered longwave IR originates only in water droplets or ice or other particulates, there is negligible scattering of IR by molecules, especially in the atmospheric windows.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Background Paper with complete discussion<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Missing Link in the GHE, Greenhouse Effect, by Thomas Shula \u2013 Markus Ott,&nbsp; USA \u2013 Germany<\/strong><br><strong>2024.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-issuu wp-block-embed-issuu\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"The Missing Link in the GHE\" src=\"https:\/\/e.issuu.com\/embed.html?u=johna.shanahan&#038;d=240716b_the_missing_link_in_the_ghe_rev_5.docx\" style=\"border:none; width: 723px; height: 554px;\" allow=\"clipboard-write,allow-top-navigation,allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation,allow-downloads,allow-scripts,allow-same-origin,allow-popups,allow-modals,allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox,allow-forms\"  allowfullscreen=\"true\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In connection with the greenhouse\u00a0effect,\u00a0the\u00a0second law of Thermodynamics\u00a0is particularly\u00a0interesting. \u00a0There are various equivalent\u00a0formulations for the second law of\u00a0thermodynamics which states that thermal\u00a0energy cannot be completely converted\u00a0into other forms of energy. \u00a0Rudolf\u00a0Clausius\u00a0was the first to formulate the\u00a0second\u00a0law in the form that heat does not flow\u00a0spontaneously from cold to hot\u00a0bodies.\u00a0\u00a0Later in 1865 he developed on\u00a0that\u00a0basis\u00a0the concept\u00a0of\u00a0entropy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":369272,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691829997,691833721,691818056,691818432,691833722,691830631,691833720,691818296,691833713,691833723],"class_list":{"0":"post-369252","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-carbon-dioxide-co","9":"tag-carl-schwarzschild","10":"tag-climate-change","11":"tag-clouds","12":"tag-earths-atmosphere-2","13":"tag-energy-flow","14":"tag-entropy","15":"tag-greenhouse-effect","16":"tag-second-law-of-thermodynamics","17":"tag-solar-atmosphere","19":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0bg-05.jpg?fit=1980%2C1320&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1y3G","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":365236,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=365236","url_meta":{"origin":369252,"position":0},"title":"Professor Stefan Rahmstorf And Thermodynamics","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"06\/02\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) is an oceanologist and studied physics before his specialist training. He is therefore familiar with thermodynamics and its 2nd law, which states that with every change of state, the \u201cdisorder\u201d increases, also known as entropy. This is reflected in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)\"","block_context":{"text":"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-dioxide-co%e2%82%82"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2quote-star-trek-scotty.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2quote-star-trek-scotty.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2quote-star-trek-scotty.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2quote-star-trek-scotty.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2quote-star-trek-scotty.jpg?fit=1200%2C881&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":206815,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=206815","url_meta":{"origin":369252,"position":1},"title":"Thermodynamics of the Climate System","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"02\/07\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"From Physics Today\u00a0HT\/Leif Svalgaard Martin S. Singh\u00a0and\u00a0Morgan E O\u2019Neill\u00a0, \u201cThermodynamics of the climate system\u201d, Physics Today\u00a075, 30-37\u00a0(2022)\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1063\/PT.3.5038 Here is the introduction: Throughout its history, Earth has experienced vastly different climates, including \u201csnowball Earth\u201d episodes, during which the planet is believed to have been entirely covered in ice, and hothouse periods,\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/image-14.png?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/image-14.png?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/image-14.png?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/image-14.png?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":332218,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=332218","url_meta":{"origin":369252,"position":2},"title":"The \u2018Climate Emergency\u2019 is a Myth, Says Nobel Prize Winner John Clauser. Here\u2019s Why He\u2019s Right","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"09\/06\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"In a recent lecture, Nobel Laureate physicist John Clauser exposed how the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) models and analyses, which are relied upon by politicians and activists to support claims of a \u2018climate crisis\u2019, do not meet basic standards of scientific enquiry. Clauser received his Nobel prize in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"climate alarmism\"","block_context":{"text":"climate alarmism","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-alarmism"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0dr.-John-Clauser.jpg?fit=1024%2C700&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0dr.-John-Clauser.jpg?fit=1024%2C700&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0dr.-John-Clauser.jpg?fit=1024%2C700&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0dr.-John-Clauser.jpg?fit=1024%2C700&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":390189,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=390189","url_meta":{"origin":369252,"position":3},"title":"Climate Model Assumptions Contrary to Balloon\u00a0Data","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"22\/07\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Recently Michael Connolly presented the evidence contradicting assumptions built into GCMs (Global Climate Models).\u00a0","rel":"","context":"In \"GCMs (Global Climate Models)\"","block_context":{"text":"GCMs (Global Climate Models)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=gcms-global-climate-models"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0AQN9nbDyHU0LwIGlrNivs7neeULFURmrYCNjU2sUa-7In0S9s9uH3RwlWmnv4EywL0l3z2VE27lla58a_F6AOunn5a6FclPxYnlSvUkqBGG_1XDH6OrF_Nm60hV9Zjik9buP_sbLfuik1LTdg1pzV28Ds20ttg-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0AQN9nbDyHU0LwIGlrNivs7neeULFURmrYCNjU2sUa-7In0S9s9uH3RwlWmnv4EywL0l3z2VE27lla58a_F6AOunn5a6FclPxYnlSvUkqBGG_1XDH6OrF_Nm60hV9Zjik9buP_sbLfuik1LTdg1pzV28Ds20ttg-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0AQN9nbDyHU0LwIGlrNivs7neeULFURmrYCNjU2sUa-7In0S9s9uH3RwlWmnv4EywL0l3z2VE27lla58a_F6AOunn5a6FclPxYnlSvUkqBGG_1XDH6OrF_Nm60hV9Zjik9buP_sbLfuik1LTdg1pzV28Ds20ttg-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0AQN9nbDyHU0LwIGlrNivs7neeULFURmrYCNjU2sUa-7In0S9s9uH3RwlWmnv4EywL0l3z2VE27lla58a_F6AOunn5a6FclPxYnlSvUkqBGG_1XDH6OrF_Nm60hV9Zjik9buP_sbLfuik1LTdg1pzV28Ds20ttg-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0AQN9nbDyHU0LwIGlrNivs7neeULFURmrYCNjU2sUa-7In0S9s9uH3RwlWmnv4EywL0l3z2VE27lla58a_F6AOunn5a6FclPxYnlSvUkqBGG_1XDH6OrF_Nm60hV9Zjik9buP_sbLfuik1LTdg1pzV28Ds20ttg-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":330412,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=330412","url_meta":{"origin":369252,"position":4},"title":"Of Heat Engines and Refrigerators","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"28\/05\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Two simple models, heat engine and refrigerator, compliment one another. If, for example, one is interested in how heat transfer produces the observed weather, a heat engine is a good place to begin. If, on the other hand, one\u2019s focus is how the atmosphere works to produce a stable climate,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Atmosphere\"","block_context":{"text":"Atmosphere","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=atmosphere"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/042544547212_4c5d2abdc0_b.jpg?fit=1024%2C633&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/042544547212_4c5d2abdc0_b.jpg?fit=1024%2C633&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/042544547212_4c5d2abdc0_b.jpg?fit=1024%2C633&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/042544547212_4c5d2abdc0_b.jpg?fit=1024%2C633&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":353156,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=353156","url_meta":{"origin":369252,"position":5},"title":"CO2 Not a Threat, But Greatly\u00a0Benefits","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/12\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Climate alarmists, the press\/media, and politicians say we must achieve net zero CO2 by 2050 to avoid catastrophic global warming.\u00a0In reality, all humanity and all life on Earth benefit from the increased atmospheric CO2 and the slight temperature increase.\u00a0","rel":"","context":"In \"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)\"","block_context":{"text":"carbon dioxide (CO\u2082)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=carbon-dioxide-co%e2%82%82"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0globalgreening_tamo_2017_lrg.png?fit=1200%2C648&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0globalgreening_tamo_2017_lrg.png?fit=1200%2C648&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0globalgreening_tamo_2017_lrg.png?fit=1200%2C648&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0globalgreening_tamo_2017_lrg.png?fit=1200%2C648&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/0globalgreening_tamo_2017_lrg.png?fit=1200%2C648&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/369252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=369252"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/369252\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":369274,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/369252\/revisions\/369274"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/369272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=369252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=369252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=369252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}