Atmospheric radiation is studied to understand current and historical conditions, climate change, and other topics. The sun emits energy in limited bands that penetrate the atmosphere, which researchers study to understand Earth’s history and changes in life. Researchers use instruments to measure atmospheric radiation and observe the sun’s energy. Understanding atmospheric radiation is important for studying visual phenomena, weather systems, and climate change.
Atmospheric radiation is radiation that passes through the earth’s atmosphere and may circulate within it. Not all of the sun’s energy actually reaches the earth’s surface, and what does may change its behavior as it moves through the atmosphere. Researchers study atmospheric radiation to learn more about current and historical conditions, climate change, and other topics. Numerous governments have research programs dedicated to this topic.
The sun emits energy in a number of bands across the spectrum, but only limited bands are allowed to penetrate through the atmosphere. This is beneficial to life on Earth because things like X-rays and gamma rays can be very dangerous and would kill living organisms. Researchers interested in atmospheric radiation look at what types of energy pass through and why. Their research may help scientists understand what Earth may have looked like historically and what kinds of conditions contributed to changes in the nature of life on Earth.
As energy passes through the atmosphere, it could change its behavior and interact with radiation and particles from Earth. The eruption of a volcano, for example, can change atmospheric radiation levels by forcing a large volume of tiny particles into the atmosphere. Even when they are not visible to the naked eye as a dark plume or spot, they can block some forms of solar radiation. This could lead to situations such as temperature drops, because thermal radiation cannot pass with the same degree of efficiency, so crops could fail due to the decrease in available energy.
Researchers have a variety of instruments they can use to measure atmospheric radiation and to observe the sun’s energy as it passes through the atmosphere. This allows them to see how energy is locked up and to study differentials in energy levels. They can create maps of the earth’s surface with notes on various levels of radiation and why they occur. Holes in the ozone layer, for example, allow more energy to pass through and can pose a risk to living organisms located beneath each hole.
Understanding atmospheric radiation is also important for studying visual phenomena, such as the behavior of light on Earth and even the color of the sky on a clear day. There are many areas of potential interest in this field, such as weather systems and the history of climate change. Researchers in this area are usually graduates and some may be pursuing advanced postgraduate work.
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