Greenhouse effect: Difference between revisions
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==Terraforming Mars== | ==Terraforming Mars== | ||
The Greenhouse Effect is an essential process to heat a planet's atmosphere to habitable temperatures. To make life sustainable on the surface of Mars, the process of [[:category:Terraforming Mars|terraforming]] would | The Greenhouse Effect is an essential process to heat a planet's atmosphere to habitable temperatures. To make life sustainable on the surface of Mars, the process of [[:category:Terraforming Mars|terraforming]] would require a thickening of the tenuous Martian atmosphere and injection of selected [[greenhouse gases]]. | ||
==Technology for settlements== | ==Technology for settlements== | ||
Revision as of 07:04, 10 November 2007
Definition
Short-wave electromagnetic radiation from the Sun passes through the transparent atmosphere unhindered (except for the effect that albedo has on the mean reflectivity of a planet). On heating the planet's surface, long-wave radiation (i.e. Infrared radiation) is emitted into the atmosphere. Long-wave radiation will not escape into space if the atmosphere is dense enough, and contains greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane etc.) which reflect long-wave radiation back to the surface, heating the atmosphere further. This shortwave input, long-wave emission, long-wave reflection, atmospheric heating process is known as the Greenhouse Effect.
Terraforming Mars
The Greenhouse Effect is an essential process to heat a planet's atmosphere to habitable temperatures. To make life sustainable on the surface of Mars, the process of terraforming would require a thickening of the tenuous Martian atmosphere and injection of selected greenhouse gases.
Technology for settlements
Greenhouses are an example of an artifical greenhouse effect.