Chapter 6: Blackbody Radiation: Thermal Emission

"Blackbody radiation" or "cavity radiation" refers to an object or system

which absorbs all radiation incident upon it and re-radiates energy which is
characteristic of this radiating system only, not dependent upon the type of
radiation which is incident upon it. The radiated energy can be considered to
be produced by standing wave or resonant modes of the cavity which is
radiating. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/mod6.html

Eventual Absorption:
Acts like a black body (classroom also?)

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

EarthAtmosphereEnergyBalance
Sun
4

100

34

20

30

4
Solar
radiation

60

16
7

23

Infrared
radiation

50

Thermal/mechanical
turbulence(sensible
heattransfer)
Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Atmosphere
50

30
Water

66

Evaporation
(latentheattransfer)

Fig.9.1

Molecules as Billiard Balls

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Container of Photons: It really works!

Radiation Pressure

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

I=T4, =5.67e-8 W m-2 K-4

DEFINITION OF THE BRIGHTNESS

TEMPERATURE
TB

Measured Radiance at wavenumber v

=
Theoretical Radiance of a Black Body at temperature TB

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

FTIR Radiance: Atmospheric IR Window

13 microns
8 microns

FTIR
Ground, Ts

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

FTIR Brightness Temperatures

FTIR
Ground, Ts

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Nimbus Satellite FTIR Spectrum

FTIR

Ground, Ts

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Nimbus Satellite and Ground Based FTIR Spectrum

FTIR

Ts

Ground, Ts
Ts

FTIR
Ground, Ts
Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Planck Functions for Earth and Sun: Note some

overlap (4 microns), but with log scale, can treat them
separately for the most part.

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Eye Response Evolved to Match Solar Spectrum Peak?

The answer depends on how you look at the
distribution functions, wavelength or wavenumber.

Seems to
support it

Seems not to
support it.

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Blackbody Radiation: A look at the Forms:

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Blackbody Radiation: Another look at the Forms:

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Earths Surface Temperature

Te

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Te
Earths radiative temperature
Ts
Suns radiative temperature
Rs
Suns radius
Rse Sun to Earth distance
a
Earths surface solar reflectance
t
IR transmittance of Earths atmosphere.

Simple Model for Earths Atmosphere: No

Absorption of Sunlight by the Atmosphere.

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Simple Surface Temperature Calculation Assuming Solar Absorption

only at the surface, IR emission by the atmosphere and Earths
surface, and IR absorption by the Atmosphere.

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

S0 = 1376 W/m2=Solar
Irradiance at the TOA and
=Stefan-Boltzmann
constant

Model with Atmosphere that absorbs solar radiation:

A = surface albedo0.3
Terrestrial IR=IR=LW, Solar = SW

asw = Atmosphere absorption

of solar radiation
tsw = Transmission of solar by
the atmosphere = (1-asw)
alw = Atmosphere absorption
of IR radiation
= Atmospheric Emissivity.
tlw = Transmission of IR by
the atmosphere = (1-alw)
Ts = surface temperature
Ta= atmosphere temperature
1 = IR surface emissivity .
Fluxes:
F1=incident from sun

Solar Flux Relationships:

F1= S

IR Flux Relationships:
F5= F6 = alw Ta4

F2 = tswF1 = (1-asw) F1= (1-asw) S

F4=A F2 = A (1-asw) S
F3= (1-asw) F4= A(1-asw) S
2

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

F2 = tswF1 = (1-asw)F1
F3=Solar reflected to space by
the earth, atmosphere=F4

F8 = Ts4 = Ts4

transmitted by atmosphere.
F4=Solar reflected by surface.

F7= (1-alw) F8= (1-alw) Ts4

F8=IR emitted by surface.

F =t F =(1-a )F .

Radiative Equilibrium Relationships

A = surface albedo0.3
asw = Atmosphere absorption
of solar radiation
tsw = Transmission of solar by
the atmosphere = (1-asw)
alw = Atmosphere absorption
of IR radiation
= Atmospheric Emissivity.
tlw = Transmission of IR by
the atmosphere = (1-alw)
Ts = surface temperature
Ta= atmosphere temperature
1 = IR surface emissivity .
Fluxes:
F1=incident from sun
F2 = tswF1 = (1-asw)F1

Fnet,toa= F3+F5+F7-F1 = Flux (Out-In)=0

Fnet,surface= F4+F8-F2-F6 = Flux (Out-In)=0
Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

F3=Solar reflected to space by

the earth, atmosphere=F4
transmitted by atmosphere.
F4=Solar reflected by surface.
F8=IR emitted by surface.
F =t F =(1-a )F .

Sufficient Number of Equations to Solve for All Fluxes

A = surface albedo0.3
asw = Atmosphere absorption
of solar radiation
tsw = Transmission of solar by
the atmosphere = (1-asw)
alw = Atmosphere absorption
of IR radiation
= Atmospheric Emissivity.
tlw = Transmission of IR by
the atmosphere = (1-alw)
Ts = surface temperature
Ta= atmosphere temperature
1 = IR surface emissivity .
S0 = 1360 W/m2

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Resulting Temperate Example for the Simple Model

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Calculate the microwave radiant intensity (magnitude

and polarization state) measured by a satellite above a
calm water surface.
Ip
55 deg

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Is

Fresnel Reflection Coefficients: What is the magnitude of the light specularly

reflected from a surface? (Also can get the transmitted wave magnitude).

i
Medium 1
Medium 2

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Reflectivity of Water And Ice

Brewster
Angle

Mid Visible (green)

=0.5 microns
nr = 1.339430
ni = 9.243 x 10-10

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Microwave
=15,000 microns
nr = 6.867192
ni = 2.630

Reflectivity of Water And Ice: Normal Incidence

What drives the reflectivity?

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Fresnel Reflection Coefficients: What is the magnitude of the light specularly

reflected from a surface? (Also can get the transmitted wave magnitude).

ICE

Medium 1
Medium 2

t
Transmission
&
Absorption:
Tp=1-Rp=ap=p
Ts=1-Rs =as=s
a=absorption
coefficient
=emissivity
Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Calculate the microwave radiant intensity (magnitude

and polarization state) measured by a satellite above a
calm water surface. The answer.
Ip 0
Is

Ip
i
55 deg

Is

What are the sources of Ip0?

T
t

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

(same form for Is)

WHY?
What if ni = 0?
Rp and Rs are not 0 in that case.
How could we get emission if ni=0?
We have no absorption in that case!
If ni=0, then abs=4ni/ = 0!
Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

The transmitted wave, with absorption k2, diminishes. The total amount of
radiation eventually absorbed in medium 2 is given by Tp,s = (1 - Rp,s). No
matter-filled medium exists where k2=0.

Ip
55 deg

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Is

See how it goes for normal incidence Layer dz emits radiation dI at

temperature T that transfers to the satellite. After emission, it is partially
absorbed in distance z, and then transmitted out the boundary.

z
dz

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

See how it goes for normal incidence Layer dz emits radiation dI at

temperature T that transfers to the satellite. After emission, it is partially
absorbed in distance z, and then transmitted out the boundary.
Interpretation of the terms.

emissivity

medium
propagator

boundary
transmissivity

z
dz

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

See how it goes for normal incidence Layer dz emits radiation dI at

temperature T that transfers to the satellite. After emission, it is partially
absorbed in distance z, and then transmitted out the boundary. The total
emission is determined by integration in the z direction.

z
dz

The main contribution to the emitted radiation comes from

about a skin depth of the surface, /(4ni).

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

For problem 6.28, let Ip,s0=0. Calculate for each frequency.

Ip
i
55 deg

Is

Key for remote sensing:

N2(T)
(why?)

N1
T
t

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

N2

(same form for Is)

AMSR Sensor: http://wwwghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/AMSR/

NASA A-Train
In support of the Earth Science Enterprise's goals, NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS)
Aqua Satellite was launched from Vandenberg AFB, California on May 4, 2002 at 02:54:58
a.m. Pacific Daylight Time. The primary goal of Aqua, as the name implies, is to gather
information about water in the Earth's system. Equipped with six state-of-the-art instruments,
Aqua will collect data on global precipitation, evaporation, and the cycling of water. This
information will help scientists all over the world to better understand the Earth's water cycle
and determine if the water cycle is accelerating as a result of climate change.
The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - EOS (AMSR-E) is a one of the six
sensors aboard Aqua. AMSR-E is passive microwave radiometer, modified from the
Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II) AMSR, designed and provided by
JAXA (contractor: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation). It observes atmospheric, land,
oceanic, and cryospheric parameters, including precipitation,

sea surface

temperatures, ice concentrations, snow water equivalent, surface wetness,

wind speed, atmospheric cloud water, and water vapor.

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Geometrical Optics: Interpret Most Atmospheric Optics from

Raindrops and lawn sprinklers (from Wallace and Hobbs CH4)
Rainbow
from
raindrops

Primary Rainbow Angle: Angle of Minimum Deviation

(turning point) for rays incident with 2 chords in raindrops.
Secondary Rainbow Angle: Angle of Minimum Deviation
(turning point) for rays incident with 3 chords in raindrops.
Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Rainbow Optics

scattering
angle

nr

See http://www.philiplaven.com/p8e.html, and

atmospheric optics.
Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Geometrical Optics: Rainbow (from Petty)

Distance x is also known as

the impact parameter. (Height
above the sphere center.)
Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Angle of minimum
deviation from the
forward direction.
Focusing or
confluence of
rays.

Geometrical Optics: Interpret Most Atmospheric Optics from Ice

Crystals (from Wallace and Hobbs CH4)

22 deg and 45 deg Halos from cirrus crystals of the column

or rosette (combinations of columns) types. Both are angle
of deviation phenomena like the rainbow. Crystal orientation
important. 22 deg halo, more common, thumb rule to
measure size of arc.
Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Light Scattering Basics (images from Wallace and Hobbs CH4).

Angular Distribution of scattered

radiation (phase function)

Dipole scattering

Dimensionless Parameters
Size Parameter

x
x

Pat Arnott, ATMS 749 Atmospheric Radiation Transfer

Lines :
r

Qs

Sphere, radius r, complex refractive

index n=mr + imi

mr=1.5