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The role of water vapour in Earth’s energy flows

Allan, R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0264-9447 (2012) The role of water vapour in Earth’s energy flows. Surveys in Geophysics, 33 (3-4). pp. 557-564. ISSN 1573-0956 (special issue: Observing and Modeling Earth's Energy Flows)

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To link to this item DOI: 10.1007/s10712-011-9157-8

Abstract/Summary

Water vapour modulates energy flows in Earth's climate system through transfer of latent heat by evaporation and condensation and by modifying the flows of radiative energy both in the longwave and shortwave portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. This article summarizes the role of water vapour in Earth's energy flows with particular emphasis on (1) the powerful thermodynamic constraint of the Clausius Clapeyron equation, (2) dynamical controls on humidity above the boundary layer (or free-troposphere), (3) uncertainty in continuum absorption in the relatively transparent "window" regions of the radiative spectrum and (4) implications for changes in the atmospheric hydrological cycle.

Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Divisions:Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > NCAS
Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO)
ID Code:25665
Publisher:Springer

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