ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS AND THERMODYNAMICS
This chapter discusses the main components of the atmosphere and the trace gases that are significant for the greenhouse effect. The most important of these is water vapour, and hence the basic physical processes and thermodynamics that control atmospheric water vapour and the vertical temperature structure are examined. The basic processes that lead to cloud particle growth are given, as clouds are the least understood of the main determinants of the climate system. Aerosol size distributions and sources are also discussed.
Keywords: atmospheric composition, water vapour thermodynamics, vertical temperature structure, cloud particle growth, aerosol particle growth, condensation processes
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