The concentration of the atmosphere's main greenhouse gases specifically, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor, have increased significantly during the These high concentrations are predicted to continue in the atmosphere forthousands of years to come. This increase in specially carbon dioxide, increases theinfrared energy taken in by the atmosphere, and warming the earth's surface. The Globalmean temperature over the past 150 years has risen between 0.3 degrees C and 0.6degrees C. Climate changes that have been predicted are based on the continual rise inGreen House Gases. These changes include changes in: increase in mean surface airtemperature, increase in global mean rates of precipitation and evaporation, rising sealevel, and changes in the biosphere.There are many causes to the rise in Green House Gases in the atmosphere. Therise in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is largely related to the combustion of fossil fuelsand cement production (Hansen). The increase in methane is do to rice cultivation, animalhusbandry, biomass burning, and landfills (Kattenberg). Nitrous oxide is on the risebecause of industrial sources like adipic acid and nitric acid production (Kattenberg). Other gases not mentioned above that have a small impact on the Green House Gasproposed problem, is CFC-11 and CFC-12, these Gases are know to the public as being abig source of warming, although catalyzing decomposition of stratospheric ozone, theydo not pose a great threat. Since the public was notified of these compounds inrefrigerants, spray propellants, and foam blowing; the atmospheric concentrations havedecreased greatly (Prather).The danger that all these Green House Gases put to the atmosphere is the increasein the infrared energy absorbed by the atmosphere. This extra energy absorbed althoughthought to only warm the earth also has a cooling tendency on the stratosphere (Peixotoand Oort). The affect the radiation has by ...
