Summary
Spectral analysis of atmospheric emission and absorption in the translucent region 8–13 microns from observations made in London and in the relatively clean air near Ascot (Berks) has confirmed the existence of a continuous extinction in the lowest 2 Km of the atmosphere which outweighs the selective extinction due to gaseous constituents.
This continuous extinction must be due to atmospheric aerosol, or to the far wings of distant, strong gaseous absorption lines. Our provisional conclusions are that the former cause predominates in London, but is unimportant near Ascot where the observed extinction must be mainly due to the latter cause.
Attention is drawn to the important contribution which the continuum can make to the heat balance of the atmosphere below 2 Km.
The report will appear elsewhere.
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Roach, W.T., Goody, R.M. Infrared attenuation by atmospheric aerosol in the region –13 microns. Geofisica Pura e Applicata 42, 128–129 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02113398
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02113398