Atmospheric emissivity with clear sky computed by E-Trans/HITRAN

The vertical profiles of temperature and pressure from the International Standard Atmosphere, together with the mixing ratio profiles of the main greenhouse effect gases (GG), namely water vapour, CO2, CH4, N2O and stratospheric O-3, are used to determine the downward emissivity of long wave radiation by cloudless atmosphere, by means of the spectral calculator E-Trans with the HITRAN (high -resolution transmission) database. We make a review of emissivity parameterizations, reported by several authors, in terms of the surface vapour pressure and surface air temperature. We compute vertically weighted averages of temperature and pressure, also parameterize the CH4, N2O and O-3 mixing ratio profiles, in order to adapt these variables as required by the E-Trans/HITRAN. Our results of emissivity for the corresponding vapour pressures agree well with those obtained by the reviewed authors. With this method, the emissivity can be computed at a regional scale and towards the future global warming, according to the IPCC temperature projections that will also increase the atmospheric humidity, from the emission scenarios of GG. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.