Ideal Gas Law and the Greenhouse Effect

Reinhart FK

Abstract

This communication gives an explanation why the ideal gas law is sufficient to calculate the observed surface temperature of celestial bodies, if the mass density and the pressure of the respective atmospheres are known. The ideal gas law provides also a nice tool to check the experimental consistency of the parameters obtain by other measurements. But it does not permit to directly determine the radiative forcing.

Relevant Publications in Journal of Earth Science & Climatic Change