Home Table of Contents About the Authors Glossary Buy This Book Joseph Henry Press


SOLUTIONS TO EXERCISE 17

back to exercise

energy: TOC for Knowledge Concepts, Exercises, and Solutions


This atmospheric feature - a storm, perhaps - has a temperature of
200 K, so the continuum of the spectrum should rise to a peak at a
wavelength described by Wien's law:  

  Lambda = 0.0029 m / 200 K = 0.0000145 m = 14500 nm.

The continuum will then slope downward toward longer wavelengths. 

The spectrum will contain absorption lines produced by ammonia and
methane, since they exist as high-density, low-energy gas.  The more
of an absorbing gas there is, the stronger the absorption line will 
tend to be; so this spectrum should contain relatively deep absorption
lines at 12500 and 16000 nm, and relatively shallow absorption lines
at 14000 and 21000 nm.  

Finally, the spectrum will also contain emission lines produced by
water vapor and carbon dioxide, since they exist as low-density,
high-energy gas.  The more of an emitting gas there is, the stronger
the emission line will tend to be; so this spectrum should contain
relatively "tall" emission lines at 15000 and 28000 nm, and relatively
"short" emission lines at 17000, 18500, and 24500 nm.