An intricate web of heat transfer
This region of the spectrum is called the “atmospheric window”. The earth’s surface, atmosphere, and clouds emit radiation in the infrared band between 8 microns and 11 microns. If the earth did not have an atmosphere, surface temperatures would be too hot to sustain life. Equally important are selective absorption and emission of earth4energy radiation from molecules in the atmosphere. Outgoing infrared radiation from the earth’s surface is only one part of an intricate web of heat transfer in the earth’s planetary domain. The earth’s surface, atmosphere, and clouds emit radiation in the infrared band and near-infrared band.