Whose work first explained how sunlight is reflected and absorbed differently by different planetary atmospheres?
Quick Answer
Svante Arrhenius was an early pioneer of the greenhouse effect, but planetary atmospheric physics was later developed by scientists such as James Hansen and others. For planets, the key idea is that atmosphere composition changes temperature by trapping or reflecting heat.
The Full Story
The physics behind planetary temperatures comes from studying how atmospheres absorb and emit radiation. While Svante Arrhenius is most closely associated with the greenhouse effect on Earth, later planetary scientists applied similar ideas to Venus, Earth, Mars and the giant planets. These studies explain why Venus is so hot, why Mars is cold and thinly atmospheric, and why giant planets have complex cloud layers. The same basic radiative principles are central to understanding climates across the Solar System.
Key Facts
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"Why one planet is scorching and another is frozen"
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