jtb@phs.UUCP (11/28/83)
In answer to Bruce Giles's questions: The atmosphere is an inefficent radiator compared to the earth or because it is a gas. He is correct that the limit to the greenhouse effect is that as the planet heats it becomes a stronger IR sorce. Obviously an equlibrium is established which depends on the transparency of the atmosphere to visible and IR and the reflectivity of the planitary anet's surface in visible and IR. When the factors are such that the equlibrium temp. is high we say that the greenhouse effect is occuring. Jose Torre-Bueno decvax!duke!phs!jtb