Radiation, Long Wave

LONG WAVE (OR longwave) radiation is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum emitted at spectral wavelengths generally greater than one micrometer (μm). Types of long wave radiation include infrared, microwave, and radio waves. Emittance of radiation is a function of temperature, and objects giving off long wave radiation are colder than those radiating at short wavelengths. For example, the sun (approximately 5800 K) radiates primarily in the short wave part of the spectrum (especially visible light from 0.4 to 0.7 micrometers), whereas the Earth (approximately 290 K) emits radiation at much larger wavelengths. Climatologically, long wave radiation generally refers to radiation emitted by the Earth-atmosphere system (also called terrestrial radiation), largely at wavelengths of 5–15 μm. Long wave radiation emitted by the Earth's surface and ...