Climatic Effects Due to Halogenated Compounds in the Earth’s Atmosphere

Abstract

Using a one-dimensional radiative-convective model, we perform a sensitivity study of the effect of ozone depletion in the stratosphere on the surface temperature. There could be a cooling of the surface temperature by ∼0.2 K due to chlorofluoromethane-induced ozone depletion at steady state (assuming 1973 release rates). This cooling reduces significantly the greenhouse effect due to the presence of chlorofluoromethanes. Carbon tetrafluoride has a strong ν₃ band at 7.8 μm, and the atmospheric greenhouse effect is shown to be 0.07 and 0.12 K (ppbv)⁻¹ with and without taking into account overlap with CH₄ and N₂O bands. At concentration higher than l ppbv, absorption by the ν₃ band starts to saturate and the greenhouse effect becomes less efficient.