1. CONTENT AND BASIC PROPERTIES OF THE ATMOSPHERE
1.1 Composition
1.2 Vertical structure of pressure and density
1.3 Vertical temperature structure
1.4 Ozone
1.5 Carbon dioxide
1.6 Water vapour
1.7 The hydrosphere and the hydrologic cycle
1.8 Aerosols
1.9 Clouds
1.10 Precipitation
2. THE INTERACTION OF RADIATION WITH THE ATMOSPHERE
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Basic principles of radiation
2.3 Blackbody radiation
2.4 Absorption and emission
2.5 Reflectivity and transmissivity
2.6 Planetary albedo
2.7 The radiation budget
2.8 Atmospheric absorption of radiation
2.9 The vertical profile of absorption
2.10 Atmospheric scattering
2.11 The solar spectrum
2.12 Atmospheric absorption, emission and transmission of solar radiation
2.13 Atmospheric absorption and emission of thermal radiation
2.14 Visible and infrared remote sensing
2.15 Microwave remote sensing
3. RADIATIVE TRANSFER EQUATION
3.1 Physical basis of remote sounding
3.2 Radiative transfer equation
3.3 Derivation of surface parameters
3.4 Water vapour correction
3.5 Microwave sounding and rain detection
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
