Renewable Energy, 5th Edition

Figure 2.37 Yearly fallout of ⁹⁰Sr following the atmospheric nuclear test ban in 1963, as measured in Denmark. Based on Aarkrog (1971).

2.3.1.2 Absorption and scattering in the atmosphere

Absorption and scattering of radiation take place throughout the atmosphere. The radiation may cause electrons in atoms to go from one orbital to another, or it may cause transition between vibrational or rotational levels in molecules. Generally, the fundamental energy differences associated with rotational excitations are smaller than those associated with vibrational excitations, which again are smaller than those associated with low-lying electron states. ...