antigreenhouse
AN-tee-green-house
Definition
A phenomenon where an atmospheric layer, such as a high-altitude haze, absorbs incoming solar radiation while remaining transparent to outgoing thermal infrared, resulting in a net cooling effect on a planet's surface.
Etymology
The word is a combination of the prefix 'anti-', from Greek meaning 'against' or 'opposing,' and 'greenhouse,' referring to an enclosure or atmospheric condition that traps heat. It was coined to describe an atmospheric process that creates a cooling effect instead of the warming associated with the standard greenhouse effect.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe how Titan's thick orange haze blocks sunlight from reaching the ground, effectively acting as the opposite of a greenhouse. This 'antigreenhouse' effect subtracts heat from the surface, partially offsetting the warming caused by the thick atmosphere.
Titan's air warms the surface and its sky cools it: the greenhouse effect adds about 38 degrees Fahrenheit while the high-altitude haze subtracts about 16, leaving the surface about 22 degrees warmer than Titan's effective temperature
Read the full article ↗Space Daily