Abstract
For many reasons it is desirable to have a complete knowledge of the composition of the atmosphere as regards both the molecular species present and their absolute quantities. This applies not only to the main components, but also to rare species of polyatomic molecules whose importance in the radiation balance is often quite out of proportion to their actual quantity. Any observed variation in the composition of air—with time, with geographical location, with height, with the seasons, or with meteorological conditions—seriously affects our conception of the processes in the atmosphere. It follows from this that the present article must lay its emphasis on facts in order to see where our knowledge is still inadequate.
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Glueckauf, E. (1951). The Composition of Atmospheric Air. In: Malone, T.F. (eds) Compendium of Meteorology. American Meteorological Society, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-940033-70-9_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-940033-70-9_1
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