The Greenhouse Effect and Acid Rain: A Tutorial

Abstract

The concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides and chlorofluorocarbons is increasing in the earth's atmosphere. Increased concentrations of these trace gases could lead to global warming, increased acid rain and increased UV radiation on the earth's surface; however, the actual impacts are still uncertain and are also the subject of great debate. Application of "clean" energy sources such as geothermal are obviously desirable for decreasing these effects and improving our overall general environment. This paper briefly summarizes the global environmental concerns, providing a backdrop for the following papers which describe the geothermal role in future environmental considerations.