How to Fool the World by Measuring DLR

CO2 alarmism is based on backradiation or Downwelling Longwave Radiation presented as follows:

• The Down-welling Long-wave Radiation (DLR) flux (W.m-2) is defined as the thermal irradiance reaching the surface in the thermal infrared spectrum (4 - 100 µm). It is determined by the radiation that originates from a shallow layer close to the surface, about one third being emitted by the lowest 10 meters and 80% by the 500-meter layer.
• The DLR is derived from several sensors (METEOSAT, MSG) using various approaches, in the framework of projects GEOLAND and AMMA.

The algorithm used in GEOLAND computes DLR by (in principle)

• DLR = sigma Ta^4

where Ta is the measured atmospheric temperature (more precisely a frequency spectrum characteristic of the temperature). The algorithm to compute DLR reflects a Stefan-Bolzmann's radiation law (SB) of the form

(1) Q = sigma Te^4 - sigma Ta^4,

where Te is the Earth surface/instrument temperature, expressing the net heat transfer Q as the difference between two-way gross heat transfer back and forth. DLR is then identified with the second term, see also the The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program.

But this form of SB is not found in the physics literature, where instead SB is written as

(2) Q = sigma (Te^4 - Ta^4),

which expresses net heat transfer from warm to cold. In this version it is impossible to single out the term sigma Ta^4 and claim it to represent DLR. In this version of SB there is no DLR, no back radiation, only net heat transfer.

We now see the trick: Rewrite (2) as (1) by an algebraic manipulation and then interpret

the miraculously appearing term sigma Ta^4 as DLR:

• By a purely algebraic manipulation a massive physical flux of energy DLR has been created.
• With massive DLR it is possible to stir up CO2 alarm.

This trick has fooled a whole world of climate scientists. Does it fool you?

Recall that CO2 alarmism is based on making the effect of something small (CO2) into something big (increase of global temp by 3C), and this inflation is based on replacing small one-way net heat transfer by (the difference of) gross two-way transfer.

It is like creating something out of nothing by writing 0 = 100 - 100, which miraculously creates 100 out of 0.

But this inflation is fictional and is based on an incorrect interpretation of the SB law in the literature. It is surprising that so many people get fooled by the simple algebraic trick used.

PS Measuring temperature by recording frequency spectrum is possible by using SB. But to measure two-way transfer of heat energy is a different issue.