radiation budget
Quick Summary
The radiation budget refers to the balance between the solar radiation absorbed by Earth and the thermal radiation emitted back into space. This budget is crucial for maintaining Earth's temperature.
While the overall budget is balanced, there's a latitudinal difference: more solar radiation is absorbed at the equator than at the poles. This imbalance is managed by the atmosphere and oceans, which transfer heat from warmer to cooler regions.
The Earth's surface has a positive radiation budget, meaning it gains more energy than it loses. Conversely, the atmosphere has a negative radiation budget, as it emits more thermal radiation than it absorbs from the sun. This is partly due to the greenhouse effect, where certain gases trap heat, warming the planet. Changes in albedo, or reflectivity, like melting ice in the Arctic, can further impact this balance by increasing heat absorption.1234
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- climateAverage radiation budgets
The difference between the solar radiation absorbed and the thermal radiation emitted to space determines Earth’s radiation budget. Since there is no appreciable long-term trend in planetary temperature, it may be concluded that this budget is essentially zero on a global long-term average.…
Read MoreThe difference between the solar radiation absorbed and the thermal radiation emitted to space determines Earth’s radiation budget. Since there is no appreciable long-term trend in planetary temperature, it may be concluded that this budget is essentially zero on a global long-term average.…
Read More - climateHumidity and climate
…vapour has another climatic role—namely, absorbing and emitting radiation. The temperature of Earth and its daily variation are determined by the balance between incoming and outgoing radiation. The wavelength of the incoming radiation from the Sun is mostly shorter than 3 μm (0.0001 inch). It is scarcely absorbed by water…
Read More…vapour has another climatic role—namely, absorbing and emitting radiation. The temperature of Earth and its daily variation are determined by the balance between incoming and outgoing radiation. The wavelength of the incoming radiation from the Sun is mostly shorter than 3 μm (0.0001 inch). It is scarcely absorbed by water…
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