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surface-energy budget
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A flowchart diagram shows the average exchange of energy between Earth's surface, atmosphere, and space as percentages of incoming solar radiation, with arrows and labeled percentages illustrating how solar energy is absorbed, reflected, scattered, or emitted by clouds, the atmosphere, and the surface. Color-coded circles and boxes represent different forms of energy transfer, including solar radiation, longwave radiation, and non-radiative exchanges, highlighting the complexity of Earth's clima
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surface-energy budget

energy budget
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A flowchart diagram shows the average exchange of energy between Earth's surface, atmosphere, and space as percentages of incoming solar radiation, with arrows and labeled percentages illustrating how solar energy is absorbed, reflected, scattered, or emitted by clouds, the atmosphere, and the surface. Color-coded circles and boxes represent different forms of energy transfer, including solar radiation, longwave radiation, and non-radiative exchanges, highlighting the complexity of Earth's clima
Figure 1: Average exchange of energy between the surface, atmosphere, and space, as percentages of incident solar radiation (1 unit = 3.4 watts per square metre).

The surface-energy budget describes how energy is exchanged at the boundary between Earth's surface (land or water) and its atmosphere. This heating is driven by three main processes: radiation, conduction, and convection. The balance of these energy transfers, along with heat capacity, determines the rate of temperature change in a region. Evaporation of surface moisture is a significant cooling effect, while heat exchange between the surface and the air, and between the surface and the material beneath it, also plays a crucial role in regulating temperatures. The temperature at this interface is vital for supporting life.123

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. atmosphere - Conduction
  2. climate - Surface-energy budgets
  3. atmosphere - Radiation

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