Earths Global Energy Balance

Overview
Electromagnetic Radiation
Radiation and temperature
Solar Radiation
Longwave radiation from the Earth
Global radiation balance
Geographic Variations in Energy Flow
Insolation over the globe
Net radiation, latitude and energy balance
Sensible and latent heat transfer
 Overview

The global energy system

Solar energy losses in the atmosphere
Albedo
Counterradiation and the greenhouse effect
Global energy budgets of the atmosphere &
surface
Climate & global change
What is light?
 Light is an
Electromagnetic Wave
&
a Particle

Photons: pieces of light,

each with precise
wavelength, frequency,
and energy.
Our eyes recognize
frequency (or wavelength)
as color!
 Photons
Photons are little
packets of energy.
The energy carried by
each photon depends on
its frequency (color)
Blue light carries more
energy per photon than
red light.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
 Electromagnetic Radiation
Energy constantly emitted from every surface
Can be in many different forms, e.g. light or
heat
What happens when light gets
absorbed?
What causes the
atmosphere to be
opaque?
 Solar Radiation
Shortwave Radiation
from Sun (dark purple)
Absorption of UV by O3
Absorption by CO2 and
water vapor (H2O)
shown as valleys

Longwave Radiation
from
Earth (dark red)
Much absorbed by CO2
& H2O
 Scattering
Solar radiation can be scattered by atmosphere
Deflected off a molecule, cloud droplet, or particle
May go up toward space, or down toward Earth
Scattering most prevalent in blue wavelengths
Thus, clear, blue skies
Some solar radiation goes directly to surface
Called transmission
Solar radiation arrives as 0.3m to 3m wavelengths
This is shortwave radiation
Remember you live on a rotating sphere
 Geographic Variation in Solar Energy
Insolation Incoming
solar radiation
More intense where sun
angle is highest
Less intense with lower
sun angle
Same energy spread over a
larger area
 Insolation
Daily insolation avg radiation total in 24 hours
Depends on :
Sun angle higher sun angle greater insolation
Length of day higher latitudes get long summer days
Annual insolation avg radiation total for year
Also depends on sun angle and length of day
Both of these determined by latitude
So, latitude determines annual insolation
 Net Radiation
Energy not usually balanced
at any location
Net Radiation - Difference
between incoming and
outgoing radiation
Between 40N and 40S,
incoming > outgoing
Creates energy surplus
Poleward of 40N & S,
outgoing > incoming
Creates energy deficit
Deficit = Surplus, so net
radiation for Earth = 0
 Poleward Heat Transport
Surplus energy moves
toward poles (deficit
regions)
Carried by:
Warm, moist air
Warm sea water
Tropical cyclones

Poleward heat
transport is driving
force behind:
Global atmospheric
circulation
Weather systems
Ocean currents
 Why are there seasons?
The Earth is tilted 23.5
from it orbital plane
Combine tilt with orbit
Northern hemisphere gets
more direct Sun part of year
(northern summer)
Southern hemisphere gets
more direct Sun part of year
(northern winter)
Tilt & orbit create seasons,
not distance to Sun
Northern Summer
Northern Winter
Solstices & Equinoxes
 Path of the Sun in the Sky
40 North
June solstice:
Sun rises
north of east
& sets north
of west
Peaks at
73.5 above
horizon at
noon
15 hours of
daylight
Highest daily
insolation of
year
Path of the Sun in the Sky (40 North)
Date Noon Sun Daylight Daily
Angle Insolation
June Solstice 73.5 15 hrs 460 W/m2

Dec. Solstice 26.5 9 hrs 160 W/m2

Equinoxes 50 12 hrs 350 W/m2
Path of the Sun in the Sky (Equator)
Date Noon Sun Daylight Daily
Angle Insolation
June Solstice 66.5 12 hrs ~400 W/m2

Dec. Solstice 66.5 12 hrs ~400 W/m2

Equinoxes 90 12 hrs 440 W/m2

Path of the Sun in the Sky (North Pole)
Date Noon Sun Daylight Daily
Angle Insolation
June Solstice 23.5 24 hrs 500 W/m2

Dec. Solstice No Sun 0 hrs 0 W/m2

Equinoxes Horizon 12 hrs ~0 W/m2

 Daily Insolation through the Year
Yearly change in insolation greatest toward poles
In Arctic & Antarctic Circles, Sun is below horizon part of year
At Equator, 2 maxs & 2 mins for daily insolation
At equinoxes & solstices
Between tropics, also 2 maxs & 2 mins per year
Yearly insolation change important to climate

Insolation at
equinox
 Annual Insolation by Latitude
Tilted Earth shown as
red line
Equator greatest annual
insolation
Considerable insolation
at highest latitudes
Untilted Earth (blue
line)
Equator greatest annual
insolation
Highest latitudes little
insolation
Big changes in climate
Very cold pole
Massive poleward heat
transport
 Heat Transfer: Surplus energy is
transported in two forms
Sensible Heat can be felt & measured Conduction
Transferred by conduction (touching surface)
Transferred by convection (carried by rising air)
Example: Moving air masses Convection
Latent Heat cannot be felt or measured
Stored as molecular motion when water changes
phase
Absorbed in evaporation, melting, and
sublimation
Released in condensation, freezing, and
deposition
Very important form of heat transfer over long
distances
Example: Storm systems, hurricanes

Latent heat absorbed

in evaporation
 Solar energy losses in the
atmosphere
Scattering due to:
Gas molecules
Dust or other
particles

O2, O3, & H2O most

important absorbers of
insolation

Global avg 49% of

insolation makes it to
surface
 Once at the surface
what happens?
Albedo
Proportion of shortwave radiation
reflected
Shown as a proportion (0-1)
Examples:
Snowfield 0.45-0.85
Black pavement 0.03
Clouds 0.30-0.60
Water (calm, high angle 0.02), (low
angle 0.80)
Avg for Earth and atmosphere 0.29-
0.34
 So what happens to all the energy
absorbed by these various processes?
Counterradiation heat absorbed by
atmosphere reflected down to surface

A energy radiated to
space from surface
B energy from surface
absorbed by
atmosphere
C energy radiated to
space from atmosphere
D Counterradiation
 Part of Counterradiation is the
Greenhouse Effect
Longwave radiation absorbed & re-radiated
to surface by atmosphere
Lower atmosphere acts like blanket
 Global Energy Budget
Energy balanced for each level: surface, atmosphere, & space
 Climate & Global Change
Quantifying human impacts on climate difficult
Climate and society have complex relationship
e.g., Industrial processes
add CO2 to atmosphere (warming)
add aerosols to atmosphere (cooling)