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Earth’s Global Energy Balance Overview

Earth’s 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

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Earth’s Global Energy Balance Overview

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  1. Earth’s 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

  2. 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

  3. What is light?

  4. Light is an Electromagnetic Wave&a Particle Photons: “pieces” of light, each with precise wavelength, frequency, and energy.

  5. Light as a Wave • For any wave (say, in the ocean) its speed: s = f (frequency)  (wavelength) • But the speed of light is a constant, c. • For light: f  = c • For light, the higher f is, the smaller  is, and vice versa. • Our eyes recognize f (or ) as color!

  6. Light as a Particle • Light can also be treated as photons – packets of energy. • The energy carried by each photon depends on its frequency (color) • E = hf [“h” is called Planck’s Constant] • Bluer light carries more energy per photon.

  7. Electromagnetic Radiation • Energy constantly emitted from every surface • Can be in many different forms, e.g. light or heat

  8. Electromagnetic Spectrum

  9. Temperature & Radiation • 1. Hotter objects radiate more energy than cooler • Radiation intensity = constant X T4 (Stefan-Boltzmann equation) • Double the temp of object, radiation intensity rises 16X • 2. Hotter objects radiate shorter wavelengths • Wein’s Law : wavelength = constant / temperature • Sun – surface temp 6000°C – emits shortwave radiation • Most Earth objects are cooler, emit longwave radiation

  10. 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↑

  11. What causes the atmosphere to be opaque?

  12. 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 0.3μm to 3μm wavelengths • This is shortwave radiation

  13. Longwave Radiation • Energy emitted from Earth’s surface • 3-30 μm wavelength • Strong absorption by CO2 and H2O↑ • This absorption part of greenhouse effect • Longwave radiation is emitted by Earth back to space. • Thus, Earth’s temp remains fairly constant.

  14. Remember you live on a rotating sphere

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. Net Radiation • Energy not usually balanced at any location • Net Radiation - Difference between incoming and outgoing radiation • Between 40°N and 40°S, incoming > outgoing • Creates energy surplus • Poleward of 40°N & S, outgoing > incoming • Creates energy deficit • Deficit = Surplus, so net radiation for Earth = 0

  18. 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 phenomena • Ocean currents

  19. 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 - summer • Southern hemisphere gets more direct Sun part of year – winter • Tilt & orbit create seasons, not distance to Sun

  20. Northern Summer

  21. Northern Winter

  22. Solstices & Equinoxes

  23. 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

  24. Path of the Sun in the Sky (40° North)

  25. Path of the Sun in the Sky (Equator)

  26. Path of the Sun in the Sky (North Pole)

  27. 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

  28. 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

  29. Sensible & Latent Heat Transfer Conduction • Surplus energy is transported in two forms: • Sensible Heat – can be felt & measured • Transferred by conduction (touching surface) • Transferred by convection (carried by rising air) • 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 Convection Latent heat absorbed in evaporation

  30. Global Energy System • 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

  31. 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

  32. Counterradiation • 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

  33. Greenhouse Effect • Longwave radiation absorbed & re-radiated to surface by atmosphere • Lower atmosphere acts like blanket

  34. Global Energy Budget Energy balanced for each level: surface, atmosphere, & space

  35. Global Radiation Balance Shortwave radiation absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere & surface… Roughly equals…

  36. 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)

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