Passive Energy Sources. Sun and Moon

This essay examines the external passive energy from the Sun and the Moon onto the Earth.

It does not cover renewable sources of energy since these have been covered in other essays as shown in references at the end of this article.

External Passive Energy Sources

The Sun

The Moon

Earth Surface Area

The surface area of the earth

= 510.1 trillion m²

Source: https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#safe=strict&q=surface+area+of+earth+in+m2&spf=1499337611726

Sun

The total energy output of the sun

= 4.7e+25 watts potential energy.

Source: SPARTAN 201-3: The Sun. Solar Data Analysis Center. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Source: https://hypertextbook.com/facts/1999/MatthewTsang.shtml

= 92,138,796,314 w/ m² potential energy.

= 46,069,398,157 w/ m² (50% each day) potential energy.

The amount of energy deposited on the Earth; the solar constant is much less than the potential.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun

= 1,368 w/m²

This energy is spread out over the whole surface area of the Earth and so the 1368 w/m2 divides by a factor of 4; the difference from the Earth being a flat disk and being a sphere.

Source: https://www.windows2universe.org/earth/climate/sun_radiation_at_earth.html

This gives the incoming shortwave solar energy a value of.

= 341.3 w/m²

The Earth also cools and so there is an outgoing energy value of

= Total reflected + outgoing long wave radiation

= 101.9 + 238.5 w/m²

= 340.4 w/ m²

The difference between the incoming and outgoing energy gives a value for the net energy absorbed by Earth.

= 341.3 - 340.4 w/m²

= 0.9 w/ m² net energy absorbed.

Source: Earth's Energy Explained UCAR Connect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9B8gGQtJzo

National Center for Atmospheric Research Kevin Trenberth Nasa, Goddard Nasa Langley

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy

Source: Diagram_ About half the incoming solar energy reaches the Earth's surface.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy

Source: http://climate.ncsu.edu/edu/k12/.eeb

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_energy_budget#Energy_budget

Source: https://science-edu.larc.nasa.gov/energy_budget/

Source: Diagram_showing_the_Earth's_energy_budget,_which_includes_the_greenhouse_effect_(NASA)

Source: GEOG3890: Earth's Energy Budget https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxxEE_phcMk

Passive Energy from Surface Absorption

‘The top layer of the (Earths) surface to a depth of 10 meters (33 ft) is heated by solar energy during the summer, and releases that energy and cools during the winter.’

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_energy#Types

This allows heat to be extracted from the ground; by heat pumps, heat pumps and coils and artificial solar energy absorbers; and used to heat buildings.

Incoming shortwave solar energy

= 341.3 w/ m²

Absorbed in atmosphere

= 78 w/ m²

Absorbed by surface

= 161 w/ m²

= 78 + 161 w/ m² = 239 w/ m²

= 70% of solar energy hitting earth is absorbed.

This amount of energy is allowed for in the calculations for the net absorbed energy.

Source: Earth's Energy Explained UCAR Connect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9B8gGQtJzo

National Center for Atmospheric Research Kevin Trenberth Nasa, Goddard Nasa Langley

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy

Source: Diagram_ About half the incoming solar energy reaches the Earth's surface.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy

Source: http://climate.ncsu.edu/edu/k12/.eeb

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth%27s_energy_budget#Energy_budget

Source: https://science-edu.larc.nasa.gov/energy_budget/

Source: Diagram_showing_the_Earth's_energy_budget,_which_includes_the_greenhouse_effect_(NASA)

Source: GEOG3890: Earth's Energy Budget https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxxEE_phcMk

Moon

The Moon and the Earth are exchanging gravitational effects due to their orbital relationships.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon#Relationship_to_Earth

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_force

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_acceleration

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tide

These gravitational forces effect the movement of the crust of the Earth, the tides on the oceans of the Earth, the slowing of the speed of the rotation of the Earth, the increase in length of the day on Earth, the increase in distance between the Earth and the Moon, Solar Eclipses and Lunar Phases

The movement of the crust of the Earth is still being researched.

The tides on the oceans of the Earth produce some energy.

The total surface area of the oceans of the Earth is 71% of the total surface area.

= 71% x 510.1 trillion m²

= 3.62171e+14 m²

The tides over the whole Earth can generate a total theoretical wave energy potential of

= 29,500 to 32,000 TWh/year.

= 2.95e+16 wh/yr to 3.2e+16 wh/yr.

= 1.06e+20 ws/yr to 1.15e+20 ws/yr

This is over an ocean area of

= 3.62171e+14 m²

= 0.0000034167 w/m² /yr

Tidal stream energy, tidal range energy and ocean thermal energy conservation are also being examined but geographical, technical and economic constraints make their energy input more difficult to determine at the time of this essay.

Source: https://www.worldenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/WEResources_Marine_2016.pdf

The speed of the rotation of the Earth is gradually reducing.

‘As the Earth has a period of about 23.93 hours, it has an angular velocity of 7.29×10⁻⁵ rad/s. The Earth has a moment of inertia, I = 8.04×10³⁷ kg·m². Therefore, it has a rotational kinetic energy of 2.138×10²⁹ J.’ 2.138e+29 watts per second.

‘Part of the earth's rotational energy can also be tapped using tidal power.’

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotational_energy

The energy from this process is included in the initial tidal calculations.

The length of the day on Earth is increasing. This may increase potential energy that can be collected from the Sun. However it would also require increased energy storage to allow for the increased night time period on Earth.

The distance between the Earth and the Moon is increasing. This is a long term issue. The moon is being pushed away from Earth at 40mm per year. As it moves away all of the known energy and gravitational effects change.

There is a direct energy loss to the Earth during a solar eclipse. It is however temporary and so not a current energy issue.

Lunar Phases occur over set time periods as the shadow of the Earth crosses over the Moon. It is however temporary and so not a current energy issue.

Total Energy Input from Sun and Moon

Sun = 0.9 w / m² net energy absorbed.

Moon = 0.0000034167 w/ m²

Total = 0.9000034167 w/ m²

Conclusions

The net energy from the Sun and Moon is negligible per m².

They do however determine if life exists on the Earth or not.

Therefore the preservation of this small energy balance is a vital component in any systems of Energy Architecture on the Earth.

Ian K Whittaker

Websites:

https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles

Email: iankwhittaker@gmail.com

07/07/2017

14/10/2020

1086 words over 4 pages

Additional references.

Towards an Architecture without manufacturing web site.

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-027---human manufacturing related to global warming

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-028---the cost of solar energy

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-031---the problem with wind energy

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-047--- The Potential Energy of the Earth

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-049--- The Role of Human Beings in relation to the Bio-Sphere of the Earth

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-051--- Human Passive Energy Systems – Breathing

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-052--- Human Passive Energy Systems – Temperature Control

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-053--- Human Passive Energy Systems – Light

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-054--- Human Passive Energy Systems – Oxidation

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-056--- Human Passive Energy Systems Photosynthesis to Leaf Fall

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-121---human-potential-energy-gain-and-energy-output

Source: https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles/home/article-133---the-inefficient-sun