Passive Energy Sources. The Earths Energy Budget

This essay examines the passive energy sources available on the Earth in terms of the Earths Energy budget.

It does not cover renewable sources of energy since these are variables within the maximum and minimum external and internal energy constraints and have been covered in other essays as shown in references at the end of this article.

Background

‘The essence of the Earths Energy budget is the balance between incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun and the outgoing long wave radiation from the Earth itself. When the incoming and the outgoing are in balance then the Earths average temperature stays constant at about 58 deg F

When one or more parts of the energy budget changes an imbalance occurs then the Earths average temperature gets warmer or colder in response.’

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

Components

The Earths energy budget originates from the Sun. It is influenced by other sources such as Surface composition, Atmospheric composition, Clouds, Aerosols, Dust , Air pollution, Land cover and use, Urbanization and Agriculture

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

The Energy Budget

Solar Input

Incoming solar short wave radiation

= 341.3w/m2

Earth Reflects

Reflected by clouds and atmosphere

= 79 w/m2

Reflected by surface

= 23 w/m2

= 79 + 23 = 101.9 w/m2

= 30% of solar radiation hitting earth is reflected

Earth Absorbs

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

Earth Heats Up below the atmosphere

Greenhouse Gases in atmosphere and back radiation absorbed by surface

= 333 w/m2

Earth Cools below the atmosphere

Emits Surface Radiation

= 356 w/m2

= 40 w/m2 atmospheric window

= 356 + 40 w/m2 = 396 w/m2

Emits thermal energy

= 17 w/m2

Emits evapotranspiration energy

= 80 w/m2

Upper Atmosphere radiation

Outgoing long wave radiation

= 169 w/m2 emitted by atmosphere

= 30 w/m2 others

= 40 w/m2 atmospheric window

= 169 + 30 + 40 w/m2 = 239 (238.5) w/m2

Upper Atmosphere Effects

Incoming shortwave solar energy

= 341.3 w/m2

Outgoing energy

= Total reflected + outgoing long wave radiation

= 101.9 + 238.5 w/m2

= 340.4 w/m2

Net energy absorbed by Earth

= 341.3 - 340.4 w/m2

= 0.9 w/m2

Conclusions

The net energy from the Sun is negligible per m².

It does 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

14/07/2017

14/10/2020

607 words over 3 pages

Additional references.

National Center for Atmospheric Research

Source: Kevin Trenberth

Source: Nasa, Goddard

Source: 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

Source: 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