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.
Source: Earth's Energy Explained UCAR Connect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9B8gGQtJzoNational 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