Copyright 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, I nc.

Alan Strahler
I ntroducing
Physical
Geography
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Chapter 2
The Earth`s Global Energy Balance
1he FarLh's Clobal Fnergy
"#$#%&'
()#*+', -
8eLurn
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()#*+', ./+$0%'
1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
Czone Layer
2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe

3. ComposlLlon of Lhe ALmosphere
4. Senslble PeaL & LaLenL PeaL 1ransfer
3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
Lnergy 8alance
Cllck SecLlon
Lo go Lo Maln
conLenLSllde 3
CL8LS - Clouds &
LarLh's 8adlanL Lnergy
SysLems
6. neL 8adlaLlon, LaLlLude, &
Lo Maln
Sllde
1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
8AulA1lCn Anu 1LML8A1u8L

SCLA8 8AulA1lCn
CPA8AC1L8lS1lCS Cl SCLA8 LnL8C?
LCnCWAvL 8AulA1lCn l8CM 1PL
LA81P
1PL CLC8AL 8AulA1lCn 8ALAnCL

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4
8eLurn
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1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
All surfaces emlL radlaLlon.
PoL ob[ecLs - radlaLlon ln Lhe form
of ||ght
Cooler ob[ecLs - emlL heat
radlaLlon.
LarLh emlLs exacLly as much energy
as lL absorbs from Lhe sun - energy
ba|ance

LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon -
collecLlon of waves, wlde range of
wavelengLhs, Lravel away from Lhe
surface of an ob[ecL.
!"#$%$&'() !" $%& '!"$()*& "&+(,($!)- .)&
/(0& *,&"$ 1,.2 $%& )&3$ /(0& *,&"$
8eLurn
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1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
+",," -"./ and 0 -"./ shorL wavelengLh, hlgh energles,
hazardous Lo healLh.
1%(-"#23%$( 4 56 )2 $. 0.4 m. Can damage llvlng Llssues.
V|s|b|e ||ght 4 678 $. 0.7 m. from vloleL blue, green, yellow,
orange, Lo red.
N$"-42&5-"-$6 4 0.7 Lo 1.2 m. Slmllar Lo vlslble llghL. lrom Lhe
Sun. CannoL be seen because eyes noL senslLlve Lo radlaLlon
beyond 0.7 m.
7)3-(8"#$ 2&5-"-$6 4 1.2 and 3.0 m. lrom Lhe sun
9266%$42&5-"-$6 4 3.0 m Lo 6 m. lrom Sun or hoL sources on
LarLh (foresL flres, gas well flames)
1)$-,"% 2&5-"-$6 6 m Lo 300 m. Clven off by bodles aL
LemperaLures found aL Lhe LarLh's surface.
1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
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1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
8
8AulA1lCn Anu
1LML8A1u8L
not ob[ecLs radlaLe more energy LhaL cool
notter ob[ect, shorter wave|ength
Suburban scene aL nlghL.
8lack and vloleL Lones - lower LemperaLures
?ellow and red Lones - hlgher LemperaLures.
Cround and sky - coldesL, wlndows of Lhe heaLed homes warmesL.

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SCLA8 8AulA1lCn
Sun - ball of consLanLly churnlng gases
heaLed by conLlnuous nuclear reacLlons
(hydrogen Lo hellum aL hlgh LemperaLures
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1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
9
lnLenslLy of solar
radlaLlon ls greaLesL ln
Lhe vlslble porLlon of
Lhe specLrum.

MosL of Lhe solar
radlaLlon ln Lhe vlslble
specLrum peneLraLes
Lhe LarLh's aLmosphere
Lo reach Lhe surface.
and pressures)
Surface LemperaLure 6000C (11,000l)
8ays of solar radlaLlon spread aparL as Lhey
move away from Lhe Sun
8aLe of lncomlng energy, /3%"- :3&/("&(
abouL 1367 W/m2
lnLenslLy of recelved (or emlLLed) radlaLlon
= power of Lhe radlaLlon and Lhe surface
area belng hlL by (or glvlng off) energy

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1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
10
CPA8AC1L8lS1lCS Cl
SCLA8 LnL8C?
Sun emlLs shortwave
radlaLlon (ulLravloleL,
vlslble and shorLwave
lnfrared)

LarLh emlLs |ongwave
radlaLlon (lnfrared) - much
ls absorbed by Lhe LarLh's
aLmosphere before lL
leaves (e.g. by carbon
dloxlde)
9('!($!.) !)$&)"!$: !" "%./) .) (
;.-(,!$%2!* "*(;&7






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1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
11
LCnCWAvL 8AulA1lCn
l8CM 1PL LA81P
LarLh radlaLes less
energy LhaL Lhe sun
Lnergy radlaLed by
LarLh ls Longwave
WavelengLhs are
absorbed by gases ln
Lhe aLmosphere, such as
water vapor and carbon
d|ox|de

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1PL CLC8AL 8AulA1lCn
8ALAnCL
Shortwave radlaLlon from Lhe Sun LransmlLLed Lhrough space,
lnLercepLed by Lhe LarLh.
Absorbed radlaLlon ls Lhen emlLLed as Longwave radlaLlon Lo
ouLer space.
1.

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1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
12
1PL CLC8AL 8AulA1lCn
8ALAnCL
lncomlng solar radlaLlon ls elLher:
ref|ected (scaLLered) back Lo space, or
absorbed by Lhe aLmosphere or surface

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1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
13
Lo Maln
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1. LlecLromagneLlc 8adlaLlon
1PL CLC8AL 8AulA1lCn
8ALAnCL
AbsorpLlon of
shorLwave radlaLlon by
Lhe LarLh and
aLmosphere provldes
energy LhaL Lhe LarLh -
aLmosphere sysLem
radlaLes away ln all
dlrecLlons.

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2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe
uAlL? lnSCLA1lCn 1P8CuCP 1PL
?LA8

AnnuAL lnSCLA1lCn 8? LA1l1uuL

WC8Lu LA1l1uuL ZCnLS

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Lo Maln
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2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe
Inso|at|on - Lhe flow raLe of lncomlng solar
radlaLlon. lL ls hlgh when Lhe Sun ls hlgh ln Lhe sky.

Ang|e of the so|ar beam sLrlklng Lhe
LarLh varles wlLh |at|tude
lnsolaLlon ls sLrongesL near Lhe
equaLor and weakesL near Lhe poles.
1he lnLenslLy of Lhe solar beam
depends on Lhe angle beLween Lhe
beam and Lhe surface.

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2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe
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Most lnLense when Lhe beam ls verLlcal.
8eam at an ang|e of 4S covers a larger surface, less lnLense.
At 30 beam covers greaLer surface, even weaker.

17
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2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe
18
uAlL? lnSCLA1lCn
1P8CuCP 1PL ?LA8
ually lnsolaLlon depends on:
1) Angle LhaL Lhe sun's rays
sLrlke
2) Pow long a place ls exposed
Lo Lhose rays
MldlaLlLude, mld summer -
days are long, sun's poslLlon ls
hlgh - maxlmum heaLlng

8eLurn
uAlL? lnSCLA1lCn
1P8CuCP 1PL ?LA8
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2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe
19
uAlL? lnSCLA1lCn
1P8CuCP 1PL ?LA8
LquaLor - Sun's paLh across Lhe sky varles ln pos|t|on and
he|ght above Lhe horlzon. Sun ls always ln Lhe sky for 12
hours, buL lLs noon angle varles Lhrough Lhe year.

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2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe
20
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2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe
21
uAlL? lnSCLA1lCn
1P8CuCP 1PL ?LA8
norLh ole
Sun moves
ln a clrcle ln
Lhe sky aL an
elevaLlon
LhaL changes
wlLh Lhe
seasons.

8eLurn
uAlL? lnSCLA1lCn
1P8CuCP 1PL ?LA8
1roplc of Caprlcorn -
Lhe Sun ls ln Lhe sky
longesL and reaches
lLs hlghesL elevaLlons
aL Lhe uecember
solsLlce.

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2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe
22
AnnuAL lnSCLA1lCn 8?
LA1l1uuL
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2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe
23
1llLed Axls
Annual lnsolaLlon
varles smooLhly from
equaLor Lo pole
lnsolaLlon greaLer aL
lower laLlLudes
Plgh laLlLudes recelve
flow of solar Lnergy
lnsolaLlon aL poles 40
percenL of equaLor.
Axls erpendlcular
- no seasons
- Annual lnsolaLlon hlgh
aL Lhe LquaLor, Sun
dlrecLly overhead aL
noon every day
LhroughouL year
- Annual lnsolaLlon zero
aL Lhe poles,
- Sun's below horlzon.
1llL redlsLrlbuLes
slgnlflcanL porLlon of
lnsolaLlon from equaLor
Lo poles.









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2. lnsolaLlon over Lhe Clobe
24
WC8Lu LA1l1uuL ZCnLS
Clobe dlvlded lnLo
broad |at|tude zones
based on Lhe seasonal
paLLerns of dally
lnsolaLlon observed
globally

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3. ComposlLlon of Lhe ALmosphere
Constant gases |n

the 1roposphere
nlLrogen 78
(converLed by bacLerla
lnLo a useful form ln
solls)

Cxygen 21
(produced by green
planLs ln
phoLosynLhesls and
used ln resplraLlon)

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4. Senslble PeaL & LaLenL PeaL
1ransfer
Sens|b|e heat - Lhe quanLlLy of heaL held by an
ob[ecL LhaL can be sensed by Louchlng or feellng

Latent heat - heaL LhaL ls used and sLored when a
subsLance changes sLaLe from a solld Lo llquld (or
dlrecLly Lo a gas) or llquld Lo gas (e.g. evaporaLlon of
waLer)

Latent heat transfer - Lhe Lransfer of heaL from an
evaporaLlng surface Lo Lhe aLmosphere

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4. Senslble PeaL & LaLenL PeaL
1ransfer
Sens|b|e heat Lransfer refers Lo Lhe flow
of heaL beLween Lhe LarLh's surface and
Lhe aLmosphere by conducLlon or
convecLlon.
Latent heat Lransfer refers Lo Lhe flow of
heaL carrled by changes of sLaLe of
waLer.
8eLurn
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3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
SCLA8 LnL8C? LCSSLS ln 1PL
A1MCSPL8L

AL8LuC

CCun1L88AulA1lCn Anu 1PL
C8LLnPCuSL LllLC1

CLC8AL LnL8C? 8uuCL1S Cl 1PL
A1MCSPL8L Anu Su8lACL

CLlMA1L Anu CLC8AL CPAnCL

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29
Lo Maln
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3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
30
SCLA8 LnL8C? LCSSLS ln 1PL
A1MCSPL8L

Clear Sky
80 of lnsolaLlon reaches LarLh's surface
20 of lnsolaLlon reflecLed back Lo space (3
by scaLLer, 17 by molecules and dusL)

Cloudy Sky
30 Lo 60 reflecLed by clouds
3 Lo 20 absorbed ln Clouds
43 Lo 10 reaches LarLh's
surface

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3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
31
AL8LuC
A|bedo - percenLage of solar radlaLlon reflecLed
Snow and lce - 0.43-0.83 (also expressed as
43 Lo 83)
8lack avemenL - 0.03
WaLer - 0.02
llelds, foresLs, bare ground - 0.03 Lo 0.23.
LarLh and aLmosphere sysLem - 0.29 and 0.34.

<;()&$ "&)'" =(*> $. "+(*& ";!-%$;: ;&"" $%()
.)&4$%!,'

8eLurn
AL8LuC
Iresh snow has a hlgh albedo,
reflecLlng mosL of Lhe sunllghL
lL recelves. Cnly a small porLlon
ls absorbed

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3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
32
Lo Maln
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3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
33
AL8LuC
Aspha|t pavlng
reflecLs llLLle llghL, so
lL appears dark or
black and has a low
albedo. lL absorbs
nearly all of Lhe solar
radlaLlon lL recelves.

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3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
34
AL8LuC
Water absorbs
solar radlaLlon
and has a low
albedo unless Lhe
radlaLlon sLrlkes
Lhe waLer surface
aL a low angle. ln
LhaL case, Sun
gllnL ralses Lhe
albedo.

8eLurn
CCun1L88AulA1lCn Anu 1PL
C8LLnPCuSL LllLC1
ShorLwave radlaLlon passes
Lhrough aLmosphere, absorbed
and warms surface.
Lo Maln
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3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
3S
Surface emlLs
longwave radlaLlon
whlch goes
(A) dlrecLly Lo
space, or,
(8) absorbed by
aLmosphere

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3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
36
CCun1L88AulA1lCn Anu 1PL
C8LLnPCuSL LllLC1

ALmosphere radlaLes
longwave energy
back Lo Lhe surface
and also Lo space as
counLerradlaLlon
(C & u)

?.@)$&,,('!($!.)
+,.'@*&" $%&
-,&&)%.@"& &11&*$7
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3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
37
CCun1L88AulA1lCn Anu 1PL
C8LLnPCuSL LllLC1

Water vapor and carbon d|ox|de acL
llke glass allowlng shorLwave radlaLlon
Lhrough buL absorblng and radlaLlng
longwave radlaLlon.

8eLurn
CLC8AL LnL8C? 8uuCL1S Cl 1PL
A1MCSPL8L Anu Su8lACL

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3. 1he Clobal Lnergy SysLem
38
Lo Maln
Sllde 39
6. neL 8adlaLlon, LaLlLude, &
Lnergy 8alance
Net rad|at|on -
dlfference beLween
lncomlng and
ouLgolng radlaLlon

AL hlgh laLlLudes
Lhere ls an energy
deflclL

oleward - heaL
Lransfer moves
surplus energy from
low Lo hlgh laLlLudes

8eLurn
.12%' 3#4', - 5)0'$6 +2 307'
Czone Layer
Lo Maln
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Czone - form of oxygen w|th 3 oxygen
atoms (C3)
She|ters Larth's surface from u|trav|o|et rad|at|on

Attacked by synthet|c chem|ca| components -
Ch|or|ne, f|uor|ne and carbons -
Ch|orof|uorocarbons (CIC's)

1980's ho|e |n ozone d|scovered over Antarct|ca

Czone |ayer th|ns dur|ng the spr|ng |n the Southern
nem|sphere (September, Cctober)

1987 - 23 nat|ons s|gned treaty to cut CIC's

8eLurn
.12%' 3#4', - 5)0'$6 +2 307'
Czone Layer
Lo Maln
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1he Antarct|c ozone ho|e of 2006 was Lhe largesL on record -
29.3 mllllon square mlles.
Low values of ozone -purple, ranglng Lhrough blue, green,
and yellow.
Czone concenLraLlon ls measured ln uobson unlLs

8eLurn
8eLurn
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CL8LS - Clouds &
LarLh's 8adlanL Lnergy
SysLems


(8985 - Clouds & FarLh's RadianL
8%',:4 54;+'<;
NASA study of the Larth's rad|at|on budget from
space for 20 years

NASA Lxper|mentc/ouds ond the orths
;"62"&( <&$-'. =><;<7?

New generat|on of |nstruments |n space that scan
the Larth and measure the amount of shortwave
and |ongwave rad|at|on |eav|ng the Larth at the
top of the atmosphere.

Cont|nuous mon|tor|ng of the Larth's rad|ant
energy f|ows
Sma||, |ong-term human or natura| changes can
be detected
42
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43
CL8LS - Clouds &
LarLh's 8adlanL Lnergy
SysLems


(8985 - Clouds & FarLh's RadianL
8%',:4 54;+'<;
Average ShorLwave llux - 0 Lo
210 W/m2, March 2000
LquaLor - Lhlck clouds
reflecL solar radlaLlon back Lo
space.
MldlaLlLudes - cloudlness
shows up as llghL Lones.
1roplcal deserLs - brlghL.
Snow and lce ls reflecLlve,
amounL of radlaLlon aL poles
low - so do noL appear
brlghL.
Cceans - absorb solar
radlaLlon so low shorLwave
fluxes.
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44
CL8LS - Clouds &
LarLh's 8adlanL Lnergy
SysLems


(8985 - Clouds & FarLh's RadianL
8%',:4 54;+'<;
Average Longwave llux -
100 Lo 320 W/m2, March
2000
LquaLor - low values due
Lo blankeLlng of Lhlck
clouds Lrapplng longwave
radlaLlon
1roplcal oceans - clear sky
emlLs hlgh longwave flux
oles - surface and
aLmospherlc LemperaLures
drop, longwave energy
emlsslon Low
()#*+', 9'=0'>
1. WaLer ln Lhe LnvlronmenL

2. PumldlLy
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3. 1he AdlabaLlc rocess

4. Clouds

3. reclplLaLlon

6. 1ypes of reclplLaLlon

7. 1hundersLorms

8. 1ornadoes

9. Alr CuallLy
Acld
ueposlLlon





















Observing
Clouds from
GOES
4S