Global Heat Budget

• The global heat budget is a balance between incoming and outgoing solar radiation.
• The earth only receives 50% of the sun’s energy.
• When the sun’s energy reaches the earth’s atmosphere, some is reflected and absorbed.
• The lighter and brighter the cloud, the more insolation it will reflect.
• The larger and darker the cloud, the more insolation it will absorb.
• This is due to the albedo which is the rate of reflection.
• The earth has areas with lots of ice and snow. These areas have a high albedo, a high rate of reflection.
• The earth has dark dense areas of vegetation such as the rainforest and there are vast oceans. These areas have a low albedo, a low rate of reflection.
• Sulphur is emitted into the atmosphere by volcanoes. This will reflect the suns’ energy.
• Pollution caused by humans emits CO2 and methane into the atmosphere. This gas will reflect the sun’s energy.