global heat budget

• What is solar radiation?

  The energy emitted by the sun
• What is insolation?

  the total amount of solar radiation recieved on the earths surface at a given time
• The balance between imputs and outputs to the atmospheric system is called the heat budget
• Insolation enters the atmosphere and is transfered downwards, interacting with various components of the atmoshere until the earths surface is reacher
• 23% of solar energy is absorbed by the atmoshere

  • 19% by water vapour and gas particles
  • 4% by clouds
• Some energy is reflected

  • 17% is reflected by clouds
  • 8% is reflected or scattered by gas or dust
• 52% of energy actually reaches earths surfce

  • 6% is then reflected back to space by the albedo effect