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4. Energy Budgets
Conclusion
The sun emits a more or less constant energy but the input at the Earth's
surface varies owing to seasonal, diurnal
and stochastic factors. The
immediate characteristics of the Earth's atmosphere
varies with the amount and spectral composition of solar
radiation reaching the Earth's surface. The spatial differences in
heating of the oceans and the atmosphere generate the climatic
climaxes found on Earth. The heating of the Earth's surface causes
it to emit long wave radiation which becomes trapped in the atmosphere
creating global warming. Anthropogenic
activity is contributing to this phenomenon by increasing the amount of
carbon dioxide (and other
greenhouse gases) present
in the atmosphere. This is augmenting the various natural processes of
climate change: variations in the Earth's orbital characteristics, changes
in the amounts of carbon dioxide from the oceans, volcanic eruptions,
and variations in solar output.
Questions and answers
1.Assuming a solar constant, why is there not a theoretically uniform energy input to each point of the Earth's surface?
2.What wavelength of radiation does the Earth emit, and why?
3.How does a CO2 enriched atmosphere contribute to global warming?
4.Name three common greenhouse gases.
6.i) What is a black body, ii) What is
a white body, and,
iii) Do they exist?
7.What limited factors are responsible for climate change?
8.What impact do the oceans have on atmospheric carbon dioxide?
9.How do volcanic eruptions affect short term climate change?
10.Which two large volcanic eruptions
in the last century have had
an effect on climate?