Solar Radiations (Insulation) , Heat Budget

Solar Radiations

Ma im m a e a & mi . a le (D e ea h i cli a i & its spherical shape,

Sunrays fall perpendicular to equator, with inclination increasing from equator to poles)

Larger the thickness / wideness of atmosphere, greater the scattering, reflection & absorption
by the atmosphere, reducing the intensity of insola i ea h face

As beam of sunrays falls perpendicular to equator, hence if sunrays cross 1 unit of atmosphere
here then they have to cross almost 44.7 units at poles

That is why Insolation received per unit area is max at equator & min at poles

Specific Heat

Heat capacity or specific heat of water is 5 times that of earth surface

Which mea ame am f hea ill hea ea h face 5 ime ha ha f ae f ame

mass & vice-a-versa in case heat is withdrawn

Hence land surface heats & cool more rapidly than water surface

Specific Heat → Energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gm of substance by 1*C

Rate of Heating differ between Water & Land because water is transparent to sunrays & is
always in motion

Hence heat is absorbed more slowly as absorbed heat is distributed over a great depth & area

Heat Budget

Earth maintains its temp. as amount of heat received by it in form of insolation = Amount of
heat radiated by it through terrestrial radiation.

Gain & loss of heat or balance of heat (Received & Emitted) is known as heat budget

Heat Received

Total Solar Radiations → 100 %

Returned back to atmosphere in short wave form → 35 % (Mainly from reflection &
scattering from clouds, dust particles & from earth surface)
 Absorbed by atmosphere (mostly water vapour + Dust + Gases) → 14 %

Available to earth → 51 % (34 % from direct sunlight & 17% from scattered
radiations) → Hence only 65 % of total insolation is available for heating atmosphere

Note → Clouds act generally as mirror, reflects sunlight in different directions rather than absorbing it
(Reflected sunlight is permanently lost to earth)

Heat Radiated

Returned as long wave radiation form earth → 51 %

17 % radiated from earth surface

34 % absorbed by atmosphere (19 % + 9 % + 6 %)

Now, 48 % ( 34 % + 14 %) absorbed by atmosphere is radiated to space by atmosphere

Hence, Total Heat Received = Total Heat Radiated