GEOL 150Lg Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Black Body, Energy Economics, Thermodynamic Equilibrium
Document Summary
We treat the earth as a black body (not true but starting point) w/o atmosphere. 1367 w/m^2 is what one side of the earth receives from the sun. Average solar flux= intercepted incoming radiation/earth"s surface area. Higher near the equator, lower at high latitudes. The incoming radiation is not always absorbed absolutely. Ice has high albedo (reflects a lot of energy) Black rock low albedo ( absorbs more energy) Kirchoff"s law of thermal radiation- wavelength-specific radiative emission and absorption of a black body thermodynamic equilibrium at a specific temperature. Perfect black body - absorbs all radiation it receives. The greenhouse gases are composed to absorb radiation. They are taking u extra energy and holding on to it. !oxygen and ozone are responsible for keeping uv rays from entering the atmosphere radiation. Each one is a triatomic molecules (these trap radiation) Water vapor is the most efficient gas in the atmosphere at trapping outgoing longwave.
