Energy released from the Sun is emitted as shortwave light and ultraviolet energy. When it reaches the Earth, some is reflected back to space by clouds, some is absorbed by the atmosphere, and some is absorbed at the Earth's surface. However, since the Earth is much cooler than the Sun, its radiating energy is much weaker long wavelength infrared energy.
We can indirectly see this energy radiate into the atmosphere as heat, rising from a hot road, creating shimmers on hot sunny days. The earth-atmosphere energy balance is achieved as the energy received from the Sun balances the energy lost by the Earth back into space.
In this way, the Earth maintains a stable average temperature and therefore a stable climate. Using units of energy from the sun as a baseline the energy balance is as follows:.
Snow and ice have high albedo — much of the sunlight hitting surfaces covered with snow and ice bounces back. In contrast, dark earthy surfaces have a low albedo, therefore, they absorb more sunlight.
Therefore, snow and ice which are covered in soot from pollution no longer reflect sunlight, but absorb it and so melting increases.
The more snow and ice in the Arctic and Antarctic melt, the more dark surfaces. Hence, the feedback of climate change in the Polar regions is further warming, exacerbating climate change globally. Earth contains about 1. The oceans hold 1. The Sun plays a key role in the hydrological cycle, constantly evaporating water into the atmosphere.
Some of that water is returned as rain, snow and dew. Part of this precipitation is rapidly evaporated back into the atmosphere.
Some drains into lakes and rivers to commence a journey back to the sea. Some infiltrates into the soil to sustain groundwater or soil moisture. Under natural conditions, the groundwater gradually works its way back into surface waters and makes up the main source of dependable river flow. Plants incorporate some of the soil moisture and groundwater into their tissues, and release some into the atmosphere in the process of transpiration. The hydrological cycle moves enormous quantities of water about the globe, all thanks to the energy from the sun.
World Water Day on 22 March every year focuses attention on the importance of water. The theme for is Leaving No One Behind. It adapts the central promise of the Agenda for Sustainable Development that as sustainable development progresses, everyone must benefit. These breakthroughs produce sunspots that travel together across the face of the Sun. The heightened magnetic activity associated with sunspots can lead to solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and other far-reaching electromagnetic phenomena that endanger astronauts and damage or disrupt satellites.
Thanks sir. Your email address will not be published. Insolation or Incoming Solar Radiation As we all know, the sun is the primary source of energy for the earth. The sun radiates its energy in all directions into space in short wavelengths, which is known as solar radiation. Moreover, water vapour, dust particles, ozone and other gases present in the atmosphere absorb a small amount of solar radiation.
The solar radiation received at the top of the atmosphere varies slightly in a year due to the variations in the distance between the earth and the sun. This position of the earth is called aphelion. On 3 rd January , the earth is nearest to the sun.
This position is called perihelion. Due to this variation in the distance between the earth and the sun, the annual insolation received by the earth on 3 rd January is slightly more than the amount received on 4 th July.
However, the effect of this variation is masked by some other factors like the distribution of land and sea and the atmospheric circulation. Hence the variation does not have a greater effect on daily weather changes on the surface of the earth.
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