A&O SCI 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Radiant Flux, Background Radiation, Subtropics
8 Dec 2017
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Document Summary
Total flux of radiation varies according to the distance btwn 2 objects. Earth is about 150million km from the sun 342 watts/meters^2 of solar radiation reaching the top of earth"s atmosphere. Solar flux can vary depending on the angle btwn the surface intercepting the radiation and the direction of the radiation"s popagation. A more oblique angle gives a greater area over which the energy is absorbes, hence less energy per unit area. This is 2 reason the poles recieve less energy than the equator. The reflectivity, or albedo of the earh is about 0. 3 meaning that baout. 30% of the incoming solar flux is reflected back to space. Certain regions are typically much more reflective than others. The earth"s reflectivity is dynamic and varies over the course of the year. Net solar radiation at the top of the earth"s atmosphere = incoming minus relfected. Key features of the planet"s net solar flux distribution.
