The Global Atmospheric Energy Budget, Recounted Term by Term
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Rebuilds the global-mean energy budget from primary quantities: solar constant/4 (340.3 W/m2), albedo 0.29 (absorbed 241.6 W/m2), Stefan-Boltzmann emission at 288 K (390.1 W/m2), latent heat from 2.7 mm/day precipitation (78.1 W/m2). Surface balance forces back-radiation of 325.8 W/m2 and a greenhouse effect of 149.4 W/m2; with a 0.9 W/m2 top-of-atmosphere imbalance from ocean heat uptake, OLR is 240.7 W/m2 and the atmospheric budget closes at 526.5 W/m2. Distinguishes measured, estimated and residual terms.
Author: Aldred, William Alexander
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225747642
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