The Regulation of the Atmospheres Energy - Coursework Example

The Regulation of the Atmosphere’s Energy Number Department The Regulation of the Atmosphere’s Energy The earth’s energy balance is an important aspect that ensures the temperatures do not slip to the extremes of either coldness or hotness. The energy regulation is dependent on both natural factors and human activities. These developments have played a key role in the earth’s energy variations for more than four centuries. Regardless, just as the gaining and losing of energy by the earth must remain at the optimum level, energy gaining by the atmosphere has to be balanced by a similar loss of energy from it into space. Satellite tests have showed that air radiates current infrared energy of up to 60 per cent of the received solar energy. As such, if the atmosphere can radiate such a high amount of energy, then the level of its absorption must be equally high for proper thermal balance. The primary features of the earth’s energy balance are the cloud cover, aerosols, ozone layer and moist air, which conspire to absorb almost one-quarter of the outgoing solar energy (Shaftel, 2015). While evaporation transfers 25 per cent of the energy released, convection processes transfer back five per cent of the energy to the atmosphere (Table and figure 1). Bannon (2012) noted that these three natural processes transmit an estimated 53 per cent of the energy originating from the solar back to the atmosphere. It is then notable that the total amount of energy must be equivalent to the outgoing infrared energy transmitted high in the atmosphere, thus leaving the outstanding 5-6 per cent to be generated by the earth’s surface (Wild et al, 2013). The Greenhouse Effect As Bengtsson et al (2013) noted, just as the primary atmospheric gases comprising of nitrogen and oxygen cannot block incoming solar energy, they are having no role to play in regulating the sun’s outgoing infrared energy. Nonetheless, air moisture, carbon dioxide and methane among other gases with higher density cannot be easily penetrated by many wavelengths of the solar infrared energy (Cuff, & Goudie, 2009). On their part, Downie, Brash and Vaghuan (2009) noted that the earth’s surface radiates energy which is commensurate to 17 per cent of solar energy in thermal infrared form. However, the level of energy that directly ends up in space is a paltry 12 per cent of the energy released by the sun. The outstanding percentage which is equivalent to 5-6 per cent of the solar energy is radiated back to the atmosphere where the energy is absorbed by greenhouse gas particles (Shaftel, 2015). Lebon and Jou (2008) noted that when molecules of greenhouse gas take in thermal infrared energy, the resulting situation raises their temperature. The molecules then react like burning coals without a flame, which generally radiate a higher level of thermal infrared energy, thus heating the surrounding air. Heat radiated higher in the atmosphere then continues to interact with molecules of greenhouse gas; these gases take in the heat, which subsequently increases their temperature as well as the amount of heat they produce. Bannon (2012) suggested that at an altitude of about six kilometres, the atmosphere has lesser greenhouse gases per cubic meter of air such that any energy transmitted or generated at the altitude is so meagre that heat can transit to space without any impediment. Panda Organization (2015) noted that molecules of greenhouse gas radiate heat to the surrounding air, thus a fraction of the energy is transmitted downward and eventually strikes the earth’s surface, which readily absorbs it. The process raises the earth’s temperature higher than it would be under direct heating by the solar. This additional heating of the surface of the earth by the atmospheric energy is attributed to the natural effect of greenhouse gases. Surface Temperature Variation The natural effect of greenhouse gases increases the temperature of the earth to about 15 degrees Celsius, which is in excess of 30 degrees than an earth without an atmosphere (Wild et al, 2013). According to Lebon and Jou (2008), the amount of energy radiated by the atmospheric processes back to earth’s surface is as strong as 100 per cent of direct solar energy. Petersen, Sack and Gabler (2011) added that the surface of the earth reacts to the additional amount of heat by becoming warmer and melting the polar ice (Table and figure 2). Interestingly, the natural effect of greenhouse does not result in the build-up of heat on the earth’s surface (Pidwirny, 2013). The natural regulation of energy is attributed to the fact that the level of energy radiated by a surface always outpaces the rate of its temperature rise, thus implying that outgoing energy soars with temperature’s fourth power. According to Bannon (2012), as solar radiation and atmospheric heating through back radiation increases the temperature of the earth’s surface, the surface releases a correspondingly higher amount of energy, which is 17 per cent in excess of direct solar energy (Table and graph 3). Panda Organization (2015) said some of the thermal energy is transferred directly to the outer space, and the remainder is transmitted higher up in the atmosphere to the extent that the energy escaping from the uppermost part of the atmosphere corresponds to the level of striking solar energy. Owing to the fact that the maximum tenable amount of solar energy is regulated by the solar to optimum levels, the natural impact of greenhouse does not result in uncontrolled heating of the earth’s surface (Pidwirny, 2013). The level of heating of the earth’s surface is also partly dependent on the distance of the earth’s surface from the solar and partly on the very small differences in the course of solar cycles. Climate Forcings Any alterations to the climate of the earth’s climate system which influences the amount of energy entering or escaping from the system changes its radiative optimum levels and can push temperatures to the extremes. Downie, Brash and Vaghuan (2009) termed these destabilizing factors as climate forcings. Natural factors classified as climate forcings encompass changes in the brightness of the Sun, small changes in the form of earth’s revolution and rotation lines over many centuries (Milankovitch cycles), and massive volcanic eruptions that throw light-reflecting materials high in the stratosphere. Manmade forcings are particles of pollutants (aerosols), which take in and provide a platform upon which incoming sunlight can bounce back; deforestation, which interferes with how the earth’s surface mirrors and takes in solar energy; and the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, which limit heat transferred back to space (Pidwirny, 2013). The forcings have the capacity to trigger ripple-effects that boost or hinder the pre-existing natural, stabilizing forcings (Bengtsson et al, 2013). The massive use of gasoline fuels in road transport and the resulting carbon emissions have increased the temperature of the earth’s surface and caused melting of polar ice is a typical example of such a response. As Wild et al (2013) said the taking in of outgoing heat infrared by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide means the surface of the earth still has the capacity to absorb more than two-thirds of the pounding solar energy, but the earth retains a corresponding amount of thermal energy due to the destructive impacts of human activity. Cuff and Goudie (2009), however, noted that the precise amount of the thermal power imbalance remains hard to gauge, but it is in the neighbourhood of 0.8 watts in every square meter. Part of the reason why there is no lack of a definite answer to the destructive energy on the earth is the different processes which are normally deployed simultaneously to gauge it (Pidwirny, 2013). These processes include observation of satellite imagery and ocean-based findings such as the sea level. Regardless, Mesonet (2005) said when an artificial forcing like greater concentrations of greenhouse gas disrupts the energy regulation it does not alter the global optimum temperature of the earth’s surface immediately. The real effect may be felt many years or even decades from the time of the occurrence of the forcing. According to Bengtsson et al (2013), this delay is generally attributed to the massive power of the global ocean which takes substantial heat over time to change its temperature. The thermal capacity of the vast oceanic waters gives the global climate a heat inertia that reduces the rate of surface warming or cooling, but cannot prevent a change from happening (The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, 2015). Conclusion The earth’s energy balance is generally subject to natural and human factors. Volcanic eruptions, the distance between the earth and the sun, and the sun’s brightness are some of the natural features of the earth’s energy balance. Deforestation and uncontrolled release of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere coupled by industrialization are some of the man-made forcings of energy imbalance. The stability in the concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases would push the earth’s climate to its healthy equilibrium witnessed 400 years ago; however, this is dependent on global resolve to cut carbon emissions. Meanwhile, surface temperatures are expected to raise, hence the reality of global warming. References Bannon, P.R., 2012. Atmospheric Available Energy. Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, 69(12), pp.3745-3762. Bengtsson et al., 2013. The Changing Energy Balance of the Polar Regions in a Warmer Climate. Journal of Climate, 26(10), pp.3112-3129. Cuff, C., & Goudie, A., 2009. The Oxford Companion to Global Change. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Downie, D.L., Brash, K., & Vaghuan, C., 2009. Climate Change: A Reference Handbook. Contemporary world issues. Sydney: ABC-CLIO. Lebon, G., & Jou, D., 2008. Understanding Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics: Foundations, Applications, Frontiers. New York: Springer Science & Business Media. Mesonet, 2005. “Earths Energy Budget.” Retrieved from http://okfirst.mesonet.org/train/meteorology/EnergyBudget.html Panda Organization, 2015. “What Cause Climate Change?” Retrieved from http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/cause/ Petersen, J., Sack, D., & Gabler, R., 2011. Physical Geography. New York: Cengage Learning. Pidwirny, P., 2013. “Energy balance of Earth.” Retrieved from http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/152458/ Shaftel, H., 2015. “A Blanket around the earth.” Retrieved from http://climate.nasa.gov/causes/ The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, 2015. “The Earth’s Energy Budget.” Retrieved from https://ag.tennessee.edu/solar/Pages/What%20Is%20Solar%20Energy/Earth-Energy- Budget.aspx Wild et al., 2013. A new diagram of the global energy balance. AIP Conference Proceedings, 1531(1), pp.628-631. Wild et al., 2013. The global energy balance from a surface perspective. Climate Dynamics, 40(11/12), pp.3107-3134. Appendices Table 1 showing Solar energy balance Impact % of solar energy Reflected 29 Absorbed at the earths surface 48 Absorbed in the atmosphere 23 Graph 1: Source: http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/152458/ Table 2: Showing energy regulation at the Polar Regions on both ends and around the equator at the centre. Latitude 90 70 50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 70 90 Watts per square meter 70 85 100 150 200 280 300 320 300 280 200 150 100 85 70 Graph 2: Source: http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/152458/ Table 3: Distribution of heat through thermal radiation Impacts Thermal Radiation Impacts (%) Incoming energy absorbed in the atmosphere 23 Evaporation 25 Convection 5 Thermal radiation from the earths surface 17 Thermal radiation through the atmosphere 12 Thermal radiation absorbed in the atmosphere 5 Graph 3: Source http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/152458/ Read More