What Is Radiative Balance?
The balance between the sunlight Earth absorbs and the heat it sends back to space. If it tips, the planet warms or cools. In technical terms: The equilibrium in which absorbed shortwave radiation (about 240 W per square meter globally) equals outgoing longwave radiation at the top of the atmosphere; a nonzero net flux (Earth's energy imbalance, recently about +1 W per square meter) drives climate change.
Also called: Radiative Equilibrium, Radiation Balance
Radiative Balance In Plain English
The balance between the sunlight Earth absorbs and the heat it sends back to space. If it tips, the planet warms or cools.
The Technical Definition
The equilibrium in which absorbed shortwave radiation (about 240 W per square meter globally) equals outgoing longwave radiation at the top of the atmosphere; a nonzero net flux (Earth's energy imbalance, recently about +1 W per square meter) drives climate change.
Lessons That Use Radiative Balance
- The Greenhouse Effect And Uneven Heating Unit 2: Energy And The Sun
