Diurnal energy budget refers to the balance between the amount of energy received by the Earth's

surface and the amount of energy that is lost or returned back to the atmosphere during a 24-hour
period. Several factors affect the diurnal energy budget, including:

Incoming (shortwave) solar radiation: This is the amount of energy received from the sun and is the
primary source of energy for the Earth's surface.

Reflected solar radiation: This is the amount of solar radiation that is reflected back to space by clouds,
aerosols, and the Earth's surface. The amount of reflected radiation is influenced by factors such as
cloud cover, the angle of the sun's rays, and the reflectivity (albedo) of the surface.

Energy absorbed into the surface and subsurface: This is the energy that is absorbed by the Earth's
surface and subsurface. The amount of energy absorbed is influenced by factors such as the color and
composition of the surface, vegetation cover, and the amount of moisture in the soil.

Albedo: This refers to the reflectivity of the Earth's surface. Surfaces with high albedo reflect more solar
radiation than surfaces with low albedo. For example, snow and ice have a high albedo, while forests
and oceans have a low albedo.

Sensible heat transfer: This refers to the transfer of heat from the surface to the atmosphere through
convection and conduction. The amount of sensible heat transfer is influenced by factors such as wind
speed, temperature, and humidity.

Longwave radiation: This refers to the amount of energy emitted by the Earth's surface and atmosphere
as infrared radiation. The amount of longwave radiation emitted is influenced by factors such as
temperature, humidity, and the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Latent heat transfer This refers to the transfer of heat from the surface to the atmosphere through the
evaporation of water and the condensation of water vapor. The amount of latent heat transfer is
influenced by factors such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed.

Evaporation is the process by which water is converted from a liquid state to a gaseous state. This
process requires energy, which is supplied by the sun's radiation. As water evaporates, it takes energy
from the surrounding environment, leading to a cooling effect. This means that areas with high rates of
evaporation, such as deserts, experience lower temperatures during the day than areas with lower rates
of evaporation.
Dew, on the other hand, is formed when the temperature of a surface drops below the dew point
temperature, causing water vapor in the air to condense into liquid droplets. This process releases
energy, which can lead to a warming effect. Areas with high levels of dew formation, such as humid
regions, may experience higher temperatures during the day than areas with lower levels of dew
formation.

Absorbed energy returned to earth: This is the amount of energy that is absorbed by the atmosphere
and is eventually returned back to the Earth's surface. This can occur through processes such as
scattering and absorption of radiation by atmospheric gases and particles.

Overall, the diurnal energy budget is a complex interplay of various physical and environmental factors
that contribute to the Earth's climate and weather patterns. Other factors that can affect diurnal energy
budgets include cloud cover, atmospheric composition, and land cover. Clouds can reflect incoming solar
radiation, reducing the amount of energy that reaches the surface, while atmospheric composition can
affect the absorption and emission of radiation. Land cover, such as forests or urban areas, can also
influence the energy budget by altering the amount of incoming radiation that is absorbed or reflected
by the surface.

The global energy budget

The latitudinal pattern of radiation: excesses and deficits.

Atmospheric transfers: wind belts and ocean currents

The global energy budget refers to the balance between the amount of incoming solar radiation and the
amount of energy that is absorbed, reflected, and emitted by the Earth's atmosphere and surface. This
balance determines the Earth's climate and weather patterns.

One key aspect of the global energy budget is the latitudinal pattern of radiation. The Earth's curvature
causes the equator to receive more direct solar radiation than the poles. This creates a surplus of energy
at the equator, which is then redistributed to the poles through atmospheric and oceanic circulation.

The surplus energy at the equator creates a low-pressure zone, which causes warm, moist air to rise and
form clouds and precipitation. This process results in the tropical rainforest biome around the equator.
The excess energy also drives the Hadley cell, a global atmospheric circulation pattern that moves warm,
moist air from the equator towards the poles.
At higher latitudes, where there is a deficit of solar radiation, cooler, denser air sinks towards the
surface, creating high-pressure zones. This causes cold, dry air to flow away from the poles towards the
equator, forming the polar easterlies and westerlies. This process also drives the Ferrel cell, which is a
mid-latitude atmospheric circulation pattern.

Another important aspect of the global energy budget is atmospheric transfers through wind belts and
ocean currents. Wind belts are created by differences in pressure and temperature between different
regions of the Earth's surface. The trade winds, westerlies, and polar easterlies are the three main wind
belts that circulate air around the Earth.

Ocean currents are also important in transferring heat energy around the Earth. The global ocean
conveyor belt is a system of surface and deep ocean currents that circulate water and heat around the
planet. Warm surface waters from the equator are carried towards the poles, where they cool and sink,
eventually returning to the equator as deep ocean currents.

Overall, the global energy budget is a complex system that involves the interaction of multiple physical
processes, including radiation, atmospheric circulation, and ocean currents. Understanding these
processes is essential for understanding the Earth's climate and weather patterns, as well as for
predicting future changes in these systems due to human activity

Seasonal variations in temperature, pressure and wind belts: the influence of latitude, land sea

distribution, and ocean currents

Seasonal variations in temperature, pressure, and wind belts are influenced by a combination of factors
including latitude, land-sea distribution, and ocean currents.

Latitude plays a significant role in determining the seasonal variations in temperature. Areas closer to
the equator experience little variation in temperature throughout the year, while regions further away
from the equator experience more pronounced seasonal changes. This is because areas near the
equator receive direct sunlight year-round, while areas at higher latitudes receive sunlight at an oblique
angle, resulting in less heat absorption.

Land-sea distribution also plays a role in seasonal variations. Land surfaces heat up and cool down more
quickly than water surfaces, so regions with more land experience greater temperature variations. For
example, inland areas of continents experience larger seasonal temperature differences than coastal
regions.
Ocean currents also have an impact on temperature, pressure, and wind patterns. Warm ocean currents
flowing from the tropics towards higher latitudes can help to moderate temperatures in coastal regions,
while cold currents can have the opposite effect. Ocean currents also play a role in determining the
location and strength of high and low pressure systems, which in turn influence wind patterns.

In summary, seasonal variations in temperature, pressure, and wind belts are influenced by a
combination of latitude, land-sea distribution, and ocean currents. Understanding these factors is
important for predicting weather patterns and for understanding the impacts of climate change.

Weather processes and phenomena

Atmospheric moisture processes: evaporation, condensation, freezing, melting, deposition, and

sublimation

Atmospheric moisture processes are an essential aspect of weather phenomena. The primary processes
involved in the atmospheric moisture cycle are evaporation, condensation, freezing, melting, deposition,
and sublimation.

Evaporation is the process by which liquid water changes into water vapor due to the absorption of heat
energy. This process mainly takes place on the surface of oceans, lakes, and other water bodies.

Condensation is the process by which water vapor changes into liquid water. This process occurs when
the air temperature drops and cannot hold the amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere. As a
result, the excess water vapor condenses into liquid form and forms clouds.

Freezing is the process by which liquid water changes into ice. It occurs when the temperature drops
below the freezing point of water.

Melting is the process by which ice changes into liquid water. This process occurs when the temperature
increases and reaches above the melting point of ice.

Deposition is the process by which water vapor changes into ice without passing through the liquid
phase. It occurs when the temperature drops below the freezing point, and the water vapor molecules
directly bond with each other to form ice crystals.
Sublimation is the process by which ice changes into water vapor without passing through the liquid
phase. This process occurs when the ice is exposed to heat energy, which causes the ice molecules to
vibrate and break free from the solid state, forming water vapor.

In summary, atmospheric moisture processes play a significant role in weather phenomena, and their
understanding is essential in predicting and understanding weather patterns.

Causes of precipitation: convection, frontal and orographic uplift of air, and radiation cooling.

Precipitation is the process by which moisture falls from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface in the
form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail. There are several different causes of precipitation, including
convection, frontal uplift, orographic uplift, and radiation cooling.

Convection: Convection is the process of heat transfer through the movement of fluids. In the case of
precipitation, warm air rises and cools as it reaches higher altitudes. As the air cools, the water vapor it
contains condenses into clouds, and eventually falls to the ground as precipitation.

Frontal uplift: When two different air masses meet, they create a boundary known as a front. As the
warm and cold air masses collide, the warm air rises, cools, and condenses, leading to precipitation.

Orographic uplift: When moist air is forced to rise over a mountain range, it cools and condenses,
leading to precipitation on the windward side of the mountain. As the air descends on the leeward side,
it warms up and becomes drier, leading to a rain shadow effect.

Radiation cooling: At night, the Earth's surface cools down and releases heat into the atmosphere. As
the air near the ground cools, it can no longer hold as much moisture, leading to condensation and
precipitation.

In summary, precipitation is caused by various factors, including the rise of warm air due to convection,
the collision of warm and cold air masses, the uplift of moist air over mountains, and radiation cooling at
night. Understanding these causes is essential for predicting precipitation patterns and forecasting
weather conditions.