Solar Radiation

Disposition of Solar radiation under cloudless conditions

1. Absorption of UV radiation in the upper

atmosphere - by O3 and O2
2. Absorption of IR radiation – mainly by water
vapour and to a lesser extend by CO2 and O2.
3. Scattering by molecules which comprises dry air
and water vapour.
4. Absorption, scattering, and diffuse reflection by
aerosols.
• Some of the scattered and diffusely reflected solar
radiation is directed downwards.
• The global radiation received by a horizontal
surface at the earth comprises both depleted
downward direct solar radiation and sky radiation

Albedo of a surface - The ratio of radiation reflected by a surface to that incident on it.

average albedo of the earth for atmosphere systems under cloudless condition is 10+7=17%
 
Disposition of Solar radiation with cloudy skies

A wide variation in cloud albedo can occur depending on the size of the cloud droplets, cloud
thickness, concentration of the droplets etc.

For an average cloud albedo 0f 0.55, the radiation

diffusely reflected upwards from the cloud is 48
units (0.55 x 88). Tropopause

Assuming a cloud absorptivity of 7%, the amount

absorbed in the cloud is 6 units (0.07x88).
Mean disposition of solar radiation

Under normal cloud cover- mean cloud cover of the earth is 54%.

Cloudless case is weighted by a factor of 0.46 and overcast situation by a factor of 0.54

Radiation absorbed above tropopause = 2 units

Radiation absorbed in the troposphere 0.46 (20)+ 0.54 (19) = 20
Radiation absorbed at the earth 0.46 (61)+ 0.54 (28) = 43
Radiation reflected to tropopause 0.46 (17)+ 0.54 (51) = 35
Thus the albedo for the earth-atmosphere system is 0.35.
 Terrestrial Radiation

Electromagnetic radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface and atmosphere is called

terrestrial or longwave radiation.

It comprises,
1. Terrestrial surface radiation (radiation emitted by the surface of the earth)
2. Atmospheric radiation

Earth’s surface and atmosphere temperature - 200–300 K.

Terrestrial radiation lies in the IR portion of EM spectrum.

• At mean Earth surface temperature (~300 K), nearly all the emission from a black
body occurs between the wavelength limits 4 to 100 µm
• peak monochromatic emittance at 10 µm.
In meteorology, solar and terrestrial radiation are sub-divided into
1. Short-wave radiation ( λ < ~ 4µ)
2. Long-wave radiation (λ > ~ 4µ)
Absorption of Terrestrial Radiation
The dominant absorbers and emitters - water vapour, carbon dioxide, and ozone.

• From 5 to 8µm, strong absorption band of H2O. Absorption by H2O becomes smaller
beyond 8 µm and upto about 13.5 µm.
• Ozone absorbs strongly at 9.6 µm. This masks a weaker band of CO2 near 10 µm.
• Atmosphere radiates most strongly in the relatively transparent window (8-13 µm) in the
atmospheric absorption spectrum
• Strong absorption band of CO2 - at 13.5 µm extending to 17 µm. At its centre, CO2 absorbs
the terrestrial radiation completely.
Atmospheric Windows
A range of wavelengths over which there is relatively little absorption of radiation by
atmospheric gases.
Or
The regions of the spectrum with wavelengths that can pass through the atmosphere without
much attenuation.
The major atmospheric windows are
●
visible window, from ∼0.4 to ∼0.7 μm 0.4 to ∼0.4 to ∼0.7 μm 0.7 μm m
●
infrared window, from ∼0.4 to ∼0.7 μm 8 to ∼0.4 to ∼0.7 μm 13 μm m
●
microwave window, wavelengths > ∼0.4 to ∼0.7 μm 1 mm.
Radiative heat exchange

There are four ways in which heat is transferred.

1. Conduction – heat transfer by direct contact.
The transfer of heat through matter (i.e., solids, liquids, or gases) without bulk motion of
the matter.
2. Convection – heat carried by currents.
The transfer of heat between two bodies by currents of moving gas or fluid.
3. Radiation – heat transfer by electromagnetic waves, which are emitted by all objects.
A process where heat waves are emitted that may be absorbed, reflected, or transmitted
through a colder body.
Sun heats the earth by electromagnetic waves.
4. Latent heat – heat required/released as a substance changes from one state to another.
Energy is absorbed or released by a substance during a change in its physical state
(phase) that occurs without changing its temperature.