Solar Energy In The Atmosphere

Sunlight at the top of earth s atmosphere is composed by total energy of about 50 infrared light 40 visible light and 10 ultraviolet light.

Solar energy in the atmosphere.

The highest energy ultraviolet does not reach the planet s surface at all. In 2002 this was more energy in one hour than the world used in one year. The earth atmosphere energy balance is the balance between incoming energy from the sun and outgoing energy from the earth. The second highest energy is also mostly stopped in the atmosphere.

When it reaches the earth some is reflected back to space by clouds some is absorbed by the atmosphere and some is absorbed at the earth s surface. It is measured perpendicularto the incoming sunlight. Solar irradiance is measured by satellites above earth s atmosphere and is then adjusted using the inverse square law to infer the magnitude of solar irradiance at one astronomical unit au to evaluate the solar constant. Using solar energy can have a positive indirect effect on the environment when solar energy replaces or reduces the use of other energy sources that have larger effects on the environment.

The lowest energy travels through the atmosphere to the ground. Solar energy systems power plants do not produce air pollution water pollution or greenhouse gases. Temperature differences in the atmosphere are a result of the way solar energy is absorbed as it moves through the atmosphere. The approximate average value cited 1 3608 0 0005 kw m which is 81 65 kj m per minute is equivalent to approximately 1 951 calories per minute per.

The thermosphere or the upper atmosphere is the height region above 85 km while the region between the tropopause and the mesopause is the middle atmosphere stratosphere and mesosphere where absorption of solar uv radiation generates the temperature maximum near 45 km altitude and causes the ozone layer. Passive solar energy techniques take advantage of this natural heating and cooling process. The atmosphere in particular filters out over 70 of solar ultraviolet especially at the shorter wavelengths. Photosynthesis captures approximately 3 000 ej per year in biomass.

The total solar energy absorbed by earth s atmosphere oceans and land masses is approximately 3 850 000 exajoules ej per year. Of the solar energy that reaches the outer atmosphere uv wavelengths have the greatest energy. The solar constantis a conventional measure of mean tsi at a distance of one astronomical unit au. Only about 7 of solar radiation is in the uv wavelengths.

The three types are. Homes and other buildings use passive solar energy to distribute heat efficiently and inexpensively. Total solar irradiance tsi is a measure of the solar powerover all wavelengths per unit area incident on the earth s upper atmosphere.