Planetary radiative energy balance
Earth's energy storage changes when incoming and outgoing energy differ.
Key knowledge
At the top of the atmosphere, Earth's radiative balance compares incoming sunlight with reflected sunlight and outgoing thermal radiation. On a global average, sustained net energy input increases energy stored in the Earth system; radiative equilibrium requires balanced incoming and outgoing fluxes.
Conditions and scope
- This is a global boundary budget, not a requirement that every place or moment be in balance.
- The equilibrium description is an idealized condition, not an assertion that today's climate is in equilibrium.
Sources · 2
References
Sources retain their recorded scope. A source link alone does not establish verification of every statement.
Evidence and review
NASA's global energy-budget definition and equilibrium distinction; no historic flux estimate is treated as current measurement.
2026-10-10 · English incoming/reflected/outgoing accounting checked against the energy-budget overview; transient and regional details are excluded.
Foundational review
2026-10-10 · Fresh primary-source inspection of the complete compact record, including every statement, equation, quantity and material condition, followed by independent AI editorial review. This check does not certify all linked lessons or every passage of every cited publication.
Sources from other places
Scope or convention differs
Absorption, reflection and emission processes contributing to the radiation budget.
This source comparison covers radiation processes; it does not independently check the full top-of-atmosphere balance equation.
Met Office
- Radiative transfer in the atmosphere United KingdomEnglish
Opening description of gas absorption/emission, scattering, surface reflection and radiation budget
- Radiative transfer in the atmosphere
Entry details
Permanent link to this entry ↗- Record identity
- earth-energy-balance
- Revision
- core.1
- Structured reference record
- Essential core · first collection