ENV305 2_2 Special Feature Assignment
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Southern New Hampshire University *
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305
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Geography
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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3
Uploaded by DukeHummingbirdMaster1028
Southern New Hampshire University
ENV 305 Special Feature Assignment: The Cycle of Energy in Earth’s Climate
October 2, 2023
Energy is received through radiation from the sun. The radiation that comes from the sun
is considered what is called a shortwave. A radiation shortwave is radiation at a wavelength
shorter than 4 microns. Energy is always received from the top and is absorbed by the surfaces.
So basically, the sun shines down on Earth and reflects off things like clouds and open space.
Once that happens it drops down and the Earth absorbs it up.
In the figure above you can see the sun giving off light and it being reflected. Then you
can see the radiation that is being absorbed and re-reradiated, which is being absorbed by the
atmosphere.
Major factors that influence radiative forcing changes are volcanic emissions, emissions of
greenhouse gases, and aerosols. Greenhouse gases trap some of the outgoing infrared radiation
and warm the lower atmosphere. Aerosols can scatter or absorb solar radiation, cooling or
warming the atmosphere, depending on their composition and location. Volcanic emissions are
the gases and particles that are released by volcanic eruptions and can alter the radiation balance
(Jrafferty, 2020).
Citations
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2023, November 2). Greenhouse effect | Definition,
Diagram, Causes, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/science/greenhouse-effect
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2023, November 2). Greenhouse effect | [Photograph]
https://www.britannica.com/science/greenhouse-effect
Jrafferty. (2020, May 12). What is radiative forcing? | Saving Earth | Encyclopedia Britannica.
Saving Earth | Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/explore/savingearth/radiative-forcing
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