Difference between revisions of "Heat Balance"
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Heat Balance
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1. The equilibrium which exists on the average between the radiation
received by a planet and its
atmosphere from the sun and that emitted by the planet and atmosphere.
</dd>
That the equilibrium does exist in the mean is demonstrated by the
observed long-term constancy of the earth's surface temperature. On the
average, regions of the earth nearer the equator than about 35 degrees
latitude receive more energy from the sun than they are able to radiate,
whereas latitudes higher than 35 degrees received less. The excess of heat is
carried from low latitudes to higher latitudes by atmospheric and oceanic
circulations and is reradiated there.
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2. The equilibrium which is known to exist when all sources of heat gain
and loss for a given region or body are accounted for. In general this balance
includes advective, evaporative (etc.) terms as well as a radiation term.
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References
This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use
