What is going on with Earth's longwave energy imbalance?

Thread starter johnbbahm
Start date Nov 5, 2024
Tags

Earth Energy imbalance

In summary, Earth's longwave energy imbalance refers to the difference between the amount of energy Earth receives from the sun and the energy it radiates back into space. This imbalance is primarily driven by human-induced climate change, leading to increased greenhouse gas concentrations that trap heat in the atmosphere. Recent studies indicate that this energy imbalance is contributing to rising global temperatures, affecting climate systems, and causing extreme weather events. Understanding and addressing this imbalance is crucial for predicting future climate scenarios and implementing effective mitigation strategies.

Nov 5, 2024

johnbbahm

TL;DR Summary: Recorded increase in Outbound Longwave Radiation (OLR) since year 2000.

Observational Assessment of Changes in Earth’s Energy Imbalance Since 2000: 2024

Satellite observations from the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System show that Earth’s energy imbalance has doubled from 0.5 ± 0.2 Wm−2 during the first 10 years of this century to 1.0 ± 0.2 Wm−2 during the past decade. The increase is the result of a 0.9 ± 0.3 Wm−2 increase absorbed solar radiation (ASR) that is partially offset by a 0.4 ± 0.25 Wm−2 increase in outgoing longwave radiation (OLR).

Added greenhouse gases are supposed to be decreasing the OLR.