 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Simplest Climate Model
The simplest climate model requires an energy balance at top of the planet's atmosphere. Energy balance requires that the absorbed solar energy equals the infrared radiation emitted to space. The emission temperature of a planet is the blackbody temperature required to achieve energy balance. The solar energy absorbed is determined by the solar energy output of the sun, the distance from the sun, and the planet's albedo.
Use this interactive planet emission temperature climate model to explore the relationships between a planet's emission temperature, its albedo, its distance from the sun, and the energy output of the sun.The mathematics of the model is available.