Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: [Phys-L] [SPAM] Re: solar constant



For theoretical info, you might read the Wikipedia article on "insolation" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insolation

One interesting result is that for a 24 hr period, the max average insolation (at the top of the atmosphere) is around 550 W/m^2 and it occurs at the South Pole! Although the sun never gets very high, in mid-summer, it gets sunshine 24 hrs per day. (and of course, the earth is closer to the sun in the southern hemisphere's summer than in the northern hemisphere's summer).

Tim Folkerts