Topic: Oceanic Heat Budget

Theme: Energy

Key Concepts

Input

• Three sources of heat have influence on the ocean. Only one is important.
  
• Solar energy--it is about 300 w/m²
  
• Geologic sources:
  
• Heat generated by the radioactive decay of elements within Earth--it is about 1 micro watt/m²,
  
• Heat left over from Earth's formation, and
  
• Human-induced through the burning of fossil fuels--it is about 3 milliwatt/m².
• Solar energy is by far the most important because it is responsible for 100,000 times the contribution of the remaining two.

Output

• The evaporation/precipitation cycle is an important part of the heat energy released into the atmosphere. About 2/3 is evaporated and 1/3 is radiated heat.