<p>I particularly like the classical energy budget diagrams like that produced by <a href="http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/2008BAMS2634.1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Trenberth et al in 2009</a>. They are simple to understand and show all the various heat transfer mechanisms operating on the earth and its atmosphere. These diagrams are of course showing the "average" over the 2 primary cycles which affect heat transfer in the real world, i.e. the day/night cycle and the winter/summer cycle. </p>

<p>Has anyone produced the same type of diagrams which show separately the heat transfers for day and for night and also the corresponding ones highlighting the differences in values for winter and summer? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-22T22:46:58.500Z
Taking it even further, a dynamic website/diagram (estimated for places/times/dates) would be particularly brilliant!  But no, I haven't ever come across anything beyond the original :-/
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-22T22:49:57.533Z
Just to clarify, you mean [this](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/The-NASA-Earth%27s-Energy-Budget-Poster-Radiant-Energy-System-satellite-infrared-radiation-fluxes.jpg), or more classically lined up as [this](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Sun_climate_system_alternative_(Spanish)_2008.svg/2000px-Sun_climate_system_alternative_(Spanish)_2008.svg.png), right?
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-22T22:54:13.753Z
And using the word classical, I think you're already aware, but indeed it has been around much longer than the 2009 Trenberth version.  I think I've seen versions of it nearer 50 years old.
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-23T00:43:38.630Z
Your 2 examples are interesting, the latter is the one I am most familiar with (reference in bottom right corner of "Trenberth et al 2009). The other NASA one seems more recent but I don't think it is as good visually although some of the figures are more accurate (resolution better than 0.1 W/m^2 is impressive). If you can find a reference for the 50 year old diagrams I would be very interested seeing them.
user7733
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-23T04:42:11.573Z
Will take some real digging, just certain I saw the diagrams in undergraduate work 15 years ago, and that they appeared quite weathered copies such that they were older.  But if I come across it, I'll try to post.  Should we perhaps add a diagram to the question so that people know what this diagram is without having to dig?
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-23T09:17:22.027Z
50 years, pah!  How about a century?: [Dines (1917) The heat balance of the atmosphere](http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/qj.49704318203).
Deditos
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2017-03-23T19:16:56.390Z
@Deditos You da man (or woman)!  Here I got nervous I'd stuck my neck out a bit too far with 50 years, and you come slam the point home.  Thanks!
JeopardyTempest
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-03-24T20:24:23.057Z
@Deditos.  Superb !!! But gram calories per square centimetre per year divided by 365 doesn't really trip off the tongue like Watts per sq m . I gotta read it all though.
user7733
<climate><climate-change><visualization>
Are there any energy budget diagram showing separate day/night and summer/winter values?
user7733
# Are there any energy budget diagram showing separate day/night and summer/winter values?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-22)

I particularly like the classical energy budget diagrams like that produced by [Trenberth et al in 2009](http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/2008BAMS2634.1). They are simple to understand and show all the various heat transfer mechanisms operating on the earth and its atmosphere. These diagrams are of course showing the "average" over the 2 primary cycles which affect heat transfer in the real world, i.e. the day/night cycle and the winter/summer cycle.

Has anyone produced the same type of diagrams which show separately the heat transfers for day and for night and also the corresponding ones highlighting the differences in values for winter and summer?

**Tags:** climate, climate-change, visualization

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Taking it even further, a dynamic website/diagram (estimated for places/times/dates) would be particularly brilliant!  But no, I haven't ever come across anything beyond the original :-/  
> **username_1**: Just to clarify, you mean [this](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/The-NASA-Earth%27s-Energy-Budget-Poster-Radiant-Energy-System-satellite-infrared-radiation-fluxes.jpg), or more classically lined up as [this](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Sun_climate_system_alternative_(Spanish)_2008.svg/2000px-Sun_climate_system_alternative_(Spanish)_2008.svg.png), right?  
> **username_1**: And using the word classical, I think you're already aware, but indeed it has been around much longer than the 2009 Trenberth version.  I think I've seen versions of it nearer 50 years old.  
> **username_0**: Your 2 examples are interesting, the latter is the one I am most familiar with (reference in bottom right corner of "Trenberth et al 2009). The other NASA one seems more recent but I don't think it is as good visually although some of the figures are more accurate (resolution better than 0.1 W/m^2 is impressive). If you can find a reference for the 50 year old diagrams I would be very interested seeing them.  
> **username_1**: Will take some real digging, just certain I saw the diagrams in undergraduate work 15 years ago, and that they appeared quite weathered copies such that they were older.  But if I come across it, I'll try to post.  Should we perhaps add a diagram to the question so that people know what this diagram is without having to dig?  
> **username_2**: 50 years, pah!  How about a century?: [Dines (1917) The heat balance of the atmosphere](http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/qj.49704318203).  
> **username_1**: @username_2 You da man (or woman)!  Here I got nervous I'd stuck my neck out a bit too far with 50 years, and you come slam the point home.  Thanks!  
> **username_0**: @username_2.  Superb !!! But gram calories per square centimetre per year divided by 365 doesn't really trip off the tongue like Watts per sq m . I gotta read it all though.  

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## 0 answers

