Figure 45.11: Earth’s Radiation Budget The average annual energy gain from incoming short-wave solar radiation that is absorbed by Earth’s surface and atmosphere (left-hand portion of figure) is balanced by the average annual loss to outer space in the form of long-wave (infrared) radiation (right-hand portion of figure). Greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere absorb some of the infrared radiation emitted by Earth’s surface and radiate it back to the surface, adding to the warming caused by solar radiation. This “greenhouse effect” is sufficiently strong that the total infrared radiation emitted by the surface exceeds the average flux of incoming solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere (342 watts/m2 averaged across day and night at all locations and over all seasons). All fluxes (arrows) are given as percentages of this average.