Earth  ID: 20025

Cloud Albedo

Clouds greatly effect the earth's solar energy balance. Albedo, or reflectance, deflects a portion of the influx of solar energy from reaching our planet's surface. At the same time, a blanket of clouds insulates, preventing total loss of allthermal surface heat radiance out into space. This very important balance of energy is essential to our planet's ability to support life.

Animation Credits

Susan Twardy (HTSI): Animator
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

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Keywords:
SVS >> Albedo
SVS >> Clouds
NASA Science >> Earth