Solar radiation, reflection and absorption, illustration

Solar energy radiation, reflection and absorption, illustration. Radiation energy from the Sun (top left) hits the Earth's atmosphere. Some is reflected (left yellow arrow) or absorbed (upper orange arrow) by the atmosphere and some is reflected (middle yellow arrow) or absorbed (middle orange arrow) by clouds. Some reaches the Earth's surface, which absorbs (bottom orange arrow) some radiation, reflects some (right yellow arrow), and re-radiates some as infrared radiation (heat, right red arrow). Some of this radiation passes through the atmosphere back into space. The build-up of certain chemicals in the atmosphere can change its absorbance and emission of radiation, contributing to global warming. For a labelled version of this image see C057/3741., by KARSTEN SCHNEIDER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY