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Temperature and Energy
Notes:
This plot shows the relationship between the global average surface temperature and the incident solar radiation. Based on the Stefan-Boltzmann Law, (E=σT^4), the surface temperature difference between 1410 watts/m^2 and 1320 watts/m^2 of incident energy, is about 4˚K. However, the global average surface temperature shows more than a 4˚K temperature difference in the opposite direction!
Considering the measured 33% change in average surface reflectivity at an average cloud coverage of 65%, the absorbed energy changes by 11.5%. This difference corresponds to an 8.4˚K change in surface temperature. The data show about a 4.2˚K change, which is consistent with an 8.4˚K change resulting from the reflectivity difference offset by a 4˚K change arising from the incident energy difference.