Hi Richard
I believe Fourier got that one in 1824.

"1824
Joseph Fourier calculates that the Earth would be far colder if it lacked an
atmosphere."
http://www.aip.org/history/climate/timeline.htm


"Richard Clark" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 07 Nov 2007 06:30:41 -0500, (J. B. Wood)
wrote:

Hello, Jim , and power (energy per unit time) doesn't propagate? Where do
we get all that radiant heat from 93 million miles away? Sincerely, and

Hi John,

Is the volume of space immediately to the left of planet Earth as warm
as planet Earth? A balmy 13° to 17° C?

Same source, the sun.
Same distance, 93 million miles away;
Same power (sic), energy per unit time;
Same propagation, speed of light without obstruction;

Same heat? Not even close - even when accounting for and removing the
core temperature of Earth. A rather absolute chilly of 3° K.

Substitute the Moon by placing it to the left of Earth. Is it as warm
as planet Earth? A balmy 13° to 17° C?

Same source, the sun.
Same distance, 93 million miles away;
Same power (sic), energy per unit time;
Same propagation, speed of light without obstruction;

Same heat? Again, not even close. A rather toasty 107° C!

Two examples in proximity to Earth, and yet both seem to exhibit that
the Sun does not propagate power linearly. What could possibly
account for this error when the path is unobstructed and the Sun's
radiation is uniform? Even more quixotic is that the smaller load of
the Moon exhibits a higher dissipation of radiation (and has virtually
no core temperature effect to elevate that result).

Well, albedo has something to do with all three; but that is load
dependant and has nothing to do with energy per unit time from the
source. Insulation has something to do with all three; and that too
has nothing to do with energy per unit time from the source.

So, is the Sun selectively powerful (like a god)? Is the Sun like
some really, really huge radiant lamp (the kind with a toaster wire
wound like a slinky in the middle of a radar reflector)? Point the
radiant lamp at you, and you get toasty, step aside, and the air that
replaces your volume does not - hmmm. Put a pane of glass in the same
region, same chilling result.

Something going on here and there seems to be only one commonality to
power - the function of the load in the presence of energy.

Energy propagates much as we expect it does; power - well, not always
(hardly ever).

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC