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The balance between energy absorbed by the earth and energy reflected back into space is fundamental in determining how warm or cool the planet becomes. The proportion of radiation reflected away by a surface is called its albedo. Albedo can range between 0 (no reflectance) and 1 (complete reflectanceâlike a mirror). The earthâs average albedo is .31, which means that, overall, the planet reflects about 31% of incoming solar radiation back into space.
Radiation Balance for Both Earthâs Surface and Atmosphere. The incoming solar radiation is absorbed at Earthâs surface (51 units) and by the atmosphere and clouds (19 units). This is balanced by the infrared radiation emitted from Earthâs surface (6 units) and from the atmosphere (64 units) which are both lost to space. Radiation Balance for both Earth's Surface and Atmosphere.