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This is because the solar constant is evaluated at a fixed distance of 1 Astronomical Unit (au) while the solar irradiance will be affected by the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit. Its distance to the Sun varies annually between 147.1·10 6 km at perihelion and 152.1·10 6 km at aphelion .
Solar radiation pressure on objects near the Earth may be calculated using the Sun's irradiance at 1 AU, known as the solar constant, or G SC, whose value is set at 1361 W/m 2 as of 2011. [17] All stars have a spectral energy distribution that depends on their surface temperature. The distribution is approximately that of black-body radiation.
The solar constant is a conventional measure of mean TSI at a distance of one astronomical unit (AU). Direct normal irradiance (DNI), or beam radiation, is measured at the surface of the Earth at a given location with a surface element perpendicular to the Sun direction.
The intensity of solar irradiance including all wavelengths is the Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) and on average is the solar constant. It is equal to about 1361 W m −2 at the distance of Earth's annual-mean orbital radius of one astronomical unit and as measured at the top of the atmosphere. [ 43 ]
The solar constant is equal to approximately 1,368 W/m 2 (watts per square meter) at a distance of one astronomical unit (AU) from the Sun (that is, at or near Earth's orbit). [99] Sunlight on the surface of Earth is attenuated by Earth's atmosphere , so that less power arrives at the surface (closer to 1,000 W/m 2 ) in clear conditions when ...
The spectrum of solar light at the Earth's surface is mostly spread across the visible and near-infrared ranges with a small part in the near-ultraviolet. [7] Most of the world's population live in areas with insolation levels of 150–300 watts/m 2 , or 3.5–7.0 kWh /m 2 per day.
This corresponds to an average flux of 0.087 W/m 2 and represents only 0.027% of Earth's total energy budget at the surface, being dwarfed by the 173 000 TW of incoming solar radiation. [ 13 ] Human production of energy is even lower at an average 18 TW, corresponding to an estimated 160,000 TW-hr, for all of year 2019. [ 14 ]
Earth's magnetic field, predominantly dipolar at its surface, is distorted further out by the solar wind. This is a stream of charged particles leaving the Sun's corona and accelerating to a speed of 200 to 1000 kilometres per second.